Takoradi Feb.28,-GNA- Mrs Christina Carl Operabea, a Deputy Director at the Western Regional Office of the Centre for National Culture on Friday said every Ghanaian dance has a meaning and a purpose. "Dance unite us as people and entertains us," she said. Mrs. Operebea was speaking at a costume dressing and cultural dance competition in Takoradi.

The programme, organized by the Hope Centre, Mercy Ministries International in collaboration with Cultural Initiative Support Programme (CISP) brought together students from Junior High Schools (JHS) and Senior High Schools (SHS) in the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis. The programme was aimed at portraying Ghanaian dances and their meanings.

Some of the dances that were competed in were Kundum, Apatampa and Kpalogo. Mrs. Opereba explained that the kundum dance, practiced by the Ahanta's and Nzema's is performrd during bumper harvest to show appreciation to God. She said Kundum dance identifies the people with their source of livelihood and that it is a ceremonial dance. On Apatampa, which is from the Central Region, she said it is mostly danced by women.

According to her, the lyrics of the song are mostly centered about family life such as a situation when a lady does not know how to cook. Mrs Operabea said Kpanlongo, which is a dance from the Greater Accra Region is a recreational dance and normally danced by fisher folks. She said costumes speak a lot about a person, where he or she comes from and the language he or she speaks. A lot of culture dances were displayed at the competition and at the end of the competition, a group from Sekondi emerged the winner and was presented with set of T-shirts and 50 Ghana Cedis. The Sekondi group from Kwesimintsim also had 30 Ghana Cedis and a set of T-shirt and the third group from Takoradi received 20 Ghana Cedis and a set of T-shirt.

In another development, Hope Centre, Mercy Ministries International and partners from the United States of America have presented computers and accessories to some selected Schools in the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis.

The Schools are Diabene SHS, Methodist SHS, Adiembra SHS, Shama SHS and Reverend Cleland M/Primary School. The rest are T.I Ahamadia JHS, Tanokrom JHS A and B, Axim Road JHS and Essipong Basic School.