Hospitality: The Strength of Ghana's Past, How It Could Promote Harmony and Human Relations in the Contemporary Society
Date
2001-02
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Tangaza University College
Abstract
There is an Akan maxim, that it takes two heads to decide, but in the Ghanaian society
today, it takes only one head to decide in most of the communities. Individualistic approach
of doing things is the order of the day for many Ghanaians. Hospitality which was a virtue for
almost all the communities, is dying so fast. For example, it is very difficult for a neighbour
to go to a neighbours house to ask for some help in the contemporary Ghanaian situation.
Forty-one years that I have lived in Ghana, community way of living was highly
expressed in all forms. Many people who have lived in Ghana for the past ten years testified
to the drastic changes that are taking place in Ghana now. Many indigenous and foreigners
who experienced the hospitality of Ghanaians in the past, are now questioning about the
falling standards in the country; individualism, bribery and corruption, low morality and
division among the same community members. Some communities have lost the sense of
where they belong.
This paper would attempt to underline what used to be the Ghanaian virtue of
hospitality, which every community in Ghana cherished most and was acknowledged by
many other countries. The inner cover of this paper has a "stool", a symbol of hospitality in
Ghana. If a person enters a home or a community and the person is given a stool to sit on, that
person feels accepted in that home or community. That means, he or she is accorded
hospitality. Chapter one would attempt to explain what hospitality is and how it was practised in
some of the communities. Our reference point would be the Akan communities in Ghana,
who are in the majority and have great influence on the other communities. Our objectives
and methodology shall be within this chapter. In chapter two, we shall deal with the historical perspective of Ghana; how the
indigenous people promoted hospitality in their communities through their festivals, the
strangers and visitors that just appeared in their homes. We shall also attempt to show how
they were in communion with their ancestors, who were the model of hospitality for them.
We shall also see how Ghana was being developed because of the generosity and hospitality
of the indigenous people.
There were many factors that were hindrances in the way of the Ghanaian people to be
hospitable. In our current situation, some of these hindrances are the major factors for the
dwindling hospitality and individualistic life-style in most Ghanaian communities. Chapter
three will help us to know and understand some of these hindrances that are crippling the
contemporary Ghanaian society. Some of the recent hindrances are technology and the many
African-Americans residing in Ghana and influencing the Ghanaian youth especially with
their own culture and life-style.
Scripture has a lot to teach about hospitality. In chapter four, we shall reflect on how
people practised hospitality from scriptural point of view and also from the Apostolic times,
and in the individual Christians. Most of the people gave themselves up completely in the
service of others who were in need. Christian hospitality has been a teaching in the Catholic
Church as a model for all Ghanaians. We shall suggest some ways that people may follow in
order to go back to what Christ Himself came to do; to serve and not to be served, and that is
hospitality. Chapter five deals with personal reflection on hospitality, some humble
recommendations that will help many Ghanaians to return to their roots, and general
conclusion. In the preamble which begins this chapter, we tried to use the central word for this paper, "hospitality" to give some information on how God expects us to deal with people
when it comes to hospitality.
In the general conclusion, there is one symbol that most (if not every) Ghanaian is
aware of its importance; that is `Sankofa: This symbol is found in many places in Ghana and
at the back of many books. It literally means, go back and take. It reminds most Ghanaians
who have forgotten the past deeds of our fore-fathers and mothers, to go back to their roots
and pick up what is gradually fading out: hospitality and community living.
Description
Keywords
Hospitality, Human Relations, Africa