Spotlighting Tradition in Ghana From a Buffer Teammate

I’ve lived in Ghana my complete life and I’m comfortable to share extra about this stunning nation with you! I grew up within the capital metropolis, Accra, was in highschool in Cape Coast for 3 years, school in Kumasi for 4 years and moved to Tema after I acquired 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 very good personal Catholic College, for my primary/elementary college training from kindergarten until JSS 3 (aka grade 9). Attending a non-public college is the need of most households in Ghana, as public primary faculties are usually not in one of the best of states.

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

In Ghana, adults are extremely revered and as a toddler, you can not give a counter opinion to what an grownup says. There may be even a proverb that claims, “Kids have to 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 youngsters.

Occurring 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 acquired 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. Exterior of that, college holidays had been spent taking part in open air with associates or visiting our hometown, Aflao to see our kinfolk there.

After primary/elementary college, I attended a public boarding highschool, in Cape Coast. That is additionally the norm in Ghana, that’s, attending boarding college throughout your highschool years. Most youngsters sit up for this chance to depart dwelling for the primary time and one of the best faculties typically 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 faculties within the US. Cape Coast has one of the best of one of the best faculties 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 stay by!

Greater training

After highschool, I took a spot yr throughout which I had a instructing job at my primary/elementary college. 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 well-liked anymore. You do get some people nonetheless opting to take a spot yr although. That is largely for monetary causes – to lift cash to attend college/school as attending school 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 occasions, personal universities like.Ashesi College, Central College and Tutorial Metropolis Faculty have grown as trusted universities however they don’t come low-cost and have very restricted consumption so it’s exhausting to get a spot in them. Because of this, I’ll say as soon as once more that I used to be privileged to have attended KNUST. Fortunately, there may be rather more freedom within the college so I acquired the prospect to discover Kumasi albeit not an excessive amount of as a result of I wasn’t too adventurous, I assume.

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 can be open to the typical Ghanaian. Elements that contributed to this privilege are the monetary energy my dad and mom had, my grades, and perhaps a little bit of likelihood.

Bear in mind what I discussed about how households have a detailed knit relationship in Ghana? Effectively, in each household, there are sure 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 grasp they aren’t as privileged as you’re.

Tradition

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

Life in Ghana can be very chill, no rush, no urgency, no want to fret. I type of like this to some extent as a result of it means persons are typically much less stressed about points and are capable of simply snigger issues off. What I don’t like about this although is that getting issues performed in Ghana takes ceaselessly.

If this includes an necessary doc that you simply want for one thing, it could possibly get fairly annoying. Nonetheless, issues have modified so much 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 so much quicker and easier.

This “Hakuna. Matata way of life in Ghana additionally implies that it’s typically okay to accept something. In truth, it’s nearly alien to be eager on following your ardour. To most individuals, a job is a job, no want to fret about if you’re lower out for it or not. Oh, and another factor, if an occasion is scheduled to begin at 8:00, don’t be shocked 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 word, once I was a child, I truly thought this was the true which means of GMT. 😄 Even when the occasion is being organised by a bunch that’s eager on altering this mindset and as such, they imply 8:00 GMT, it could possibly be exhausting for them to begin on time as a result of that can imply beginning the occasion with an nearly empty room! However issues are altering, punctuality has gotten higher through the years.

Language

Ghana has over 100 languages however the preferred one is Akan – you’re positive to get folks in every of the 16 areas in Ghana who communicate some variant of Akan. Don’t inform anybody I advised you this although, different tribes don’t wish to agree that Akan is the preferred language. 🤣 English is nevertheless the official language in Ghana so programs/topics in faculties are taught predominantly in English and enterprise is usually transacted in English as properly.

Meals

There’s not a single meal that may be described as the commonest in Ghana. As a result of urbanization, most cultures get pleasure from 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 proven fact that our native meals share is that they take a very long time to be ready. Because of this, they don’t seem to be often on a regular basis meals and largely reserved for the weekends, particularly Sundays and holidays. On a regular basis meals embody rice dishes comparable to jollof and waakye, beans and fried plantain, yam and palava sauce (produced from kontonmire which is kind of just like spinach).

Grocery looking for recent meals is often performed in open markets just like the Makola market. Malls and supermarkets have gotten actually well-liked 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 accommodations are the favored locations of selection.

Climate

The climate in Ghana is sunny for probably the most a part of the yr, with a mean 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 admittedly chilly in Ghana.

There may be additionally the wet season between Could and June. It might rain for a number of hours about 2-3 occasions every 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, folks in Ghana will 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 college, getting a brand new job, being pregnant, shopping for a brand new automotive, and so forth.

The upcoming era doesn’t appear to understand this tradition of holding issues underwraps a lot so we’re step by step preventing it. Social media has helped so much in making us turn out to be extra open, however the older era nonetheless don’t totally assist what we share publicly.

Festivals, Holidays, Occasions

Ethnic teams in Ghana every have no less than one pageant they have a good time. These festivals largely have a significance associated to the historical past of the group. For instance, the ethnic group I’m from, Ewe, have a good time the Hogbetsotso pageant as a strategy to bear in mind their migration from current day Togo to Ghana after they fled from a depraved king.

At the moment, 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! Other than holidays like Christmas, Easter and Eid Fitr/Adha that are celebrated by non secular teams, each different public vacation is handled the identical approach by most Ghanaians.

Formally, there can 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 greater. It’s commonplace to finances for as many as 500 friends when planning your marriage ceremony in Ghana. In truth inviting fewer friends makes you appear stuck-up and planning an invitation-only occasion will certainly get you some enemies for all times. For a funeral, you received’t even plan for a set 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 marriage 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 sturdy, anticipate to see relations that you simply by no means knew existed. That is adopted by a church or court docket marriage ceremony after which lastly a reception. For people who find themselves nonetheless eager on having a extra intimate set of friends, there can be a 4th occasion, which is usually a lunch or banquet.

Funerals start with a wake-keeping often 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 referred to as the “ultimate 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 might be proper to assume that approach. Bear in mind, Ghanaians don’t have a necessity to fret so even mourning for too lengthy is fallacious. As soon as the burial is over, it’s time to have a good time the lifetime of the particular person. 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 persons are probably not allowed to mourn as a lot as they need/must.

Price of Dwelling

It’s exhausting to provide a basic reply to what the price of dwelling is like in Ghana. Google’s reply will in all probability be that the price of dwelling is low, which will be true if you’re referring to dwelling based mostly on a sure type of normal. Nonetheless, for a extra snug life in Ghana, the price of dwelling is extraordinarily excessive.  Individuals barely ever make sufficient to have that type of life right here.

A superb instance to elucidate that is housing. When younger adults get married, they might often hire a 2-bedroom home and keep on this home for a very long time to return as they increase youngsters and attempt to construct their dream home on the identical 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 youngsters are now not youngsters to get pleasure from it, and the cycle continues.

I bear 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 now we have a really sturdy “guess” tradition and I had at all times been seen as completely different as a result of I like to ask questions so much.

Over time, I’ve come to look at 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 completely different from the typical Ghanaian in my mindset, beliefs, values and so forth and but when in comparison with folks from different cultures, I’m nonetheless very completely different. Quite a lot of what is suitable in Ghana is just about part of me.

Hope this has given you somewhat glimpse into life in Ghana.