Artistic Evolutions of the Ga Mashie Twins Yam Festival and Its Cultural Implications

The ethnographic study revealed the artistic evolutions and cultural implications of the celebration of the Twins Yam Festival which is a quintessential pre-celebration rite during the annual Homowo festival of the Ga ethnic race in Ghana. The festival encompasses the philosophical, psychological, religious and socio-economic activities of the Ga and unites the people. According to oral tradition, the Twins Yam festival was initially not observed as a cultural heritage of the people. The study therefore investigated how the Twin Yam festival came to be with the annual celebration of the Homowo festival and its importance in the cultural sustainability of this indigenous area. It furthermore discusses the roles of the various art forms which are actively involved in the rituals, making the celebration such a significant phenomenon. Participatory observation of the rites and well structured interviews were the main instruments used in divulging data from respondents. The study revealed that the twins festival religiously honours the spirits of the twins and imbues into them confidence to attain self fulfilment and psychological peace. In addition, during the celebration, services of the hospitality and culinary or gastronomy industries increase and financial gains do double. Copyright © www.iiste.org Keywords: Ga Mashie, Twins, festival, priest, art and culture

A cultural appraisal of Odadaa: an artistic practice of the lifting of the ban on drumming and noise-making amongst the Ga people of Ghana

The practice of lifting of the ban on drumming and noise-making amongst the Ga Mashie is celebrated with pomp and pageantry as it heralds the people into the annual celebration of the Homowo festival, a celebration that ridicules the hunger that once plagued them when the people arrived at their present settlement. However, it appears the significance of the practice, its artistic and other cultural aspects are not scholarly acknowledged when it comes to the appreciation of this cultural heritage. The ceremony is performed by the priesthood and a coterie of eminent elders who recite artistic prayers and pour libation, followed by beating of the sacred drums by the Gbese chief. This article explores the ideologies and significance of the various rites and more importantly the role of art which are with a number of other cultural aspects. In sum, though the celebration is a conglomeration of numerous aspects of the culture of the Ga people, it is preponderantly an artistic exemplar for art history.Copyright © www.iiste.org Keywords: Odadaa, artefacts, celebration, ban on drumming and noise-making, art histor

``Who Says We Shall Not'': Revealing Artistic and Cultural Resilience in Times of a Global Pandemic

Ama Ata Aidoo famously stated, “Who says we shall not survive among these turbines?” (c 1964 – 1965). This paper looks at revealing artistic and cultural resilience in times of global pandemics. In what ways could our much-needed return to indigenous ways of social, cultural and ecological engagement with the environment initiate sustainable practices? In this paper, I focus on a diversity of contemporary art concerns, allied practices that anticipate emergent formats, media, transformative futures, and translation configurations. I make recourse to collaborations that bring resilience, such as Gudskul ( Jakarta) and blaxTARLINES KUMASI. Through a critical reading of the innovative approaches to cultural resilience in art, this study is built on the lessons we can garner from the sort of resilience that characterizes such audacious projects embarked on by extremophile collectives such as blaxTARLINES and Gudskul. A model is developed as a guide to acquainting ourselves with strategies that would provoke us to a more responsible practice and existence. Art can be more resilient and reach contested spaces if we think of synergies and inclusivity. Keywords: resilience, contemporary art, pandemic, sustainable practice

Green algae as protein source for Oreochromis Niloticus and Tilapia Zillii.

The potential of the unicellular green algae ChI orella vulgaris and Scenedesmus obliguus and the filamentous green algae Cladophora glomerata and Hydrodictyon reticulatum as protein sources in Oreochromis niloticus and Tilapia zillii diets was investigated. When Q. niloticus and !. zillii were fed with fresh C. vulgaris and £. obliguus, a high percentage of the ingested algae was found to be undigested. Heat treatment of the algae at 40°, 60°, 80° and 100°C produced increased growth and protein utilizations in the fishes compared to those fed the untreated algae. Feeding Q. vulgaris treated at 1000C for 30 minutes and S. obliguus treated at 1000C for 15 minutes was found to have produced the best growth responses in.Q. niloticus and!. zillii. Q. glomerata meal and E. reticulatum meal were each fed separately as fishmeal substitutes in pelleted rations formulated to contain 30% protein with varying proportions of this supplied by the fishmeal and the algal meal. A diet containing 25% protein supplied by the algal meal alone was also fed. When 5% of the fishmeal protein was replaced with algal protein (both Q. glomerata and lie reticulatum) and fed to !. zillii, the growth and protein utilization values recorded were superior to those 'obtained for the control 30% fishmeal protein diet. Higher levels of algal protein substitution were, however, found to produce poorer growth and protein utilization values in both fish species. Diets containing only algal protein (both Q. glomerata and H. reticulatum) produced the poorest growth responses in both fish species. Hydrodictyon reticulatum was found to be limiting in methionine and histidine. Supplementation of these essential amino acids produced improved growth in both Q. niloticus and T. zillii. It was concluded from these studies that the green algae evaluated may be suitable partial dietary protein sources for tilapias

Planning Towards Prosperity: How Transit Affects The Educational Trajectories Of Students

This Major Paper examines the role access to affordable transportation plays in the education choices of secondary and post-secondary students in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). The advancement of the GTHA is dependent on the evolution of technology and urban infrastructure, the expansion and improvement of transportation and transit options are crucial to the prosperity of students and educational institutions. Using a transit equity and justice perspective, the main objective of this Major Paper is to understand the systematic inequalities of the unequal distribution and operation of transit infrastructure. Research involves the assessment of Metrolinx's Regional Transportation Plan - The Big Move, data from the StudentMoveTO survey and a focus group conducted with grade 12 students to understand the barriers and challenges student commuters face

Submission of art studio-based assignments: Students experience

Attitudes toward submission of assignment by students have been a major concern for educationists. On several occasions, authorities have complained about students’ lateness or persistent appeals for extension in submitting their assignment. In this study, the reasons why art students are reluctant to complete their studio assignments on time are critically examined. Both quantitative and qualitative data, derived from survey and interviews were used to examine students’ attitudes and investigate their experience. The study revealed that although procrastination is a challenge to students as suggested by empirical studies, students procrastinate because they struggle to conceptualize and ideate the concepts. The percentage of females who submit was greater than males although the outcome was not statistically significant (p=0.50). Age (p=0.044), area of specialization (p=0.001) and academic level (p=0.084) were found to be statistically significant in terms of submission ratings. Although factors such as too many assignments at a time, access to studio, waiting to use equipment and availability of space were found to be issues delaying assignment submissions, students inability to conceptualize, ideate and gather materials appear to be challenges confronting them. An effective approach to the challenges is the teaching and understanding of art conceptualization, ideation and provision of materials. The increase in student numbers must go with increase in infrastructure and equipment if the best is required from these students. Keywords: Studio, Art, Assignment, Late submissio

Characterization of and improvement in the nutritional value of wheat millrun for swine

Little information exists on the nutrient composition and value of wheat millrun as an opportunity feedstuff for swine. The nutritional value of millrun and ways to improve it were investigated in 4 studies. In Chapter 1, 2 experiments were conducted to determine if dietary enzymes increased the digestibility of nutrients bound by non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) and phytate in millrun and consequently improved performance. Xylanase improved (P < 0.05) total tract energy digestibility, DE content and G:F. Phytase reduced (P < 0.05) ADFI, and xylanase tended to reduce (P = 0.07) ADFI. In Chapter 2, effects of xylanase on nutrient digestibility were studied in a wheat control diet and 5 diets containing 30% by-product (millrun, middlings, shorts, screenings, and bran). Xylanase improved (P < 0.05) total tract energy digestibility of the millrun, shorts, screenings, and bran diets. Xylanase did not affect hindgut fermentation but reduced (P < 0.05) hindgut fermentable DE. In Chapter 3, effects of supplementing xylanase and (or) phytase on nutrient digestibility, digesta passage rate and mean digesta retention time (MRT) of a wheat-based diet containing 20% millrun were investigated. The enzymes interacted to increase (P < 0.05) total tract nutrient digestibility and DE content of the negative control diet, but did not affect passage rate and MRT. In Chapter 4, effects of xylanase and phytase supplementation on site of nutrient digestibility in weaned pigs, pH content in the gastrointestinal tract and on growth performance were studied in diets with reduced nutrient specifications (negative control: NC). Xylanase improved (P < 0.01) energy digestibility of the NC in the mid jejunum and over the total tract by 63.0 and 4.6%, respectively. Diet tended to reduce (P = 0.074) the pH content of the upper small intestine, and phytase raised (P < 0.01) the pH content of the upper mid small intestine. Both enzymes improved total tract DE content and performance of weaned pigs. Phytase inclusion led to a more rapid return to alkaline conditions in the upper part of the small intestine. In conclusion, the nutritional value of millrun can be improved with exogenous enzymes thereby improving its status as an opportunity feedstuff in swine diets