How The Activities in The Rites Of Passage Illuminates The Culture of The Akans of Ghana


The term'rites of passage'or'rites de passage'was first used by the French ethnologist Van Gennep in 1909. It describes the rites, rituals and ceremonies that are accustomed to mark the changes or transitions in one stage of life to another Stonebwoy Putuu. These changes include birth, puberty, marriage and death. One of the Akan ethnic society in Ghana, every Akan who marks each of the stages must undertake essential ceremonies and rituals and these lavishly paint the cultural traditions, values, norms and beliefs of the people.


Birth


The Akans of Ghana believes that birth is the initial phase of the life cycle. In their mind, it is a transition from the spiritual world where their ancestors reside on the planet of the physical world. In Akan societies like Asante Bekwai, Essumeja and Kokofu in the southern the main Ashanti region of Ghana, birth is thought to be the channel by which ancestors are reborn to their lineages. It's viewed as an easy way through which the gods and ancestors reward members of the family.


The folks organized naming and outdooring ceremonies to thank the gods and the ancestors for the little one and to welcome the little one from the spiritual world. The ceremonies are carried out on the eighth day because it is believed that it's in those days that the newly born child has fully severed or broken his former link with the planet of spirits. Ahead of the eighth day, the little one is called a visitor. During the rites, prayers are said and libations are poured with water, wine or milk with respect to the ethnic society the little one is born into. One of the Akans of Ghana, the parents of the little one placed on white cloth and white clay to signify their happiness. Several art forms are employed during this occasion such as pots, clothes, calabashes, music, dance etc.


Puberty


It's said to be the passage from childhood into adolescence and adulthood by the Akans of Ghana. Only at that stage of life, several rites are performed to usher the young ones into adulthood. Initiation rites are performed to help make the initiates fully developed persons capable of discharging their duties as full members of the society. The initiation rites contain ideals of manhood or womanhood which society wishes to instill in to the young adults who undergo the rites.


The initiates are secluded in a camp overseas for a time frame during which instructions such as familiarity with the customs of the land, law and justice, home management, personal hygiene, fighting skills, the practice of art and so forth are given. The whole experience that they gain brings about physical, emotional and psychological changes in them. The return to their homes after the rites signifies a rebirth into another stage in life, for they've been reborn into adolescence and adulthood.


Special costumes and masks are worn by the initiates and their instructors that are usually the elders in the society. Artifacts are employed as teaching supports the giving of instructions. Drums are beaten and initiates engaged in special dances to invite the spirits of the ancestors to the initiation ceremony. Drama and storytelling are mediums through which the instructions are given.


Marriage


This is the legal union between a man and a female who have been through all of the rites and customs related to marriage in the society. Marriage is greater than a union of two individuals, but a union of two families. To the Akan, marriage is just a duty or even a requirement and an part of life that everyone must participate. Any person in the society who doesn't participate is viewed as a curse to the society, he's a law-breaker. He is not just abnormal but also an'under human '.


Desire to of marriage is procreation and without it marriage is incomplete. Several artifacts are employed through the marriage rites. For example, prayers are offered to the gods and ancestors to bless the marriage with peace, prosperity, joy and many healthy children. Friends and family members offer presents and gifts to the married couple and many of these are artifacts like bowls, vessels, clothes etc. The bride also adorns herself in nice clothes with several jewels. Since it is just a festive occasion, performing art forms such as music, drumming and dancing are immensely used.


Death


This is the last stage of the life cycle. It's viewed since the inevitable end of man. However, Africans genuinely believe that death is a transition or journey from the planet of the living to the metaphysical world or the land of spirits. It's a journey which man must make to be able to reach the life beyond and continue to reside being an ancestor. The dead do not remain in the grave, but become spirits and proceed to the spirit world called Asamando by the Akans of Ghana. Funeral rites and ceremonies are held for the deceased to get ready him for the journey.


Things that the deceased will be needing in his journey in addition to in his next life are put in his grave such as mats, sandals, clothes, money, pillows, etc. It can be believed by the Akans that a person's status and position in the physical life is maintained in his next life in the spiritual world. Various artifacts are employed such as wooden caskets (coffins), funerary clothes such as Kobene, Kuntunkuni, Adinkra clothes, pouring of libation, prayers are said, music, drumming and dancing.


These stages that mark the transition in one stage of life to the other is frequently marked by cultural rites and ceremonies. These occasions always laid bare the original beliefs of the Akans of Ghana. It vividly voice out the rich cultural traditions handed down in their mind by their ancestors to the other elements of the world.

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