The Ashanti and the peoples of the North
Representing the largest part of the Ghanaian population and occupying the central forest region, the Ashanti people were before the colonial period a vast empire whose territory extended into the present-day territories of Côte d'Ivoire and Togo. The Ashanti are reputed to have developed one of the most brilliant civilizations in Africa, a splendor reflected in the extraordinary wealth of their rulers, who used to parade around covered in gold. When the first Europeans landed on the Ghanaian coast, meeting the Ashanti, they had to admit that they had never seen so much gold in the region. It is also part of the Ashanti way of doing things to show off, to ostentatiously display their wealth. The royal stool, for example, was entirely decorated with the precious yellow metal. It was carried, protected by an umbrella, with drums, horns and other prestigious attributes wherever the king went. The king himself was also covered in gold: his bracelets, wedding rings, necklaces, chains and sandals were very valuable.
In the south and east of the country, the Ga-Adangbe and Ewe peoples are found, most probably from the Yoruba country in Nigeria. As for the north, most of the peoples living there speak the Voltaic languages and have many points in common with the culture of Burkina Faso. To this group should be attached the peoples living in the south of the Mossi kingdom (speaking More): we are talking here about the Mamprusi and Dagomba peoples, in the northeast of Ghana. In the northwest, we find the Dagarti people (speaking Grusi) and the Gonja people, one group of whom (the Wagala) also speak Grusi, and the other group of whom (the Guang) speak an Akan dialect. Other peoples who speak Grusi include the Kassena, Frafra, Sissala, Builsa, and Talensin, all of whom live near the border with Burkina Faso.
The role of ethnic groups
The social, economic and political role of ethnicities in contemporary Ghana should not be underestimated. Since independence in 1957, politicians have taken ethnic enmities and sensitivities into account in every decision they make. Even today, traditional leaders play an important role in national politics. In general, broad ethnic classifications are based on linguistic differences.
To put it schematically, the Akan group and its multiple subgroups represent more than half of the country's population and occupy the central-western, central, south-western and even the Ivory Coast regions. The Ga Adangbe and the Ewe share the region from the coast of Accra to the lagoons of Kéta and Aflao, on the border with Togo. The northern half of the country is mainly inhabited by the Mole Dagbani group: the Mamprusi, Mossi, Dagomba and Gonja. Still in the north, there are a few very small groups, driven away by alliances, wars or persecutions, such as the Dagani, the Kusasi or the Lobi.
Although oral tradition relates many legends about the settlement of peoples in this or that part of the territory, they are generally not very reliable from a historical point of view. The vast majority of population displacements have often been the result of conflict or slavery (on a local scale or linked to the slave trade). Modernity, with the improvement of the road network and the attractiveness of urban centers, has accentuated these population movements, thereby diminishing the ethnic dimension of Ghana. Here is a brief presentation of the main Ghanaian ethnic groups and the route that led them to present-day Ghana.
The Akan. The Akan group is the majority in present-day Ghana, representing nearly half of the population and occupying 5 of the 10 administrative regions. In total, it is divided into 14 major sub-groups. In addition to a collective linguistic core, these groups share political, social and cultural institutions. Linguists generally recognize two major dominant streams: Twi, used by the interior peoples; and Fanti, used by the coastal peoples. In Ghanaian Akan society as a whole, seven clans (called abusua) are of matrilineal tradition and seven others (called ntoro or kra) of patrilineal tradition. These two fundamental and complementary concepts are the cement of the Akan group, which also extends to the Ivory Coast.
The Mole Dagbani. The Mole Dagbani groups (16.5% of the population) have a common ancestor. Around the 12th century, a wave of horsemen from the east, from Hausa country and from Chad, swept through northern Ghana. Thanks to their great mastery of science and military art, they had no trouble imposing themselves in the region.
The Gonja. This is a sub-group of the larger group mentioned above, the Mole Dagbani. Oral tradition tells us that when the Mande conquerors, led by Ndewura Jakpa, arrived in the territory of the present Nothern Region, they mingled with the indigenous Ashanti. The town of Salaga became the capital of the Gonja state.
The Ewe. Located at the eastern end of the coastline of present-day Ghana and in the Volta region, the Ewe were a multitude of small kingdoms in pre-colonial times. Many of them live today in Togo and Benin. According to oral tradition, they originated east of the Niger River and migrated westward for unknown reasons.
The Ga-Adangbe. A sub-group of the Ga-Dangme, the Ga-Adangbe, guided by their king King Ayi Kush, migrated from the east to the west in the 16th century to reach the Accra region. Mostly represented in Accra and its surroundings, they are also found in eastern Ghana, Togo (especially in the Aného area) and as far as Benin.
Rastas
Tolerated by the authorities, the Ghanaian Rasta community is the largest in West Africa. Their church, the Foundation of Rastafarian Unification Center, has over 100,000 members. In Accra or Kumasi, they meet every Saturday to the sound of drums and guitars, pray and thank "Jah", the Almighty God of the Rastafarian religion. Behind the belief shared by these men with leonine hair, Haile Selassie, also called "Black Jah", occupies the place of "king of kings, lord of lords and spiritual guide".
The Rastas follow the principles of the Bible, and believe in the Nazareth Vow. It is by virtue of this vow that they do not cut their hair or beard as a sign of devotion to God. Considering themselves as children of nature, they devote a respectful cult to her and feed themselves only with vegetables. Also, in the Rastafari ideology, each people must live on the land closest to its roots. Thus, Rita Marley chose Ghana for her movement, Rapatriation, aiming to bring back the rastas lost in Jamaica, on the land of their ancestors. Her frequent visits to the country greatly energizes the movement. The Tuff-Tong studio, opened on the heights of Aburi, should allow local reggae groups, which are cruelly lacking in means, to export their talents. In Ghana, the music scene of the capital organizes many parties. On the beaches of Accra, the waves break to the jerky rhythm of the plaintive melody of reggae. So: " Forget your trouble and dance!
