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At Buffer, we often share cultural spotlights from colleagues to attach our international group, and assist us perceive each other at a deeper degree.
Right here’s a barely edited model of a cultural highlight we just lately highlighted from Cheryl, a Buyer Advocate at Buffer.
I’ve lived in Ghana my entire life and I’m completely happy 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, faculty in Kumasi for 4 years and moved to Tema after I obtained 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 nearly all of my early years in Accra. I used to be privileged to have attended a great personal Catholic College, for my primary/elementary college training from kindergarten until JSS 3 (aka grade 9). Attending a personal college is the will of most households in Ghana, as public primary faculties will not be in the very best of states.
I lived with primarily my nuclear household – dad and mom and two siblings all through this time, with kin coming in every so often 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’s even a proverb that claims, “Youngsters should 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.
Occurring holidays shouldn’t be quite common in Ghana, nevertheless, my mum labored with an airline across the time we have been rising up so we obtained the prospect to take a number of journeys abroad, principally to the UK, as soon as to the US after which as soon as to South Africa. Exterior of that, college holidays have been spent enjoying outdoor with pals or visiting our hometown, Aflao to see our kin 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 kids stay up for this chance to go away house for the primary time and the very best faculties typically wrestle with admissions as they all the time have far too many purposes coming in.
I can relate this to the will to attend Ivy League faculties within the US. Cape Coast has the very best of the very 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 the town – there have been a whole lot of strict guidelines to reside by!
Larger training
After highschool, I took a niche yr throughout which I had a instructing job at my primary/elementary college. Taking a niche 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 niche yr although. That is principally for monetary causes – to boost cash to attend college/faculty as attending faculty on a scholar mortgage shouldn’t be quite common in Ghana.
I attended one of many 13 public universities in Ghana, KNUST which is in Kumasi. Public universities are the extra reasonably priced and trusted choices for college training in Ghana. In latest occasions, personal universities like.Ashesi College, Central College and Tutorial Metropolis School have grown as trusted universities however they don’t come low cost and have very restricted consumption so it’s onerous 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’s way more freedom within the college so I obtained 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 for my part, 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 power my dad and mom had, my grades, and possibly 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 certain to be just a few who’re as privileged as I used to be and our accountability is to “take care” of our kin who aren’t as privileged. It is extremely regular in Ghana for kin 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 partly; I’d say we’re usually nicer to guests/foreigners. This even applies inside the house the place visitors often have preferential therapy.
Life in Ghana can also 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 usually 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 completed in Ghana takes without end.
If this entails an necessary doc that you just want for one thing, it may well get fairly annoying. Nevertheless, issues have modified quite a bit in the previous few years and proceed to vary as some authorities companies have put measures in place to make the acquisition of paperwork quite a bit sooner and less complicated.
This “Hakuna. Matata life-style in Ghana additionally signifies that it’s usually okay to accept something. The truth is, it’s nearly alien to be eager on following your ardour. To most individuals, a job is a job, no want to fret about in case you are lower out for it or not. Oh, and another factor, if an occasion is scheduled to begin at 8:00, don’t be stunned 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 facet notice, once I was a child, I truly thought this was the true that 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 onerous for them to begin on time as a result of that may imply beginning the occasion with an nearly empty room! However issues are altering, punctuality has gotten higher over time.
Language
Ghana has over 100 languages however the preferred one is Akan – you’re certain to get folks in every of the 16 areas in Ghana who converse some variant of Akan. Don’t inform anybody I instructed you this although, different tribes don’t need 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 generally transacted in English as properly.
Meals
There’s not a single meal that may be described as the commonest in Ghana. Resulting from 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 incontrovertible fact that our native meals share is that they take a very long time to be ready. Because of this, they aren’t often on a regular basis meals and principally reserved for the weekends, particularly Sundays and holidays. On a regular basis meals embrace rice dishes corresponding to jollof and waakye, beans and fried plantain, yam and palava sauce (comprised of kontonmire which is sort of much like spinach).
Grocery purchasing for recent meals is often completed in open markets just like the Makola market. Malls and supermarkets have gotten actually common in the previous few years however they’re most well-liked for packaged meals, garments, bedding and many others. 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 resorts are the favored locations of selection.
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 just a few 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’s additionally the wet season between Might and June. It might rain for just a few hours about 2-3 occasions per week and it’s sunny the remainder of the time 🤣
Faith
Christianity and Islam are the 2 dominant religions in Ghana. Nevertheless, most cultures nonetheless have some type of reverence/acknowledgement of African Conventional Faith.
Associated to faith and spirituality, folks in Ghana may be superstitious about an entire 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 many others.
The upcoming technology doesn’t appear to understand this tradition of retaining issues underwraps a lot so we’re steadily combating it. Social media has helped quite a bit in making us turn into extra open, however the older technology nonetheless don’t absolutely assist what we share publicly.
Festivals, Holidays, Occasions
Ethnic teams in Ghana every have at the least one pageant they have fun. These festivals principally have a significance associated to the historical past of the group. For instance, the ethnic group I’m from, Ewe, have fun the Hogbetsotso pageant as a technique to bear in mind their migration from current day Togo to Ghana after they fled from a depraved king.
At present, these festivals are events that ship metropolis dwellers house 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 non secular teams, each different public vacation is handled the identical method by most Ghanaians.
Formally, there might be some type of public occasion. Nevertheless, for most individuals, it’s simply one other day to spend a while on the seaside, organise a funfair, occasion, go to a resort, and many others.
Weddings are huge occasions in Ghana and funerals are even greater. It’s common to price range for as many as 500 visitors when planning your wedding ceremony in Ghana. The truth is inviting fewer visitors 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 reveals up and they’re certain to be greater than 500!
Weddings are principally in 3 components. The standard wedding ceremony, which is the primary, is meant to be primarily between each the bride and groom’s households. Nevertheless, as a result of household ties are sturdy, anticipate to see relations that you just 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 visitors, there might be a 4th occasion, which is generally 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 may final until the night. On Sunday, there’s 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’s a whole lot of consuming, ingesting, dancing and fund-raising. Sounds extra like partying than mourning? You might be proper to suppose that method. Bear in mind, Ghanaians don’t have a necessity to fret so even mourning for too lengthy is mistaken. 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 persons are not likely allowed to mourn as a lot as they need/must.
Price of Residing
It’s onerous to present a normal 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 may be true in case you are referring to dwelling primarily based on a sure type of normal. Nevertheless, for a extra snug life in Ghana, the price of dwelling is extraordinarily excessive. Folks barely ever make sufficient to have that type of life right here.
A very good instance to clarify that is housing. When younger adults get married, they might often lease a 2-bedroom home and keep on this home for a very long time to come back as they increase children 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 children are not children 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 we now have a really sturdy “guess” tradition and I had all the time been seen as completely different as a result of I like to ask questions quite a bit.
Over time, I’ve come to watch that I nonetheless have a whole lot of 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 many others and but when in comparison with folks from different cultures, I’m nonetheless very completely different. A whole lot of what is suitable in Ghana is just about part of me.
Hope this has given you a little bit glimpse into life in Ghana.
