Clans a major part of Ghana’s culture

In Ghana, clans are a long-established part of the culture that incorporates all ethnic groups. A clan includes all individuals who can trace their heritage back to a common ancestor. It is not unusual for members of different clans to coexist.

Each clan has a representative, usually an elder, who is a member of a council that elects a chief from among the mend of a particular lineage. Similar to European families, power is handed down to a favored group. However, the eldest sons do not necessarily inherit the position of power. If a chief is convicted of a serious offense, he can be stripped of his powers by elders and replaced by another member of the linage.

One usual exception to this tradition is found in the Akan ethnic group. The Akans linage is passed down through the mother. Every Akan belongs to the lineage and clan of his mother. In the election of a new chief, the candidates are chosen not from among the sons of the deceased or outgoing chief but from among his uncles and cousins on his mother’s side, his brothers by the same mother or his nephews who are the sons of his sister. This matriarchal system has resulted in a special position for Akan women. And the queen mothers have always enjoyed and retained a great influence in the choice of the successor to power and even in the carrying out of everyday affairs. This does not mean that children have no ties with their fathers. The Akans believe that children receive their material substance from their mothers and their spirit from their father.

For the people of Ghana, colors and forms have symbolic value and are an unspoken language which appears on garments, gold weights and just about everything that can be adorned with carved or painted motifs.

Gold and yellow colors represent the presence of God, royalty, eternal life, prosperity, and warmth. White stands for purity, virtue, joy and victory, while green is a sign of newness, fertility and vitality. Red is used for mournful occasions like the death of a friend, wars of national crisis. Blue is the color of love and symbolizes the power of the queen mother among Akans. A combination of yellow and red signifies the power of life and its superiority over illness.

Geometric figures represent special meaning to the people of Ghana as well. Their meanings depend on whether they appear alone or in a combination with other figures. An isolated circle is a symbol of the presence and power of God. Rectangles and squares indicate holiness and virility. The triangle stands for femininity, charm, friendship and love.