Intro to Ghana

Okay, so… where is Ghana exactly?  Africa,yes.  You know the lump that sticks out on the left of the continent?  It’s in the middle of the bottom of that.  The southern shore of what is known as “West Africa,” neighbored by Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, and Burkina Faso.  

The country itself is about the size of Oregon, and is mostly flat, mostly tropical jungle, with dryer areas to the north, closer to the Sahara.  It has the largest man-made lake in the world,Lake Volta, and great beaches.  The capitol,  Accra (emphasis on the latter syllable), is on the coast, and the University of Ghana is just outside this city, in the suburb of Legon.

Ghana was a British colony until 1957, and was known as the Gold Coast.  It was the first African country to gain independence from foreign powers, and when it did so it changed its name to Ghana after the great kingdom of that name that existed in the region before the British arrived.  Though most of West Africa is francophone and Muslim, Ghanaians use English as the language of business and education, and are largely Christian (there are more Muslims in the north of the country).  Virtually everyone is multi-lingual, and over sixty other languages are spoken, the most common being Twi, also known as Akan, of the Akan people.  The Akan are the largest ethnic group (their largest subgroup are the well-known Ashanti or Asante, who staged a formiddable opposition to the British colonizers), followed by the Ga, Ewe, and Mole-Dagbani people.

Since it’s birth Ghana has been the poster-child for African autonomy and success, yet with the hopes of a continent riding on its shoulders, internal turmoil and corruption have been magnified, too.  Internal economic issues have been a central problem, engendering much frustration especially on the part of ambitious, educated youth.  Ghana has been a favorite with the World Bank and International Monetary Foundation, which have used it as a model for other aspiring free markets in the region. It is extremely wealthy in natural resources – notably gold and cocoa, also timber, diamonds, manganese, and iron – and tourism is booming recently.  A large percentage of the population is rural and engages in subsistence agriculture.

Political History:

Ghana’s post-independence leader was Kwame Nkrumah, a visionary autocrat who was intensely anti-imperialist and a passionate advocate for pan-Africanism and African liberation.

Nkrumah on Time Magazine, September 1953

He inspired the continent, but bankrupted his country and was overthrown in 1966 in a military coup, followed by a decade of political chaos.  An unlikely fighter pilot named Jerry Rawlings seized control in 1979, and attempted to establish a democracy.  Two years later he rather violently dismantled it on the charge of terrible government corruption, and he himself served as a military ruler, successfully rebuilding the country, until 1992 when he relinquished his military uniform and staged democratic elections again (allegedly under much international pressure to do so).  After being voted in for two terms, the maximum allowed under the new constitution, he peacefully stepped aside and turned over the government to John Kufuor of the opposition party, who won the 2000 election.  Kufuor’s two terms were finished just recently, and the much-anticipated 2008 elections went off without a hitch, again switching power between parties.  John Atta Mills, the current president, was actually Rawlings’ vice president and chosen successor, ascending to power eight years later. (Check out this article for more).

John Jerry Rawlings

Social Customs:

In Ghana, as in most of the developing world, there is a marked difference between traditional rural life and the cosmopolitanism (increasingly simply Westernization) of the rapidly expanding cities.  Striking a balance between these is a challenge to which Ghanaians are constantly adapting, especially as young people migrate to cities in search of economic and educational opportunities and thereby upset the structure of village life.

That said, some things are consistent across the country.  Social relationships are central to life – events like baptisms, weddings, and funerals are cause for an almost public kind of celebration, and weekends are often reserved entirely for visiting.  Greetings are extremely important – handshaking and inquiring about the health of the person and his family are essentials for even the most casual encounter (and always shake with the right hand – the left is “unclean” and it is very rude to use it, even in gesturing!).  If a visitor stops in before or during a meal, there is no question that he will be encouraged to share it.  Storytelling is a much appreciated talent, and news travels fast.

The town of Cape Coast

In general, dress is conservative, and although friends of the same sex will hold hands or link arms, opposite sex couples are rarely seen being physically affectionate, even husbands and wives.  Women  usually wear two pieces of cloth wrapped into a skirt, a blouse, a headscarf and jewelry.  Men wear tunics ranging from full-length gowns with shorts underneath to hip-length smocks with long pants.  Western-style clothes are becoming more common in cities, especially for businessmen who wear suits, and among the youth.  Often, though, prominent figures will deliberately wear African clothing as a sign of pride in their culture and heritage – Presidents Nkrumah and Rawlings among them.

Accra, the capitol city

Dating, as we know it in the west, is practiced increasingly in the cities, but in villages family-arranged marriage is more common.  Traditionally, men can have as many wives as they can support, and thus wives are a sign of success and wealth. Also traditionally, the husband and each wife (and her children) has his or her own house, all within a shared walled compound.  The wives take turns cooking for and staying with the husband.  Even among the most citified populations, cooking is still very gendered – many girls will not be seen at casual restaurants because it might indicate a lack of culinary ability!

Typical village scene, Northern Ghana

Children are  greatly valued – traditionally a man’s wealth and a woman’s value lie in having many children – and respect for the aged is ingrained in them and everyone else.  In Ghana, looking someone in the eye is a challenge, not a sign of honesty and healthy self-confidence as it is in the United States, and so well-brought-up children (and adults) look at the ground when talking to their elders.  Regardless of whether they’re actually relatives, people of age and status are addressed as “mother” and “father,” while people of the same age call each other “brother” and “sister,” and “uncle” and “auntie” are used for those slightly older.

Leisure entertainment is very dependent on wealth and the nearby cultural resources.  In huge urban centers like Accra, the capitol, people can find almost any kind of entertainment common in the US, while in villages much of people’s time is dedicated to subsistence agriculture. However, in both cities and villages kids play soccer and boxing, people follow national and international soccer, and a common sight under a shade tree are two men playing board games before an audience.

In cities “video theaters” are popular – all the setup required are a TV and VCR!  Cinemas used to be popular before the economic downtimes in the 80s, when most closed.  The way both are used is culturally illuminating:  people laugh and comment out loud, they speculate about the film, and walk around to greet friends.  “Shhh!”-ing is unheard of!  The arrival of a new film or of a mobile theater is likely to draw the entire community en masse.

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Check out subsidiary pages for a bit about religion, music, cuisine.

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Primary Sources:  (soon, I’ll be my own source!)

Salm and Falola, Culture and Customs of Ghana, 2002

NY Times, “Ghana’s Unlikely Democrat Finds Vindication in Vote,” 1/9/09

Lonely Planet, West Africa, “Ghana”