Spotlighting Tradition in Ghana From a Buffer Teammate

I’ve lived in Ghana my complete life and I’m completely satisfied to share extra about this lovely nation with you! I grew up within the capital metropolis, Accra, was in highschool in Cape Coast for 3 years, faculty in Kumasi for 4 years and moved to Tema after I received married about 6 years in the past. All of those locations I’ve skilled are cities in order that’s about as a lot private perspective I’ve of Ghana.

Private

I spent the vast majority of my early years in Accra. I used to be privileged to have attended a superb personal Catholic College, for my fundamental/elementary faculty training from kindergarten until JSS 3 (aka grade 9). Attending a non-public faculty is the need of most households in Ghana, as public fundamental colleges should not in the perfect of states.

I lived with primarily my nuclear household – mother and father and two siblings all through this time, with kinfolk coming in once in a while to stick with us for some time. That is fairly regular in Ghana –  households have robust ties with each other to the extent that in most of our native languages, the identical phrase is used to confer with your siblings and cousins.

In Ghana, adults are extremely revered and as a toddler, you can’t give a counter opinion to what an grownup says. There’s even a proverb that claims, “Children must be seen, not heard”. I’ll say my household didn’t maintain onto this so strongly, however there have been positively moments the place we wished lets say extra as children.

Happening holidays is just not quite common in Ghana, nevertheless, my mum labored with an airline across the time we had been rising up so we received the prospect to take a number of journeys abroad, largely to the UK, as soon as to the US after which as soon as to South Africa. Outdoors of that, faculty holidays had been spent enjoying open air with associates or visiting our hometown, Aflao to see our kinfolk there.

After fundamental/elementary faculty, I attended a public boarding highschool, in Cape Coast. That is additionally the norm in Ghana, that’s, attending boarding faculty throughout your highschool years. Most kids look ahead to this chance to go away dwelling for the primary time and the perfect colleges usually wrestle with admissions as they at all times have far too many functions coming in.

I can relate this to the need to attend Ivy League colleges within the US. Cape Coast has the perfect of the perfect colleges so as soon as once more I can say I used to be privileged. Though I used to be in highschool for 3 years, I do know subsequent to nothing about Cape Coast as a result of we weren’t allowed to discover town – there have been numerous strict guidelines to reside by!

Greater training

After highschool, I took a spot yr throughout which I had a instructing job at my fundamental/elementary faculty. Taking a spot yr after highschool was additionally the norm on the time, nevertheless issues have modified with some training reforms so this isn’t as common anymore. You do get some people nonetheless opting to take a spot yr although. That is largely for monetary causes – to boost cash to attend college/faculty as attending faculty on a scholar mortgage is just not quite common in Ghana.

I attended one of many 13 public universities in Ghana, KNUST which is in Kumasi. Public universities are the extra inexpensive and trusted choices for college training in Ghana. In current instances, personal universities like.Ashesi College, Central College and Educational Metropolis School have grown as trusted universities however they don’t come low-cost and have very restricted consumption so it’s laborious to get a spot in them. For that reason, I’ll say as soon as once more that I used to be privileged to have attended KNUST. Fortunately, there may be way more freedom within the college so I received the prospect to discover Kumasi albeit not an excessive amount of as a result of I wasn’t too adventurous, I suppose.

I’ve intentionally highlighted the truth that I used to be privileged all through my years of education as a result of in my view, that creates a world of distinction within the alternatives which are open to the typical Ghanaian. Elements that contributed to this privilege are the monetary power my mother and father had, my grades, and perhaps a little bit of likelihood.

Keep in mind what I discussed about how households have a detailed knit relationship in Ghana? Effectively, in each household, there are certain to be a number of who’re as privileged as I used to be and our duty is to “take care” of our kinfolk who aren’t as privileged. It is vitally regular in Ghana for kinfolk to really feel entitled to a share of your month-to-month revenue merely since you are supposed to know they aren’t as privileged as you might be.

Tradition

Most vacationers who’re requested say Ghanaians are very heat and hospitable individuals. Err…I might agree partially; I’d say we’re typically nicer to guests/foreigners. This even applies inside the dwelling the place company normally have preferential therapy.

Life in Ghana can be very chill, no rush, no urgency, no want to fret. I form of like this to some extent as a result of it means individuals are typically much less wired about points and are in a position to simply snigger issues off. What I don’t like about this although is that getting issues executed in Ghana takes endlessly.

If this entails an vital doc that you simply want for one thing, it will possibly get fairly annoying. Nonetheless, issues have modified loads in the previous couple of years and proceed to vary as some authorities companies have put measures in place to make the acquisition of paperwork loads sooner and less complicated.

This “Hakuna. Matata lifestyle in Ghana also means that it’s generally okay to settle for anything. In fact, it is almost alien to be keen on following your passion. To most people, a job is a job, no need to worry about if you are cut out for it or not. Oh, and one more thing, if an event is scheduled to start at 8:00, don’t be surprised to have a Ghanaian ask you if it’s 8 o’clock gmt or GMT. The “gmt” in small letters stands for Ghana Man Time and it means –  though you say 8 –  the occasion can begin at 9 or 10 or 11 with no apologies.

In any case, no worries in life proper? As a aspect be aware, once I was a child, I really thought this was the true which means of GMT. 😄 Even when the occasion is being organised by a gaggle that’s eager on altering this mindset and as such, they imply 8:00 GMT, it might be laborious for them to start out on time as a result of that may imply beginning the occasion with an virtually empty room! However issues are altering, punctuality has gotten higher over time.

Language

Ghana has over 100 languages however the most well-liked one is Akan – you might be positive to get individuals in every of the 16 areas in Ghana who converse some variant of Akan. Don’t inform anybody I advised you this although, different tribes don’t wish to agree that Akan is the most well-liked language. 🤣 English is nevertheless the official language in Ghana so programs/topics in colleges are taught predominantly in English and enterprise is usually transacted in English as nicely.

Meals

There’s not a single meal that may be described as the most typical in Ghana. As a result of urbanization, most cultures take pleasure in native meals from different cultures. Some notable ones are fufu and soup from the Ashanti Area, banku and okro from the Volta Area, kenkey, fried fish and chilli sauce aka shitor from the Better Accra Area.

One widespread undeniable fact that our native meals share is that they take a very long time to be ready. For that reason, they don’t seem to be normally on a regular basis meals and largely reserved for the weekends, particularly Sundays and holidays. On a regular basis meals embody rice dishes similar to jollof and waakye, beans and fried plantain, yam and palava sauce (comprised of kontonmire which is kind of just like spinach).

Grocery searching for contemporary meals is normally executed in open markets just like the Makola market. Malls and supermarkets have gotten actually common in the previous couple of years however they’re most popular for packaged meals, garments, bedding and so forth. Eating places are the place to go to for dates and hangouts.

For celebratory dinners and particular events, Chinese language eating places and buffets at inns are the favored locations of alternative.

Climate

The climate in Ghana is sunny for probably the most a part of the yr, with a median temperature between 27 and 30 levels Celsius. For a number of weeks in December and  January, we expertise harmattan which is characterised by dry, dusty winds. Throughout this time, temperatures can fall to about 20 levels Celsius within the evenings and early mornings, which is absolutely chilly in Ghana.

There’s additionally the wet season between Could and June. It might rain for a number of hours about 2-3 instances per week and it’s sunny the remainder of the time 🤣

Faith

Christianity and Islam are the 2 dominant religions in Ghana. Nonetheless, most cultures nonetheless have some type of reverence/acknowledgement of African Conventional Faith.

Associated to faith and spirituality, individuals in Ghana might be superstitious about a complete lot of issues. This creates a scenario the place it’s fairly an abomination to share your success tales like graduating from faculty, getting a brand new job, being pregnant, shopping for a brand new automobile, and so forth.

The upcoming technology doesn’t appear to understand this tradition of preserving issues underwraps a lot so we’re regularly preventing it. Social media has helped loads in making us develop into extra open, however the older technology nonetheless don’t totally assist what we share publicly.

Festivals, Holidays, Occasions

Ethnic teams in Ghana every have not less than one competition they have fun. These festivals largely have a significance associated to the historical past of the group. For instance, the ethnic group I’m from, Ewe, have fun the Hogbetsotso competition as a solution to keep in mind their migration from current day Togo to Ghana after they fled from a depraved king.

Immediately, these festivals are events that ship metropolis dwellers dwelling to attach with their roots. They’re additionally a type of vacationer attraction.

We love public holidays in Ghana! Aside from holidays like Christmas, Easter and Eid Fitr/Adha that are celebrated by spiritual teams, each different public vacation is handled the identical approach by most Ghanaians.

Formally, there will probably be some type of public occasion. Nonetheless, for most individuals, it’s simply one other day to spend a while on the seaside, organise a funfair, social gathering, go to a resort, and so forth.

Weddings are large occasions in Ghana and funerals are even larger. It’s commonplace to funds for as many as 500 company when planning your wedding ceremony in Ghana. Actually inviting fewer company makes you appear stuck-up and planning an invitation-only occasion will certainly get you some enemies for all times. For a funeral, you gained’t even plan for a hard and fast quantity, simply plan to cater for everybody who exhibits up and they’re positive to be greater than 500!

Weddings are largely in 3 elements. The normal wedding ceremony, which is the primary, is meant to be primarily between each the bride and groom’s households. Nonetheless, as a result of household ties are robust, anticipate to see members of the family that you simply by no means knew existed. That is adopted by a church or courtroom wedding ceremony after which lastly a reception. For people who find themselves nonetheless eager on having a extra intimate set of company, there will probably be a 4th occasion, which is usually a lunch or banquet.

Funerals start with a wake-keeping normally beginning on a Friday night into the early hours of Saturday. On Saturday morning, there’s a church or household pre-burial occasion, adopted by the precise burial. A reception then follows which might final until the night. On Sunday, there may be one other occasion known as the “final funeral rites” which is just about just like the reception that occurred on Saturday afternoon.

Throughout each receptions, there may be numerous consuming, ingesting, dancing and fund-raising. Sounds extra like partying than mourning? You’re proper to assume that approach. Keep in mind, Ghanaians don’t have a necessity to fret so even mourning for too lengthy is flawed. As soon as the burial is over, it’s time to have fun the lifetime of the individual. Sorry if this makes you uncomfortable, it’s one of many issues I don’t fairly like both as a result of I really feel individuals are probably not allowed to mourn as a lot as they need/must.

Value of Residing

It’s laborious to provide a normal reply to what the price of residing is like in Ghana. Google’s reply will most likely be that the price of residing is low, which might be true in case you are referring to residing primarily based on a sure form of customary. Nonetheless, for a extra snug life in Ghana, the price of residing is extraordinarily excessive.  Folks barely ever make sufficient to have that form of life right here.

A very good instance to clarify that is housing. When younger adults get married, they might normally lease a 2-bedroom home and keep on this home for a very long time to return as they elevate children and attempt to construct their dream home on the similar time. Taking a mortgage to purchase a home is such a uncommon possibility and is so costly. By the point the dream home is constructed, the children are not children to take pleasure in it, and the cycle continues.

I keep in mind once I first joined Buffer, one factor I discovered inside my onboarding doc that struck me was a video of “Ask vs Guess” tradition. I realised how a lot in Ghana we’ve a really robust “guess” tradition and I had at all times been seen as totally different as a result of I like to ask questions loads.

Over time, I’ve come to watch that I nonetheless have numerous the attributes of somebody from a “guess” tradition ingrained in me. That is simply one of many methods I realise that I’m very totally different from the typical Ghanaian in my mindset, beliefs, values and so forth and but when in comparison with individuals from different cultures, I’m nonetheless very totally different. Loads of what is appropriate in Ghana is just about part of me.

Hope this has given you just a little glimpse into life in Ghana.