The Dagomba, (Dagbani is the language group), live in the upper west region of Ghana and the neighboring country of Burkina Faso. They speak the Dagare and Sisaala languages. Their beliefs are a combination of the study of the Koran and traditional religions.

Lunsi are members of a hereditary clan of drummers. They serve as verbal artists, genealogists, counselors to royalty, cultural experts, and entertainers. They hold the history of the people through storytelling.

Drums
Dagomba membranophone ensembles have two distinct types of drums. The Gungon is used in dance performances such as Bamaya and Damba/Takai. The small drum that rest underneath the arm and is played with a curved stick is called a Luna . The playing technique of the luna can imitate the nuances of spoken language (Dagbani) through pitch variation.
• Luna or donno: Hour glass shaped, pressure sensitive squeeze drum
• Gungon or brekete: Low pitched drum with snare

Bamaya (All the place is wet)
Bamaya is a dance performed on the way to the shrine. The men become subservient, dress in women clothes, wear headbands and lipstick and parade around the village when they perform this dance. It is often choreographed into a series of dances that are done at harvest time. The story goes that a village that was very dry did the dance to bring rain. It began to rain and rained so much that the villagers were left to perform a mud dance. The lesson is that you must be careful what you ask for, you may get it. Bamaya is always danced with a belt that accentuates the movement of the waist with tassels and ornaments. Ankle bells are also worn. The smocks worn are called Batakari.

Damba/Takai
In the old days Damba was danced at a religious festival. Now it is a non religious ceremony that is celebrated by the whole community and has been incorporated into a harvest festival. It is also a time when chiefs are paid homage. The chief sits in state at his palace. The festival is headed by a paramount chief of the area. This is a series of dances that celebrate the birth of the prophet Mohammed and are combined in a medley. The first two rhythms are Damba and the rest is Takai. The Damba dance can be separated into two types. The naming of the prophet Mohammed is So Damba and the birthday of the prophet Mohammed is Na Damba. Damba is the signature dance of the Damba Festival which celebrates the birth of the Holy Prophet Mohammed. Damba is almost an obligatory dance for Dagomba chiefs, and it is one of the Dagomba dances well known to outsiders. The dance is now associated with a festival celebrating a large harvest on the farm. Most festivals are centered around food.

Takai is a Dagomba area war dance. These war dances are performed for two reasons: To train warriors and to show what transpired on the field when they come back from war. The dance is traditionally performed by men. The sticks they carry were swords in the old days. In modern time the theater has put together Damba with Takai which is why you see women dancing it. The first rhythm is the tradition rhythm, the other rhythms were created in the 1960’s after the Arts Council of Ghana was created and they were trying to put traditional dances on stage. At that time people were trying to create around traditional dances.