Don't universalize this practice for all Ghanaians.Tell us where you hail from! You write "For what? Invariably, the assertion in the news item pricked my mind about how my mother was pressured into being holed up in isolatio ... read full comment
Don't universalize this practice for all Ghanaians.Tell us where you hail from! You write "For what? Invariably, the assertion in the news item pricked my mind about how my mother was pressured into being holed up in isolation for forty days after my dad passed away."
Debbie 10 years ago
I remember being quite disgusted by that article.
Ghana has a long way to go, seriously! what about stripping women who people deem to be scantily dressed in public. We still live in the stone age.
I remember being quite disgusted by that article.
Ghana has a long way to go, seriously! what about stripping women who people deem to be scantily dressed in public. We still live in the stone age.
OZA 10 years ago
Every traditional practices have root causes for the good of the society at the time it was first initiated. Like polygamy in Africa. It was for the purpose of preserving the property (land and herd),and family. Women did not ... read full comment
Every traditional practices have root causes for the good of the society at the time it was first initiated. Like polygamy in Africa. It was for the purpose of preserving the property (land and herd),and family. Women did not work those days. The strong, rich man who owned the land and animals needed that big family (wives and children) to take care of the family's property and carry it on. Today, it is not necessary so the practicing is gradually fading, especially with the advent of Christianity. The same applies to the widow rites. It was established for all the reasons that the author speculates on in the article - for the safety and security of the woman who used to be considered a " weaker vessel". In those days a woman without a husband could be grabbed or haunted by unscrupulous men knowing, the strong man is no more alive. So the widow had to go in hiding. This practice has been perpetuated to this day without explanation to the modern woman. So like the author of this article, it all becomes nonsense. Unfortunately, once a tradition is established, it becomes one of the most difficult to eradicate. Like female circumcision, the people who indulge in the practice have to be willing to stop it. Otherwise you can write and talk all you want. It will never stop. If you don't understand my point, just explain to me why as a Ghanaian you will not give money to your father with your left hand.
Yaa Nkosuo 10 years ago
Very educative insight into the subject especially the latter part of your comment.
I believe there is also the spiritual connotation to it as well where the woman is cleansed during the period.
Very educative insight into the subject especially the latter part of your comment.
I believe there is also the spiritual connotation to it as well where the woman is cleansed during the period.
ABU 10 years ago
There are so many cultural and costomary practices that hold our women back in Ghana certainly that needs immediate and total abrogating,and if i hear women like you and Akadu saying the opposite it beats my mind and defeats ... read full comment
There are so many cultural and costomary practices that hold our women back in Ghana certainly that needs immediate and total abrogating,and if i hear women like you and Akadu saying the opposite it beats my mind and defeats the struggles of the males among us ready to shoulder you in your fight for emancipipation,are you not victims to the many of our cultural practices that curtail your frredom and imprison your psyches?
OZA 10 years ago
Abu, you still don't get it. We are not opposing the possible abrogation of customs that don't make sense in today's world. What I mean is, it is very difficult to do away with such practices, especially when those who practi ... read full comment
Abu, you still don't get it. We are not opposing the possible abrogation of customs that don't make sense in today's world. What I mean is, it is very difficult to do away with such practices, especially when those who practice them do not want to give it up! I have known a young lady who proudly went to have her "clit" removed because it was an achievement of pride in her society. And she still has no regrets. How can you abrogate the practice for such a person with that mentality? Again, traditions are NOT easy to get rid of. You still did not answer my question. Why do Ghanaians find it disrespectful to tend their left hands to their fathers? How many left handed students have been beaten in Ghana because they tried to write with their left hand.... all because of our customary mentality toward the left hand. Again, explain to me why you are not "koteboto". Can any law tell you not to circumcise your sons? You are not against male circumcision, so why would you be against that of women? That is what I mean by the difficulty in getting rid of traditions. It has never been easy! That does not mean I am for it.
Agyeman 10 years ago
Ha,in the 21st century and we're still hanging on to oudated customs?Do we still wonder why Ghana is not developing? Progress requires that society be pretty open minded and this primordial mindset is NOT it.
Ha,in the 21st century and we're still hanging on to oudated customs?Do we still wonder why Ghana is not developing? Progress requires that society be pretty open minded and this primordial mindset is NOT it.
Harryboux 10 years ago
U are so right my brother.Gh will be a better place if we throw out all these stupid Amamere and shit.
U are so right my brother.Gh will be a better place if we throw out all these stupid Amamere and shit.
ELINAM 10 years ago
If Chenua Achebe were Ghanaian, he couldn't have written 'THINGS FALL APART" because he wouldn't have had the traditional knowledge and the wisdom to portray the life of traditional Africa.
Today, the only book most Ghanaian ... read full comment
If Chenua Achebe were Ghanaian, he couldn't have written 'THINGS FALL APART" because he wouldn't have had the traditional knowledge and the wisdom to portray the life of traditional Africa.
Today, the only book most Ghanaian could author is to compile and plagiarize bible verses and call it book.
Modernization does not mean to throw away your culture and follow someone else's culture he had maintained from centuries past.
Technology is built on old stuffs. Throw the old stuff away and you have nothing to build on, nor write about and turn into movies. Wanna know why Ghanaian movies do not have great story lines?
Wake up Okunka Bannerman.
ghanaba 10 years ago
and you ? you have to take permission from your wife to put on the last jeans available. the article had nothing to do with auntie, per se, the journalist was not smart enough. it does not worth all these. our woman per int s ... read full comment
and you ? you have to take permission from your wife to put on the last jeans available. the article had nothing to do with auntie, per se, the journalist was not smart enough. it does not worth all these. our woman per int standards are really emancipated. they are very hardworking , good mothers, good cooks. God bless you to have a good and God fearing gh woman, your life could only be a success. if you have a word for them, just go ahead.
Sanctifier 10 years ago
You are all wrong.There is nothing wrong about any of the customs mentioned.Relationship between you and your wife is not for public consumption.Whatever you put on before sleeping with your wife and how you put it on has no ... read full comment
You are all wrong.There is nothing wrong about any of the customs mentioned.Relationship between you and your wife is not for public consumption.Whatever you put on before sleeping with your wife and how you put it on has nothing to do with any culture .For example in many parts of Ghana when a man sleeps with a man and after their sexual encounter , the woman uses any clean rag to clean the man .It is not a tradition any where but it is done .The reasons is that the woman does not want toi feel embarrased to catch the scent of the affair which is from the woman's pussy and for that reason she cleans the man well and make sure it is dry and no drop of the sperm remains in the man's dick chamber .It is the happiness of the woman doing this and then feels relieved and would surely come back the next time.There are many things that go on between the man and the woman for example some women do not like the puberty hair around their woman hood and would shave it well at any time it grows as such it has become her lot to remove it even before having sexual encounter with a man.She does this so that the hair does not trap any sperm from both sides on her .Is this a custom?
It has become the norm for many women to do it as such it has become a silent unwritten custom.
What is more devilish is that is it good for a man to lick the pussy of a woman when she demands that ? It is absolutely wrong and unhygienic yet people out of foolishness do so .Is it a custom? No it is not and i will never do that for any reason and besides it is a taboo doing that .
If you the writer feel some of the things you mention are wrong then please rewrite the bible and call Jesus back from the grave to tell Our Creator to change the minds of people who do some of the nasty things in sexual encounter.The ex Head of State's wife hibernate has nothing to do with modernization.It the choice of her people and herself.Of course when you get your husband buried do you have to go about rejoicing and not clad in our traditional attire ?
Tell the tribe that believes in comercialising funerals and enforce it on them and never celebrate the death of any of your traditional rulers .And do bury them in the public burying ground .Is that also a bad tradition? We are not for backward moving because we ourselves are stupid .Men sleeping with fellow men in sexual encounter and this is what some so called educate people what enshrined in our national laws? If so why do you travel miles in your traditional black or red cloth to celebrate the death of your relation and rulers?
We write about useless things and come public with them but go to the grassroots and start and give us better ideas on how to create jobs and improve the economy and make living by all Ghanaians burying tribalism while the haves do over look the plight of the "havenots". It is much ado for nothing. Ghana is not the same as America as such what they do there is their own concern. Leave us alone and let the people have jobs to do and provide their basic needs and se where these so called tribal practises go.
Paul 10 years ago
Sanctifier God bless u for that.
Sanctifier God bless u for that.
Onipa 10 years ago
Some also do this however most of them go for another woman.
Some also do this however most of them go for another woman.
Asiwome 10 years ago
Grief is a fact of life, and women don't usually drink their grief away.
Grief is a fact of life, and women don't usually drink their grief away.
Ama 10 years ago
Let us not blame the men for this. Ask yourself who enforces these bad practices? Yes, WOMEN.Let us educate the women not to enforce this practice. Simple. Queen mothers, what are they there for? STOP THIS PRACTICE. SIMPLE. W ... read full comment
Let us not blame the men for this. Ask yourself who enforces these bad practices? Yes, WOMEN.Let us educate the women not to enforce this practice. Simple. Queen mothers, what are they there for? STOP THIS PRACTICE. SIMPLE. Women, let's look after each other.
Obinalo 10 years ago
It is the women folk who are holding on to these outdated traditions,especially the queen mothers who are illiterate or semi literate.You the literate ones should educate them.
It is the women folk who are holding on to these outdated traditions,especially the queen mothers who are illiterate or semi literate.You the literate ones should educate them.
Ghana 10 years ago
Nii as much as I admire your write-ups most of the time, it seems your stay outside has really blindfolded you so much so that you see everything wrong about anything we Ghanaian s do as our culture.
But let me throw some li ... read full comment
Nii as much as I admire your write-ups most of the time, it seems your stay outside has really blindfolded you so much so that you see everything wrong about anything we Ghanaian s do as our culture.
But let me throw some light into your clouded mind about some of our culture's.
1)Women go through these situation for such days to prevent her from causing harm to herself or committing suicide.
2)Women go through these situation to ascertain whether she picked a seed with the late husband.
3)Women go through these situation so that she can take her time to rearrange her life and will be thoroughly guided and counselled before she join the society again well prepared to face the future without her husband.
These are some of the reasons why women go through such situations. And while they go through such situations they are surrounded by people to comfort her.
Nii I hope you've now understood the reason why some of our cultures must not be thrown away.
We must not be brainwashed to believe anything Africa is backward. Some of our cultures are very good.
Nii Lantey Okunka Bannerman 10 years ago
Ghana:
Please reread what you wrote and tell me if this is not condescending to a grown woman. I am blinded? Haba Agya Ghana! To prevent a grown woman from causing harm to herself? Do grown men cause harm to themselves? Do ... read full comment
Ghana:
Please reread what you wrote and tell me if this is not condescending to a grown woman. I am blinded? Haba Agya Ghana! To prevent a grown woman from causing harm to herself? Do grown men cause harm to themselves? Does drinking yourself silly cause harm to self as men do? Your very response is why this rubbish has to stop.
Tell me how you ascertain that the woman has picked seed? Are you a doctor? The family is not a hospital right? And if you find out that she has picked seed, then what? Are you going to have the baby? Or is the woman going to have the baby? Pregnant women do not need stress!! This is such crass bilge! Leave the woman alone! Let her make her own decisions. The woman is not stupid. She has brains and will act accordingly if she is pregnant. What do you think happens to the numerous women who get pregnant and have no man next to them because the men ran away? Haba Ataa Ghana!!
Why should a woman be locked up in solitary confinement just to rearrange her life? Are you saying that she won't rearrange her life if she is not locked up in a room? What kind of reasoning is that? You assume that women are stupid and cannot do for themselves. The evidence clearly shows the contrary. Come on now! I was expecting far better reasons than this. Apprantly there are no good reasons for carrying out this useless tradition. None! Stop it now!
ABU 10 years ago
With all what we have today to know the pregnancy of a woman and who is responsible it is time to really set the women,our women free from those obnoxious harmful cultural and customary and traditional practices that help non ... read full comment
With all what we have today to know the pregnancy of a woman and who is responsible it is time to really set the women,our women free from those obnoxious harmful cultural and customary and traditional practices that help none.It's incumbent on every progressive and right thinking Ghanaian to wage a war on his own to help in liberating our womenfolks,sometimes some actions of our women notably the educated make the fight irrelevant,whatever it must be waged.On my part this your article had empowered me to exempt my wife from this torture at my death.
Nii Lantey Okunka Bannerman 10 years ago
Bravo! You made my day! We can only change one at a time! Stay blessed my brother!
Bravo! You made my day! We can only change one at a time! Stay blessed my brother!
Ghana 10 years ago
You asked for the reasons why these traditions happen.
That's the reason why I elucidated reasons why traditions of this nature was used by our forefathers.
So do you doubt it that, some people are capable of committing sui ... read full comment
You asked for the reasons why these traditions happen.
That's the reason why I elucidated reasons why traditions of this nature was used by our forefathers.
So do you doubt it that, some people are capable of committing suicide if their loved one passes away?
Can we change some of the cultures, yes we can modify some of them but to totally throw away our cultures simply because the white man has successfully brainwashed us is totally unacceptable.
Kayode 10 years ago
Do men need protection from themselves when their wives die? If not, why do we have these rituals for women? Isn't the guy giving reasons trying to say that somehow women need extra care and atention when they are bereaved? W ... read full comment
Do men need protection from themselves when their wives die? If not, why do we have these rituals for women? Isn't the guy giving reasons trying to say that somehow women need extra care and atention when they are bereaved? What's the biological basis for that? We sure do have some good aspects to our cultures, but there are some that need to be re-examined. I will not go to work days after my spouse passes away but I'll not be surrounded by old women and be fed once a day while not putting on foot wear and bathing cold three times with my hair shaved. I've put some of the practices together just so you know what happens to women. And btw, did I mention that a widow has to wear the pubic hair and clipped nails of her husband as a band around her waist? Tell me that this serves a purpose, any purpose at all...
ABU 10 years ago
Our womenfolks are obliged to live in absurdity,and some are even happy and contended with that,they are their own victims.
Our womenfolks are obliged to live in absurdity,and some are even happy and contended with that,they are their own victims.
Yaa Nkosuo 10 years ago
Yet a better exposition of the subject.
Your explanation sounds very plausible. Mourning one's husband is a difficult time especially in the Third World. That is when Unity in the community is displayed. I remember when i ar ... read full comment
Yet a better exposition of the subject.
Your explanation sounds very plausible. Mourning one's husband is a difficult time especially in the Third World. That is when Unity in the community is displayed. I remember when i arrived at home to bury my late dad; there were family members around to ensure that those at home were supported, people took it upon themselves to send food daily to our house. it was unbelievable. i think Nii Lante is bemoaning the intricate detail of the Isolation period that widows have to go through
Do widowers endure the same treatment?
Perhaps he should look at The Jerusalem Post - archived editions and read about cleansing ceremonies that Rabbi wives have to go through after their monthly cycle. it will shock you!!!!
ABU 10 years ago
Illtreatments of women indeed by the male's world sujecting women into slavery law of the jungle where only the fittest survive.African men are uncaring and inconsiderates when it comes to the well being and welfaring of our ... read full comment
Illtreatments of women indeed by the male's world sujecting women into slavery law of the jungle where only the fittest survive.African men are uncaring and inconsiderates when it comes to the well being and welfaring of our womenfolks.Obnoxious cultural practices must be expunged from our society to pave way for emancipation and freedom
mensah abrampa 10 years ago
I appreciate our cukture and traditions. They define who we are but I don't think they are sacrosanct.They may have suited the times and I'm sure they were well intentioned too. The times and setting are very different today. ... read full comment
I appreciate our cukture and traditions. They define who we are but I don't think they are sacrosanct.They may have suited the times and I'm sure they were well intentioned too. The times and setting are very different today.Some of them may have outlived their usefulness and it's time we put them under review.Let's make changes where necessary because some of these customs are outmoded and not necessary.
princewilly@ymail.com 10 years ago
Little Patrick asked his Father for a new bike for his birthday. His dad said we would get you one but our mortgage is $85,000 and your Mom has lost her job. The next day Patrick walked out with his suitcase packed... His Dad ... read full comment
Little Patrick asked his Father for a new bike for his birthday. His dad said we would get you one but our mortgage is $85,000 and your Mom has lost her job. The next day Patrick walked out with his suitcase packed... His Dad asked,where are you going? Patrick replied, I walked past your bedroom last night and I heard you tell Mom you were pulling out, then I heard her telling you to wait because she was coming too.....I'm not staying here on my own with an $85,000 mortgage and NO FUCKING BIKE
leila 10 years ago
It is an akan tradition.
It is an akan tradition.
ABU 10 years ago
I MAY NOT KNOW WHERE ABOUT ARE YOU FROM GHANA,BUT IT IS A GENERAL GHANAIAN TRADITION AND NOT AKAN.BE CANDID.I AM NOT AKAN MY MOTHER WENT TRUE THIS STUPIDITY ON MY FATHER'S DEATH.I AM EXEMPTING MY WIFE FROM THIS MADNESS ON MY ... read full comment
I MAY NOT KNOW WHERE ABOUT ARE YOU FROM GHANA,BUT IT IS A GENERAL GHANAIAN TRADITION AND NOT AKAN.BE CANDID.I AM NOT AKAN MY MOTHER WENT TRUE THIS STUPIDITY ON MY FATHER'S DEATH.I AM EXEMPTING MY WIFE FROM THIS MADNESS ON MY DEMISE.IDLENESS INVENTED THIS ALBATROSS THAT CAN'T BE ENTERTAINED IN THIS MODERN ERA OF HUMAN CIVILISATION NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE EXCEPT IF A SOCIETY HAS CHOSENED TO REMAIN BACKWARD AND UNPRODUCTIVE.
Don't universalize this practice for all Ghanaians.Tell us where you hail from! You write "For what? Invariably, the assertion in the news item pricked my mind about how my mother was pressured into being holed up in isolatio ...
read full comment
I remember being quite disgusted by that article.
Ghana has a long way to go, seriously! what about stripping women who people deem to be scantily dressed in public. We still live in the stone age.
Every traditional practices have root causes for the good of the society at the time it was first initiated. Like polygamy in Africa. It was for the purpose of preserving the property (land and herd),and family. Women did not ...
read full comment
Very educative insight into the subject especially the latter part of your comment.
I believe there is also the spiritual connotation to it as well where the woman is cleansed during the period.
There are so many cultural and costomary practices that hold our women back in Ghana certainly that needs immediate and total abrogating,and if i hear women like you and Akadu saying the opposite it beats my mind and defeats ...
read full comment
Abu, you still don't get it. We are not opposing the possible abrogation of customs that don't make sense in today's world. What I mean is, it is very difficult to do away with such practices, especially when those who practi ...
read full comment
Ha,in the 21st century and we're still hanging on to oudated customs?Do we still wonder why Ghana is not developing? Progress requires that society be pretty open minded and this primordial mindset is NOT it.
U are so right my brother.Gh will be a better place if we throw out all these stupid Amamere and shit.
If Chenua Achebe were Ghanaian, he couldn't have written 'THINGS FALL APART" because he wouldn't have had the traditional knowledge and the wisdom to portray the life of traditional Africa.
Today, the only book most Ghanaian ...
read full comment
and you ? you have to take permission from your wife to put on the last jeans available. the article had nothing to do with auntie, per se, the journalist was not smart enough. it does not worth all these. our woman per int s ...
read full comment
You are all wrong.There is nothing wrong about any of the customs mentioned.Relationship between you and your wife is not for public consumption.Whatever you put on before sleeping with your wife and how you put it on has no ...
read full comment
Sanctifier God bless u for that.
Some also do this however most of them go for another woman.
Grief is a fact of life, and women don't usually drink their grief away.
Let us not blame the men for this. Ask yourself who enforces these bad practices? Yes, WOMEN.Let us educate the women not to enforce this practice. Simple. Queen mothers, what are they there for? STOP THIS PRACTICE. SIMPLE. W ...
read full comment
It is the women folk who are holding on to these outdated traditions,especially the queen mothers who are illiterate or semi literate.You the literate ones should educate them.
Nii as much as I admire your write-ups most of the time, it seems your stay outside has really blindfolded you so much so that you see everything wrong about anything we Ghanaian s do as our culture.
But let me throw some li ...
read full comment
Ghana:
Please reread what you wrote and tell me if this is not condescending to a grown woman. I am blinded? Haba Agya Ghana! To prevent a grown woman from causing harm to herself? Do grown men cause harm to themselves? Do ...
read full comment
With all what we have today to know the pregnancy of a woman and who is responsible it is time to really set the women,our women free from those obnoxious harmful cultural and customary and traditional practices that help non ...
read full comment
Bravo! You made my day! We can only change one at a time! Stay blessed my brother!
You asked for the reasons why these traditions happen.
That's the reason why I elucidated reasons why traditions of this nature was used by our forefathers.
So do you doubt it that, some people are capable of committing sui ...
read full comment
Do men need protection from themselves when their wives die? If not, why do we have these rituals for women? Isn't the guy giving reasons trying to say that somehow women need extra care and atention when they are bereaved? W ...
read full comment
Our womenfolks are obliged to live in absurdity,and some are even happy and contended with that,they are their own victims.
Yet a better exposition of the subject.
Your explanation sounds very plausible. Mourning one's husband is a difficult time especially in the Third World. That is when Unity in the community is displayed. I remember when i ar ...
read full comment
Illtreatments of women indeed by the male's world sujecting women into slavery law of the jungle where only the fittest survive.African men are uncaring and inconsiderates when it comes to the well being and welfaring of our ...
read full comment
I appreciate our cukture and traditions. They define who we are but I don't think they are sacrosanct.They may have suited the times and I'm sure they were well intentioned too. The times and setting are very different today. ...
read full comment
Little Patrick asked his Father for a new bike for his birthday. His dad said we would get you one but our mortgage is $85,000 and your Mom has lost her job. The next day Patrick walked out with his suitcase packed... His Dad ...
read full comment
It is an akan tradition.
I MAY NOT KNOW WHERE ABOUT ARE YOU FROM GHANA,BUT IT IS A GENERAL GHANAIAN TRADITION AND NOT AKAN.BE CANDID.I AM NOT AKAN MY MOTHER WENT TRUE THIS STUPIDITY ON MY FATHER'S DEATH.I AM EXEMPTING MY WIFE FROM THIS MADNESS ON MY ...
read full comment