Having the opportunity to do a research assignment in Ghana would be one of the biggest opportunities I could ever hope for. In order to prepare for my research I will have some very important questions ready to ask my informant. I will also consider some of the ethical issues that I might run into during my research but hopefully be prepared for anything that may arise. Finally I would consider which theoretical framework approach I will take during my research.
Some of the questions that I feel would be important to ask would be, do Akan peoples worship God. There are so many religions worldwide and many worship items and animals instead of a supreme being, so that would be the first question. It would be important to find out if they ever have to offer sacrifices with their religion as well. This may be particularly important for someone’s first research assignment and if they feel they would prefer to know in advance to prevent culture shock from setting in. It would also be important to find out if there are traditional ceremonies that take place so that the Akan peoples do not feel disrespected if you are not aware that you need to participate with them. If there are traditional ceremonies, are there any that some of the Akans’ no longer participate in or maybe some have started their own ceremonies in place of the traditional ones. An example of this would be when someone dies and they are buried under the floor of their home but this is mainly practiced by those who follow a tradition (Shimmer). Many are now buried in cemeteries (Schwimmer). Another example of traditional ritual would be from Infants, Ancestors, and the Afterlife when Nathan was given the name N’zri Denju when he was named the reincarnation of Grandfathe...
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...structural-functionalist approach would work as well, it seems that it would take studying several regions in order to get the answers that they search for. Hopefully with more experience in the future both of these will be an option for me as it would be amazing to find more than one approach to be comfortable with.
References Cited
Ampah, OSH, Rev. sister Rosna A.
2010 The Beautiful Cloth Sotres & Proverbs of Ghana. Cambridge, MA. Yellow Moon Press
Gottlieb, A., Graham, P. and Gottlieb-Graham, N. (1998), Infants, Ancestors, and the Afterlife: Fieldwork's Family Values in Rural West Africa. Anthropology and Humanism, 23: 121– 126. doi: 10.1525/ahu.1998.23.2.121
Schwimmer, Brian Religions: Death and the Afterlife. http://www.modernghana.com/GhanaHome/ghana/default.asp?menu_ id_6&sub_menu_id=0§ion=13, accessed February 10
Source one: In what ways does source one incorporate elements of spirituality and religion in the in Murri people’s preparation for christmas?
Religion reinforces the beliefs of individuals within a society. Additionally, religion has played a vital role in society since it influenced the way they lived and the rituals they may or may not have practiced. Different regions of the world during ancient time held a distinct set of beliefs, each based on different or similar principals. Deriving from the polytheistic set of beliefs, monotheism came in place of many Gods, holding just one god accountable for the creation and the existence of mankind. Christianity and Buddhism share similarities and differences, but most importantly the impact that each had on the culture is what is mostly referred to.
In Kevin Gaines’ book, American Africans in Ghana, Gaines combines both African and African American history together unlike others have done in the past. Gaines’ book gives his audience insight on the relationship that many prominent African Americans in the Mid-nineteenth century had with Africa. Gaines tackles many issues that were prevalent during this time period, for instance, he tackles race, class, citizenship, independence and freedom. Gaines does this to change the narrative that existed about Africa. Many Black Nationalist, had romanticized Africa to be this place that once had thriving empires but lost everything due to colonization, and westernized blacks needed to go to Africa to help liberate it. Gaines dispels these myths, and
Toyin, Falola. “The Power of African Cultures.” Woodbridge, Suffolk, United Kingdom: University of Rochester Press, 2003. Print
Religion is an ever-growing idea that has no set date of origin. Throughout history religion has served as an answer to the questions that man could not resolve. The word religion is derived from the Latin word “religio” meaning restraint in collaboration with the Greek word “relegere” which means to repeat or to read again. Religion is currently defined as an organized system of beliefs and practices revolving around, or leading to, a transcendent spiritual experience. Throughout time, there has yet to be a culture that lacks a religion of some form, whether it is a branch of paganism, a mythological based religion or mono/polytheistic religion. Many religions have been forgotten due to the fact that they were ethnic religions and globalizing religions were fighting to be recognized, annihilating these ancient and ethnic religions. Some of these faiths include: Finnish Paganism, Atenism, Minoan Religion, Mithraism, Manichaeism, Vedism, Zoroastrianism, Asatru, and the Olmec Religion. Religion is an imperative part of our contemporary world but mod...
Khapoya, Vincent B. The African Experience: An Introduction. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1998. Print.
People in America today seem to be only concerned with them. They are always looking out for number one. That is a saying that has been taught to us for years. Along with another popular precept: you can't please everyone all of the time. These are just a couple of examples of how Americans are taught to be selfish. Sure, mom and dad always teach generosity to their young children, but in this society, those lessons diminish with age. We learn that life isn't always fair and people don't always have to share if they don't want to. In this so-called free country, the rich get everything and the poor get nothing. This type of environment has caused a rat race among the people. He who has the most wins. In America it is for the most money, but there are many other people in the world who might disagree. What would they want the most of? you ask. Well, that depends on whom you ask.
Is it possible to be a Muslim without believing the validity of the prophecies of Mohammed? Is it possible to be a Christian without believing in the resurrection of Jesus? My definition of religion transformed greatly during my studies the past few months. Even as a religion major at St. Olaf College I thought of religion very narrowly, as a construct of metaphysical beliefs. But I've come to realize that religion runs far deeper than my Lutheran mind previously conceived.
At the end of WWII is when decolonization was brought up as a serious topic of discussion. Over 200,000 Africans had fought in Europe and Asia for the Allies’ freedom and democracy which showed quite the contradiction. They were fighting for something that wasn’t even going to truly benefit them. In 1945 is when the 5th Pan African Conference met to go over the possibility of granting back independence to the colonized areas. Ghana played a significant role during the decolonization process in Africa because Ghana was the first Sub-Saharan African majority government to gain independence in 1957. Not only did Ghana gain independence, but they did this by acting nonviolently. For years following th...
Religion can be defined as a system of beliefs and worships which includes a code of ethics and a philosophy of life. Well over 90% of the world 's population adheres to some form of religion. The problem is that there are so many different religions. What is the right religion? What is true religion? The two most common ingredients in religions are rules and rituals. Some religions are essentially nothing more than a list of rules, dos and don 'ts, which a person must observe in order to be considered a faithful adherent of that religion, and thereby, right with the God of that religion. Two examples of rules-based religions are Islam and Judaism. Islam has its five pillars that must be observed.
...f individuals, identify common themes and form hypotheses, and nomothetic methodology can then be used to investigate the theories.
...’s depictions of both traditional and modern beliefs in varying degrees illustrate the importance of both in contemporary Nigerian culture, as well as the greater Africa as a whole, and how both are intertwined and cannot exist without the other. In effect, she skillfully subverts stereotypes or single perceptions of Africa as backward and traditional, proving instead, the multifaceted culture of Africa. She further illustrates that neither traditional African nor western culture is necessarily detrimental. It is the stark contrast of the fundamental cultures that inevitably leads to clashes and disagreements. In the end, what holds African countries such as Nigeria together is their shared pride. Modern, western influences can bring positive changes to society, but new cultures cannot completely eradicate the foundational cultures to which a society is founded on.
With regards to the given question it would be a fair evaluation to agree that the rise and fall of trade in ancient Ghana was largely attributed to a number of factors. Despite its name, the old Empire of Ghana is not geographically, racially, or in any other way, related to modern Ghana. It lies about four hundred miles North West of modern Ghana. Ancient Ghana encompassed what is now modern Northern Senegal and Southern Mauritania. As mentioned above there are a number of aspects or better put factors which contributed to the rise and fall in ancient Ghana therefore a critical analysis will given as to how these events / factors led to the downfall of Ghana. An overview will thus be given on what trade encompassed and how it in turn led to the rise of Ghana and how it eventually led to the downfall of the country.
Kaduna: Baraka Press, 2004. Magesa, Laurenti. A. African Religion: The Moral Tradition of Abundant Life. Nairobi: Pauline Pub., Africa, 1998. Mbiti, John S. Introduction to African Religion.
Colonialism is a situation whereby a dominant imperium or center carries on a relationship of control and influence over its colonies (Key Terms in Post-Colonial Theory, n.d.). In this drama, Aidoo not only tells a disobedient child’s story, but she actually reveals a very important historical moment in Ghanaian history through the personal tragedy of Anowa and Kofi Ako. Anowa in this drama represents Africa. Her destruction represents Africa’s fall which was as a result of the actions of selfish men (represented by Kofi Ako) who only cared about amassing wealth to the detriment of their fellow Africans’ wellbeing, thereby betraying Africa as a whole.... ...