https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac <p>The School of Creative Arts publishes a faculty-based academic journal, <a href="https://jaac-sca.org/"><em>The Journal of African Arts &amp; Culture (JAAC)</em></a>. JAAC is a peer-reviewed, open-access scholarly platform dedicated to critical dialogue on African arts and culture. The journal is committed to publishing and disseminating high-quality, original research that underscores the transformative significance of the arts in African societies, both past and present.</p> <p>With an interdisciplinary orientation, the journal features cutting-edge scholarship in ancient, modern, and contemporary African visual and performing arts. JAAC welcomes diverse contributions, including research articles, critical essays, interviews, exhibition and book reviews, short reports, and creative critiques. The journal reflects the School’s commitment to thought leadership and academic excellence in the creative arts.</p> UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA, SCHOOL OF CREATIVE ARTS en-US JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/462 The xylophone is a vital African cultural artefact, embodying ethnic historical narratives, sociocultural identity, and ancestral connections. While Ghanaian ethnomusicological research has predominantly focused on the Dagara, Birifor, and Lobi xylophone traditions, the Sisaala zensi (xylophone) of the Upper West Region remains underexplored. This study addresses this lacuna by investigating the cultural nuances of Sisaala zensi, employing Griswold’s cultural diamond model within qualitative ethnographic design. Data were gathered via field observations, semi-structured interviews, and photography from seventeen (17) veteran xylophonists and crafters, sampled through exponential non-discriminative snowball and expert purposive sampling techniques. Findings reveal the Sisaala zensi's mystical origin, crafting processes, and its central role in ancestral transitions and identity construction. Notwithstanding the established cultural significance of Sisaala zensi, its survival is threatened by religious stigma, neglect, and declining communal interest. The study concludes that the Sisaala zensi remains a powerful symbol of cultural identity but risks extinction due to the alarming decline in its cultural usage in recent times. To safeguard the cultural heritage of Sisaala zensi, the study recommends that the veteran Sisaala xylophone crafters and players should establish a legally recognised association such as Sisaala Xylophone Association (SiXA). The SiXA should lead community-based xylophone apprenticeship programmes in the Sisaala enclave, initiate annual Sisaala Xylophone Festival, and engage in regular media sensitisation campaigns. This helps to ensure intergenerational transmission of Sisaala xylophone traditions, preserving and revitalising its rich cultural heritage for the current and future generations. Nyamawero Navei Copyright (c) 2025 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2025-08-08 2025-08-08 8 2 105 127 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/452 This qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) study draws from influential exemplary of Bretag et al. (2011a, b) to evaluate the academic integrity policies of five publicly funded Ghanaian universities. The findings indicate challenges in accessing policy documents online, the abundance of legal jargon (legalese) and obfuscating terminologies that may not be easily comprehensible. Most of the policies analysed adopt a penal approach, emphasising the penalisation of students for academic misconduct rather than fostering an educational framework. Additionally, there is a lack of support mechanisms for promoting academic integrity and no established guidelines for the ethical use of generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in education. The analysis highlights discrepancies in policy harmonisation and standardisation across the institutions. Based on the findings, the study recommends rethinking institutional policies by policymakers and shifting towards developmental approaches that leverage contemporary educational technologies (EdTech). It makes a compelling case for the adoption of an inclusive approach policy framework that aligns integrity policies across Ghanaian universities. The study contributes to the literature by providing a nuanced policy analysis that underscores the need for an interventionist approach to enhance policy acceptance and practice among Ghanaian universities. Reuben Agbelengor Glover Adolph Hillary Agbo Michael Ato Essuman Copyright (c) 2025 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2025-08-08 2025-08-08 8 2 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/460 In Ghana, where rivers are revered as abodes of deities, illegal gold mining (galamsey) is not just an environmental crisis – it is a spiritual catastrophe. This study interrogates the paradox of galamsey’s economic appeal versus its desecration of sacred ecosystems, asking: Where do we keep the gods when their habitats are destroyed? The insatiable desire of man in the search for precious minerals such as gold in the ecosystem has become the craze in the Ghanaian ecology in recent times. The phenomenon Galamsey which literary means gather and sell in recent times has been in competition with the conservation and sustainability of natural reserves especially water bodies in the ecosystem. Considering the sacred nature of these water bodies which are believed to be the haven of the gods and ancestral worship, the livelihood and preserve of these natural resources are a cause for concern. The paper utilised the Afrocentric theory and qualitative paradigm as its methodological stance and used interviews, archival documents as its data collection instruments. The analytical tool used was document analysis. It was revealed that polluted rivers are considered ‘abandoned by the gods’, eroding communal trust in traditional ecological knowledge. Thus, the conservation and sustainability of the environment could be achieved if man sees nature as human as himself. It concludes that for friendly co-existence man must protect and preserve the ecology from its gradual disappearance from the activities of galamsey. Naa Korkor Leeyoo Watson-Nortey Samuel Arko Mensah Copyright (c) 2025 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2025-08-08 2025-08-08 8 2 80 89 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/446 1. Introduction Volume 8 Issue 2 June 30, 2025 DOI: https://doi.org//10.63102/jaac.v8i2.20255 https://jaac-sca.org ISSN 2637-3610 Abstract Academic integrity in creative arts education remains an underexplored domain, particularly concerning contract cheating in applied arts, where traditional assessment frameworks prioritise textual knowledge over experiential, process-driven artistic practice. This study critically examines the epistemological bias inherent in institutional integrity policies, which often fail to account for the complexities of non-text-based disciplines, which poses significant challenges to authenticity and ethical practice in artistic disciplines. Drawing on their expertise as art educators, the researchers employ an art-based phenomenological approach within a hybridised descriptive-interpretive paradigm to examine academic disengagement in applied arts education, with specific attention to contract cheating. Findings reveal that cheating behaviours among creative arts students are shaped by a generational shift from valuing self to prioritising a performance-oriented self, a lack of authentic self-expression and the unethical use of technology in educational contexts. Findings further reveal a disconnect between institutional policies and the lived realities of artistic education, exacerbated by broad, text-centric definitions of misconduct. This study highlights the critical gap in academic integrity research, where discussions on contract cheating predominantly focus on conventional text-based disciplines, overlooking the complexities inherent in creative arts education. This paper advocates for a discipline-sensitive, pedagogically responsive, and institutionally adaptive approach to academic integrity, promoting assessment methodologies that align with the experiential and creative processes central to artistic scholarship Reuben Agbelengor Glover Adolph Hillary Agbo Michael Ato Essuman Samuel Teye Daitey Copyright (c) 2025 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2025-08-08 2025-08-08 8 2 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/454 In the cultural landscape of Oyo, Nigeria, Bata music ensembles are revered for their vibrant performances and spiritual significance. While existing scholarship has examined Bata music’s performative elements, the role of Kola nut divination in mediating spiritual guidance remains understudied. Preliminary ethnographic data from suggests that many consider Kola nut rituals indispensable for performance efficacy, underscoring its cultural centrality. Drawing on ritual and performance theory, this qualitative study—combining ethnographic interviews and participant observation— investigates how Bata musicians employ Kola nut to seek divine direction. Findings indicate that Kola nut is perceived as a conduit for spiritual communication, offering musicians guidance, protection and artistic inspiration. This article is a contribution to enrich understanding of Yoruba traditional arts and their enduring sacred dimensions. Joseph Akin Osunniyi Copyright (c) 2025 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2025-08-08 2025-08-08 8 2 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/461 Nnwonkoro, a traditional female choral musical type among the Ashanti of Ghana, serves as artistic expression and an educational tool for transmitting cultural values, ethics, and historical narratives. Despite its cultural significance, scholarly engagement with its pedagogical dimensions remains limited, with most existing research focusing on its performance traditions. This has left a gap in understanding the instructional methods and social values embedded in vocal traditions such as Nnwonkoro. This study addresses this gap by exploring the pedagogical approaches inherent in Nnwonkoro music and how they contribute to knowledge transmission within Ashanti communities. Using an ethnographic research design—including participant observation, interviews with practitioners, as well as discographic engagement—the study examines various pedagogical dimensions of Nnwonkoro that can inform music teaching and learning in Ghanaian schools. Additionally, it highlights cultural values embedded in Nnwonkoro performance, such as social cohesion, respect for elders, and the reinforcement of gender roles. Findings suggest that Nnwonkoro is not merely an artistic performance but a vital pedagogical tool that integrates music with social and moral instruction. The study contributes to broader discourses on indigenous African music education and offers practical insights into how traditional musical type like Nnwonkoro can be adapted into contemporary educational frameworks, particularly through culturally responsive curriculum design and community-based pedagogies. Samuel Agbenyo Veronica Agyeiwaah Ernest Francis Amparbin Emmanuel Obed Acquah Copyright (c) 2025 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2025-08-08 2025-08-08 8 2 90 104 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/449 cultural policies hold a crucial place in nation-building on several levels; however, they risk becoming obsolete over time, which can impede national cohesion and hinder overall progress if they are not regularly updated. This paper examines the fundamental role of art and cultural policy frameworks in nation-building, highlighting their impact on social cohesion, economic development, and the construction of national identity. The authors emphasise that the periodic revision of this framework is essential for addressing the changing needs of society, ensuring cultural relevance, and fostering inclusive growth. Through a detailed analysis of existing literature and relevant case studies from both developing and developed nations, this research underscores the importance of adaptive cultural policies in promoting cultural diversity, creativity, and innovation. The study demonstrates successful examples from various contexts while also identifying shortcomings in the current state of cultural policies. The findings offer strategic insights for policymakers, cultural institutions, artists, scholars, community organisations, and educational institutions. Emmanuel Antwi Joann Thompson Kwabena Afriyie Poku Copyright (c) 2025 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2025-08-08 2025-08-08 8 2 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/455 Ghana’s Creative Arts curriculum integrates music, dance, drama, and visual arts to foster artistic expression in primary schools. However, the curriculum lacks clear guidance on effective instructional methodologies. This gap often results in teachers delivering the subjects in isolation, making it difficult for learners to connect lessons to real-life contexts. This study investigated the training backgrounds of teachers, examined the strategies they employ in implementing the Creative Arts curriculum, and find out creative works done by learners as part of their learning process. Drawing on constructivist and multimodal learning theories, this qualitative case study utilised semi structured interview, classroom observations, and focus group discussion. Thematic analysis of the data revealed that most teachers lacked formal training to teach the Creative Arts although some could support learners in producing visual artefacts. It was also revealed that many teachers use demonstration and group project strategies to teach the subject, and generally preferred teaching visual arts to performing arts. The study concludes that the subject is often taught by novice teachers assigned as a last resort. It recommends that Creative Arts pedagogy be prioritised during Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings and that, schools should collaborate with experts from the School of Creative Arts at the University of Education, Winneba, to facilitate rigorous in-service training. Samuel Agbenyo Eva Akosua Ebeli Stephen Nyanteh Ayesu Mark-Millas Fish Cyril Kpodo Ernest Kwesi Amponsah Copyright (c) 2025 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2025-08-08 2025-08-08 8 2