Ghana – The Blessed Land with a Vibrant Culture, Part 1 of 3

Ghana is located along the Guinea Gulf and Atlantic Ocean in West Africa. Spanning over 560 kilometers of tropical coastline, Ghana is a place of natural beauty and colorful cultures. The country’s cultural mosaic encompasses over 70 different tribes and six major ethnic groups. Although English is the most common language, Ghanaians also widely speak in native tongues, such as Twi and Ga. There are as many as 52 languages and hundreds of dialects spoken in this African country.

Ghanaians embrace a collective culture where everything is shared, including food and social reputation. Ghana is one of the 32 African countries where baobab trees flourish. Many Savannah communities build their homes near these trees because they provide humans and animals with shelter, food, and water. The baobab fruit is also one of the world’s most nutrient-dense and antioxidant-rich fruits.

Ghana is infused with a vibrant culture of art, music, and dance. The Ashanti Region in south Ghana is known to be the largest center for traditional crafts. Bonwire is famous for being the first Ashanti weaving village that was responsible for creating Kente cloth for the king. Kente is one of Ghana’s national textiles. The art of wood carving can be found in the Ahwiaa village. Akua’Ba figures are used by Akan women as a symbol of fertility. The Ashanti community believes that the stool is the receptacle of the soul, and the chiefs’ stools are specially preserved in shrines. Teshie and Nungua are two neighboring villages that feature fantasy coffin workshops. For example, the coffin can be made in the form of a car, airplane, shoe, sewing machine, building, or animal.

Traditionally, Ghanaian women begin to wear waist beads when they enter adult age. In the east, the Krobo people hold a Dipo ceremony in April to celebrate girls’ transition from youth to adulthood. Women in the Sirigu village play an important role in the art of mural painting. The murals are a unique expression of the cultural identity of the ethnic Kassena-Nankana people. For the animal symbols, the cow represents wealth, the python is a holy icon that embodies protection, the two-headed crocodile symbolizes unity, and the chicken indicates hospitality.