COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course is a L200 course designed to assist students to have a critical analysis of their culture with that of other cultures in the Ghanaian traditional cultures. How each Ghanaian culture could help in unifying and developing a Ghanain people for peaceful coexistence is prioritized by the course. The Ghanaian cultural integration and heritage, the Ghanain identity, responsibility, and roles are what this course intends to expose learners to.  This will help them to be abreast with the varied cultural practices of the Ghanaian society. It will also help them to be in the known of the effects of modernization on the Ghanaian culture and the need to study our culture for its preservation. 

Course Objectives

The objectives of the course are to:

1.       Help students critically compare their culture with that of other cultures in the Ghanaian society.

2.       Assist students to discuss the conflict between tradition and modernity

3.       Help students identify ways our traditional cultures can be preserved for prosperity

4.       To awaken the zeal to love and appreciate themselves, their culture and other cultures

5.       Develop the interest for local culture and its components as their highest values to be cherished.

6.       Enable the student to explore and understand the relevance of every component of culture and the need for modification and conservation of given cultural practices.

7.       Help students critically compare their culture with that of other cultures in the Ghanaian society.

8.       Help students identify how modernity is restructuring our traditional culture.

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Course content

This course introduces students to the major cultures of Ghana, particularly, those of the 15 officially recognized ethnic/language groups. Students are to compare their culture with that of other cultures being studied. The issue of modernity and tradition and how to preserve our traditional culture in the face of globalization covered. Areas to concentrate include;

1.       The concept culture

·         Components of culture

·         Characteristics of culture

·         Kinds of culture

2.       The concept of Family and individual in other cultures

·         The family, individual and responsibility

3.       Believe and practices of the life-cycle and rite of passage in amongst cultures

greetings and responses 

·         Birth

·         Puberty rites

·         Marriage

·         Death

·         Inheritance

·         Life after death

4.       Comparism of norms and values in the various cultures. The mark and believes about accidents and miracles in life.

5.       Chieftaincy

6.       Kinship terms

7.       Taboos, norms, rewards, and punishment

8.       Tradition and modernity

9.       Preservation of culture

Morals and morality