My Top Ten

Here is my Top 10 List of things I have learned about Ghana.  It was a much longer list that was trimmed down to be manageable.  There is a lot to know about this country and its people.
 
10. Funerals recognize a person’s worth. 

9.  In the "olden times" women who had ten or more children were not expected to participate in communal labor.  Consequently, big families were common.  

8.  Older people are respected and called “Daddy” or “Mommy”.

7.  Traditional foods are starchy and they use a lot of palm oil in cooking. Fufu, Kenkey (fermented cornmeal wrapped in plantain leaves or corn husks) ground nut soup, palm nut soup and fish are a large part of the Ghanaian diet.  Ground nuts are what we call peanuts.

6.  Using the left hand to eat, point or gesture is considered rude.  When acknowledging people in the room, one always begins on the right.

5.  Dance, music, wood carving and textiles express traditions, symbols and values of the people.   Talking drums warn people of important meetings or war.

4.  Stools are a traditional symbol of chiefs. The Golden Stool is sacred and holds the spirit of the Ashanti. Only the King is allowed to sit on the Golden Stool.  Nana Yaa Asantewaa was the Queen Mother who stood up to the British and saved the sacred stool, a brave heroine.  The Golden Stool is only shown in public once every five years.

3.  Ghanaians don’t smoke.

2.  History is passed down through stories and the arts. There are no dates.  It's either present time or olden time.  

1.  Ghanaians are friendly and pride themselves on being peaceful.

and .... one more small piece of information I found interesting and deserves more than one line in the Top 10:  

Ghana’s government is currently governed by an Executive, Legislative and Judiciary Branch.  There are several Ministers of State as well as Regional Ministers.  

The Ashanti or Asanti Nation forms a greater society of Ghana known as the Akan. Once the official governing body, it is now largely ceremonial and seems to exist to preserve the culture.  The Akan includes ten tribes, and eight matrilineal clans.  These clans are the basis for values and norms.  Each individual is identified to one of the matrilineal clans of the Akans.  The Queen Mother’s lineage defines the succession of the royal kings.

The main areas of importance to the culture are: Kente, the Golden Stool and talking Drums.  The King performs ceremonial duties and also mediates disagreements.  The Queen Mother is a co-ruler and holds the power to veto the King's decisions.

For those who find culture and history interesting, you may enjoy the video's below about how one brave woman saved the Golden Stool.

Yaa Asantewaa was the Queen Mother who stood up to the British when they demanded the Golden Stool near the turn on the 20th Century.  She was tough woman and is a heroin in the Asanti Culture.

Part I: 5 Minutes

Part 2: 8 Minutes

and if you are REALLY interested and want to invest an hour into an excellent PBS Documentary, this is very well done and informative.

Kingdom of Africa - Kingdom of Asante