Tweneboa Wood Kpanlogo Drum, "Nanakasa"

Graceful and beautiful, the kpanlogo drum is a revered element in the music and culture of the Ga tribe in Ghana's Greater Accra region, marking the rhythm for the traditional kpanlogo dance. However its characteristic deep, loud sound makes it a popular instrument throughout West Africa. Samuel Coleman crafts this handsome drum of tweneboa wood, affixing its calfskin drum head to wooden pegs with stout ropes. Ashanto symbols adorn its carved surface. The name he chooses, Nanakasa, is a saying used to motivate a chief or king to express his views, whether in an angry mood or not. "Nana" is the title of an Akan chief, while "kasa" means "talk" in the Akan language. The drum is finished with brown and mansion polish and painted.