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Ghana Traditional Religion
Despite the presence of Islam and Christianity, traditional
religions in Ghana have retained their influence because of their
intimate relation to family loyalties and local mores. The
traditional cosmology expresses belief in a supreme being (referred
to by the Akan as Nyame, or by the Ewe as Mawu). The supreme being
is usually thought of as remote from daily religious life and is,
therefore, not directly worshipped. There are also the lesser gods
that take "residency" in streams, rivers, trees, and mountains.
These gods are generally perceived as intermediaries between the
supreme being and society. Ancestors and numerous other spirits are
also recognized as part of the cosmological order.
For all Ghanaian ethnic groups, the spirit world is considered
to be as real as the world of the living. The dual worlds of the
mundane and the sacred are linked by a network of mutual
relationships and responsibilities. The action of the living, for
example, can affect the gods or spirits of the departed, while the
support of family or "tribal" ancestors ensures prosperity of the
lineage or state. Neglect, it is believed, might spell doom.
Veneration of departed ancestors is a major characteristic of
all traditional religions. The ancestors are believed to be the
most immediate link with the spiritual world, and they are thought
to be constantly near, observing every thought and action of the
living. Some ancestors may even be reincarnated to replenish the
lineage. Barrenness is, therefore, considered a great misfortune
because it prevents ancestors from returning to life.
To ensure that a natural balance is maintained between the
world of the sacred and that of the profane, the roles of the chief
within the state, family elders in relation to the lineage, and the
priest within society, are crucial. The religious functions,
especially of chiefs and lineage heads, are clearly demonstrated
during such periods as the Odwira of the Akan, the Homowo of the
Ga-Adangbe, or the Aboakyir of the Efutu (coastal Guan), when the
people are organized in activities that renew and strengthen
relations with their ancestors. Such activities include the making
of sacrifices and the pouring of libations.
The religious activities of chiefs and lineage heads are
generally limited to the more routine biweekly and annual
festivities, but traditional priests--given their association with
specific shrines--are regarded as specialized practitioners through
whom the spirits of the gods may grant directions. Priests undergo
vigorous training in the arts of medicine, divination, and other
related disciplines and are, therefore, consulted on a more regular
basis by the public. Because many diseases are believed to have
spiritual causes, traditional priests sometimes act as doctors or
herbalists. Shrine visitation is strongest among the uneducated and
in rural communities. This fact, however, does not necessarily
suggest that the educated Ghanaian has totally abandoned tradition;
some educated and mission-trained individuals do consult
traditional oracles in times of crisis.
Data as of November 1994
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