New Year's Day in Accra, Ghana!
Hello!!! I was blessed enough last night to
go to my lovely friend Rita's church for their New Year's Eve celebration!!
Ghana is a deeply religious country, I am not sure why or where this comes from. They are a former British colony, who got their Independence in 1957, the 1st African colony to do so. In fact, their success directly encouraged other colonies to do the same thing.
But the British have always been mercantile, not seeking religious converts at all.
So I am not sure where this deep, fervent religious fever comes from. Most are various forms of Protestants...Pentacostal, Presbyterian, etc . There are Muslims here, but not a lot. And there are a few Catholics.
So we went to Rita's Presbyterian Church, which in the best black gospel tradition, was rocking & rolling with great joy & energy. I am fairly sure that the roots of the black gospel tradition come from here, Ghana, because the vast majority of slaves came from either Ghana or Nigeria.
They also wear snowy white dresses & white turbans, with some African beads as well. I found this fascinating, because I have seen this EXACT same thing in Bahia, Brasil, with the women called Baianas, who are the caregivers & pillars of community. Indeed,they are so strong & maternal, they might as well be treetrunks! (They are kinda the same size!)
40% of worldwide slave trade went to Brasil, after leaving Ghana & stopping in Carribean 1st. They also have that same tradition in Puerto Rico/ Cuba, so now I know where they got it from. Salvador, Bahia is the closest S.American point to Ghana, so it makes sense that most of the slaves arrived in Brasil, where the need was so great for tobacco,sugar & cotton worker slaves.
The Spanish didn't really import millions of slaves like the Portuguese/ British, because they already had the native indigenous workers. That explains why so much of S. America doesn't have a black slave history. But in Brasil, the majority population ESPECIALLY in the northern states, are descended from African slaves. That's why the cultures there are so Afro-centric. I am.not sure, however, if some Brasilian/ Baianos know WHERE in Africa their traditions come from. But they can certainly tell you how much of their culture, food, clothing is Afro-centric.
go to my lovely friend Rita's church for their New Year's Eve celebration!!
Ghana is a deeply religious country, I am not sure why or where this comes from. They are a former British colony, who got their Independence in 1957, the 1st African colony to do so. In fact, their success directly encouraged other colonies to do the same thing.
But the British have always been mercantile, not seeking religious converts at all.
So I am not sure where this deep, fervent religious fever comes from. Most are various forms of Protestants...Pentacostal, Presbyterian, etc . There are Muslims here, but not a lot. And there are a few Catholics.
So we went to Rita's Presbyterian Church, which in the best black gospel tradition, was rocking & rolling with great joy & energy. I am fairly sure that the roots of the black gospel tradition come from here, Ghana, because the vast majority of slaves came from either Ghana or Nigeria.
They also wear snowy white dresses & white turbans, with some African beads as well. I found this fascinating, because I have seen this EXACT same thing in Bahia, Brasil, with the women called Baianas, who are the caregivers & pillars of community. Indeed,they are so strong & maternal, they might as well be treetrunks! (They are kinda the same size!)
40% of worldwide slave trade went to Brasil, after leaving Ghana & stopping in Carribean 1st. They also have that same tradition in Puerto Rico/ Cuba, so now I know where they got it from. Salvador, Bahia is the closest S.American point to Ghana, so it makes sense that most of the slaves arrived in Brasil, where the need was so great for tobacco,sugar & cotton worker slaves.
The Spanish didn't really import millions of slaves like the Portuguese/ British, because they already had the native indigenous workers. That explains why so much of S. America doesn't have a black slave history. But in Brasil, the majority population ESPECIALLY in the northern states, are descended from African slaves. That's why the cultures there are so Afro-centric. I am.not sure, however, if some Brasilian/ Baianos know WHERE in Africa their traditions come from. But they can certainly tell you how much of their culture, food, clothing is Afro-centric.
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ReplyDeleteI really enjoy reading your "discoveries" within this exciting territories, dear Faith! Please tell us their music culture, literature, architecture, cuisine, fine arts, women's right, pioneering universities/SCIENTIFIC institutions, etc....?
Delete1. Who is the FIRST woman architect from Ghana?
2. Who is the FIRST woman scientist from Ghana?
3. What is the leading CONCERT HALL in Ghana?
4. Who are their pioneering composers in Classical music, JAZZ!, (and/or rock?) ?
5. Their well-known dishes?
Faith this is very interesting in that on New years eve in Rio, a huge number of Brasileiros/Cariocas dress modestly in white and make an offering to Lemanjah, usually, white flowers and I believe this emanates from the religions Umbanda and Candomble whose roots are African. Of course the slaves covered up by mixing the roots of the religious practice with Catholic saints so they could continue with their beliefs. Most people in Rio are probably pardo ; one third indigenous Indian, one third African (west African) and one third European, most likely Portuguese. An interesting point Faith - it was the jesuits sent to Brazil that were truly behind the colonisation through the missionaries, much to the annoyance of The Portuguese Crown and private landowners who lagged behind in the rate of success. Eventually, the Jesuits were sacked by the Crown.
ReplyDelete