Culture in Ghana

Ghana comprises two distinct major cultures: one belonging to the peoples of the northern savannas, the other to the peoples of the southern forests and the coastal savanna. Northern peoples generally speak languages of the Gur family and southern peoples generally speak Kwa languages. Matrilineal inheritance and political succession is typical of peoples who inhabit western Ghana particularly Akans, Dagara and etc. Patrilineal inheritance and succession is common among the eastern people such as the Dagomba and the Adanbge. (LaVerle,1995, p.83-90).

Marriage in northern Ghana is normally very local, that is, the couple lives with the husband's family. It involves a degree of public celebration, often including the ritual kidnapping of the bride. Marriage is potentially polygynous, unless the husband is a practicing Christian. Elaborate puberty ceremonies are not common, but some people in the north practice clitoridectomy. The death ceremony in the northern Ghana, as in the rest of the country is the funeral. This is a major social event and

may last for several days. Traditional religious practices in the north focus on domestic shrines. Islam is also well entrenched in the larger towns. (The African Guide. Retrieved December 5, 2003, from http://www.africaguide.com/country/ghana/culture.htm ; West, April. Ashanti culture. Retrieved December 5, 2003, from http://www.mankato.msus.edu/emuseum/cultural/oldworld/africa/ashanti_culture.html)

Metalworking is fairly common in the northern Ghana. Ironwork and brass work are produced in northern Ghana. Dying and weaving are also practiced. Cotton is woven in narrow strips and sewn together to make striped cloths, which women wear as simple wrappers and men wear as large smocks. Some men also wear long cotton gowns that are based on the styles typical of the northern Africa.

Southern Ghana also does weaving that technically is of the same type as that produced by northern Ghana, but the patterns and the colors are different. The traditional men's dress in the southern Ghana consist of a large rectangle cloth worn over one shoulder with a pair of loose shorts. The women's dress is usually made of printed cotton cloth and typically takes the form of just a simple wrapper or a long skirt with over blouse. The people of the south also practice metalworking and brass-casting. (The African Guide. Retrieved December 5, 2003, from http://www.africaguide.com/country/ghana/culture.htm; West, April. Ashanti culture. Retrieved December 5, 2003, from http://www.mankato.msus.edu/emuseum/cultural/oldworld/africa/ashanti_culture.html )

Major features of the Akan culture are shared by most of the peoples of the southern Ghana, who include the Asantes, the Kwahu, the Akyem, the Brong, the Fante, the Agona and the Akuapem, all of whom speak mutually intelligible dialects of the Akan language. The peoples of Akan culture area have in common similar exogamous matrilineal and patrilineal clan systems. Marriage is not an occasion of public celebration, and wives often continue to reside with their mothers after marriage. One important celebration is the girls ' puberty rite, bragoro. Bragoro lasts for a week during which the girl is bathed, oiled, perfumed and largely confined. She and her family and friends eat special foods; the whole ritual often ends with a feast. (Global Volunteers. (2002). Ghana's culture: Rooted in ancient Akan society.Retrieved December 5, 2003, from http://www.globalvolunteers.org/1main/ghana/ghanaculture.htm)

Traditional music and dance are performed at all coronations, festivals and funerals. The drums are by far the most important musical instrument among the southerners; however, the xylophone dominates the music of the northerners. Another kind of music is the "highlife" which is a combination of traditional and western style. The food for southern Ghana is slightly different from the food of northern Ghana but generally they all can prepare each other's food. Some of the common foods are fried plantain, beans stew, fish stew, fufu, yam and palava sauce and etc.