Life In Africa
...people to believe that marriage is the right thing to do. Many Americans feel if they don't get married they lack a major piece of themselves. America leads people to believe that if they don't marry they are incomplete. However, this is not the case in many African societies. In these societies people marry for other reasons. For instance, the men of the Ashanti of Ghana marry wives to help with the economic work. A wife can also give him children who can also help with household chores.
The Ashanti live in central Ghana in western Africa approximately 300km. away from the coast (Berry 13). The Ashanti are a major ethnic group of the Akans. Ghana is a new nation, barely more than 50 years old. Ghana, previously the Gold Coast, was a British colony until 1957 (26). It is now politically separated into four main parts. Ashanti is in the center and Kumasi is the capital.
To the Ashanti, the mother's family is most important. A child is said to inherit the father's soul or spirit (ntoro) and from the mother a child inherit flesh and blood (mogya), (Lystad 37). This relates them more closely to the mother's family. The Ashanti live in an extended family. The family lives in various homes or huts that are set up around a courtyard. The head of the household is usually the oldest brother that lives there. He is chosen by the elders. He is called either Father or Housefather (39).
Girls are taught cooking and housekeeping skills by their mothers. They also work the fields and bring in necessary items, such as water, for the group.
Marriage is very important to Ashanti life and it can be polygamous. Men may want more than one wife to express their ability to be generous and support a large family ( Connah 78). Women in the Ashanti culture will not marry without the consent of their parents. Many women do not meet their husbands until they are married. Even so,...
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