The ‘Bakankule' Peace Dance: A Tool for Promoting Unity among Students in Senior High Schools (SHS) in the Upper East Region of Ghana

Abstract

The study looked at the problem of student riots at public Senior High Schools in the Upper East Region of Ghana and the design of a peace dance that was used as a panacea to the menace. The objectives were to ascertain the impact of the dance on students regarding unity and cohesiveness. It also sorts to determine the educative potential in terms of peace building and reconciliation. The mixed method was used in conducting the survey with questionnaire to gather data from primary sources backed by secondary sources. The findings were presented descriptively with the aid of tables and figures. The event was found to be educative in nature, source of entertainment and a cultural capital that can instill the sense of unity and belongingness in students living in boarding houses. It was recommended for the Ghana Peace council to adopt and make it a national dance for peace building. Senior high schools have also been urged to utilize the elements as tools to instill unity among students.