Ga people
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The Ga-Dangbe, Gã-Daŋbɛ, Ga-Dangme, or GaDangme are an
ethnic group An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...
in
Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and Tog ...
,
Togo Togo (), officially the Togolese Republic (french: République togolaise), is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where its c ...
and
Benin Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the nort ...
. The Ga and Dangbe people are grouped respectively as part of the Ga–Dangme
ethnolinguistic Ethnolinguistics (sometimes called cultural linguistics) is an area of anthropological linguistics that studies the relationship between a language and the nonlinguistic cultural behavior of the people who speak that language. __NOTOC__ Examples ...
group. The Ga-Dangmes are one ethnic group that lives primarily in the
Greater Accra The Greater Accra Region has the smallest area of Ghana's 16 administrative regions, occupying a total land surface of 3,245 square kilometres. This is 1.4 per cent of the total land area of Ghana. It is the second most populated region, befor ...
of Ghana. Ethnic Ga family names (surnames) include Nikoi, Amon, Kotey, Kotie, Adei, Kutorkor, Oblitey, Lartey, Nortey, Aryee, Poku and Lamptey. The following are names derived from the ethnic Dangme and common among the Ningos Nartey, Tetteh, Kwei, Kweinor, Kwetey, Narteh, Narh, Dugbatey, Teye, Martey, Addo, Siaw, Saki, Amanor, Djangba. These are aligned to the ethnic Ga as well: Lomotey, Tetteh, Ankrah, Tetteyfio, Laryea, Ayitey, Okai, Bortey, Quaye, Quaynor, Ashong, Kotei, Sowah, Odoi, Ablor, Adjetey, Dodoo, Darku and Quartey. (Dawhenya royal family name: Darpoh) Under their great leader King Ayi Kushi (Cush) (1483-1519) they were led from the east in several states before reaching their destination in Accra. Oral traditions state the Ga came from the region of
Lake Chad Lake Chad (french: Lac Tchad) is a historically large, shallow, endorheic lake in Central Africa, which has varied in size over the centuries. According to the ''Global Resource Information Database'' of the United Nations Environment Programme ...
and reached their destination in the 16th century. It is also believed that by the 17th century they traveled down the
River Niger The Niger River ( ; ) is the main river of West Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in south-eastern Guinea near the Sierra Leone border. It runs in a crescent shape through Mali, ...
and crossed the Volta to reach present day Ghana. This leader is the Moses of the Ga-Dangme people, with his seven puritan laws he gave them and that has formed the basis and philosophy of the state, making the state a friendly state recognised by all in respect to making Greater Accra Region the capital of the, then, Gold Coast in 1877. The Ga people were organized into six independent towns (
Accra Accra (; tw, Nkran; dag, Ankara; gaa, Ga or ''Gaga'') is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , ...
( Ga Mashie), Osu, La,
Teshie Teshie is a coastal town in the Ledzokuku Municipal District, a district in the Greater Accra Region of southeastern Ghana. Teshie is the ninth most populous settlement in Ghana, with a population of 171,875 people. Politics Teshie is in th ...
,
Nungua Nungua is a town in Krowor Municipal District in the Greater Accra Region of southeastern Ghana near the coast.Tema Tema is a city on the Bight of Benin and Atlantic coast of Ghana. It is located east of the capital city; Accra, in the region of Greater Accra, and is the capital of the Tema Metropolitan District. As of 2013, Tema is the eleventh most populo ...
). Each town had a stool, which served as the central object of Ga ritual and war magic. Accra became the most prominent Ga-Dangme towns and is now the heartbeat and capital of Ghana.Ga , people
. Britannica.com. Retrieved on 19 December 2015.
The Ga people were originally farmers, but today fishing and trading in imported goods are the principal occupations. Trading is generally in the hands of women, and a husband has no control over his wife's money. Succession to most offices held by women and inheritance of women's property are by matrilineal descent. Inheritance of other property and succession to male-held public offices are by patrilineal descent. Men of the lineage live together in a men's compound, while women, even after marriage, live with their mothers and children in a women's compound. Each Ga town has a number of different cults and many gods, and there are a number of annual town festivals. The Dangme people occupy the coastal area of Ghana from Kpone to Ada, on the Volta River and South Atlantic Ocean along the Gulf of Guinea and inland along the Volta River. The Dangme People include the Ada, Kpone, Krobo, Ningo, Osudoku, Prampram, and Shai, all speaking Dangbe of the Kwa branch of the Niger-Congo family of languages.Adangme , people
. Britannica.com. Retrieved on 19 December 2015.
The Dangme People have the largest Population among the two related Ga-Dangme People. About 70% of the Greater Accra Regional Land is owned by the Dangmes located in Dangme East and Dangme West Districts of Ghana. Also, in the Eastern Region and Volta Region of Ghana, about 15% of lands belong to the Dangme People. These are mainly in the Manya Krobo and Yilo Krobo Districts of the Eastern Region. In the Agotime Area of Volta Region and the Dangme Area in the Southern part of Togo. Dangme occupations are fishing, trading and farming which is based on the Huza system. This was an early and innovative form of capitalism where an elaborate system of property ownership was established and subsequently shared. In this system a huge tract of land is acquired by a group of people but represented by a prominent member of the group, the group were usually members of an extended family; the land is subdivided among them according to the amount each has paid, and each individual thereafter has complete control of his own section. Negotiations with the seller are carried out by an elected Huzatse (“father of the Huza”), who later acts as the Huza leader and representative. Millet was formerly the staple food, but more common crops now include cassava, yams, corn (maize), plantain, cocoa, and palm oil. Lineage members generally return to the traditional lineage home from the Huza farms several times a year to participate in the festivals of their lineage gods. There are also many annual festivals. The Ga-Dangme are organized into clans based on patrilineal descent; the clans are subdivided into localized patrilineages, the basic units of the Ga-Dangme historical, political, cultural tribal group. The Ga -Dangme Hebrew Israelites Ancestry DNA shows they are descendants of the Ga tribe from Accra Ghana. The Guan people of Ghana are believed to have migrated to their present-day land around 1000 years ago. Throughout the culture and history of the Ga-Dangmes of Ghana, is a very strong conclusive evidence that they are direct descendants of the Hebrew Israelites that migrated to West Africa by way of Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan, Lake Chad, Ile-Ife, Dahome, Togo and to the Gold Coast (modern Ghana). Their cultural practices, laws and customs and even, some of their names are so identical to those described in the Holy Bible. Thus, the only logical conclusion to make is that they are, as they claim descendants of Biblical Hebrew Israelites. Considering the Holy Bible, we find names of GaDangmes, their customs and tradtions, such as the Homowo Festival (see, Exodus 11:4-7; Exodus 12:1-50; Exodus 13:1-9; Numbers 9:1-5), names of some of their towns and villages (such as Tema (Job 6:19, Isaiah 21:14), Ada, Hebron, La, Osu, etc); GaDangme proverbs and laws (similar to the Ten Commandments, Exodus 20: 1-17) etc., are so identical to those in the Bible, and along with their oral history, the only logical conclusion one may make is that the GaDangmes are, as they claim descendants of Biblical Hebrews Israelites. Oral history had it that Ga-Dangmes people migrated from Israel about 6th Century B.C through Egypt, then to Ethiopia, having been expelled or exiled by the Assyrians .. In Ethiopia, they settled in the Gonder Province in northern Ethiopia, where the Blue Nile originates. That is where the name NAI WULOMO, meaning, HIGH PRIEST OF THE NILE comes from. In 640 B.C, the Assyrians attacked the Ga-Dangmes again while they were in Ethiopia. From Ethiopia, they travelled through Southern Sudan and settled for a period of time at Sameh in Niger and then to ife in Nigeria. They migrated again in 1100 A.D and settled at Dahome and later, travelled to Huatsi in Togo where they stayed briefly. Though the birth of the full name “Ga-adangbe”, occurred shortly before the British colonization of the present Ghana, the individual sub-nations of the Ga-adangbe nation existed before the British nation and Europe in general. group.

Language

Linguistically, the Ga-Dangbe speak the
Kwa languages The Kwa languages, often specified as New Kwa, are a proposed but as-yet-undemonstrated family of languages spoken in the south-eastern part of Ivory Coast, across southern Ghana, and in central Togo. The name was introduced 1895 by Gottlob ...
Ga and Dangme and are a patrilineal people. Dangme is exclusively closer to the original Ga–Dangme languages than the Ga language.


Arts and culture

The Ga people celebrate the
Homowo Homowo is a harvest festival celebrated by the Ga people of Ghana in the Greater Accra Region. The festival starts in the month of August with the planting of crops (mainly maize and yam) before the rainy season starts. During the festival, ...
festival, which literally means "hooting at hunger". This festival originated several centuries ago. It is celebrated in remembrance of a great famine that hit the Ga people during their journey from Israel through Egypt, Chad, Nigeria, Benin and Togo in the sixteenth century. It is mainly a food festival which celebrates the passing of that terrible period in the history of the Ga people. It takes place in August every year and is celebrated by all the Ga clans. The Dangbe people from Ada celebrate the
Asafotu {{Unreferenced, date=June 2019, bot=noref (GreenC bot) Asafotu Festival is celebrated by the Ga-Adangbe people of Ghana and Togo. The Ada/Dangbe East people celebrate Asafotu which is also called 'Asafotufiam', an annual warrior's festival celebra ...
festival, which is also called 'Asafotufiam', an annual warrior's festival celebrated by Ada people from the last Thursday of July to the first weekend of August. It commemorates the victories of the warriors in battle and is a memorial for those who fell on the battlefield. To re-enact these historic events, the warriors dress in traditional battle dress and stage a mock battle. This is also a time for male
rites of passage A rite of passage is a ceremony or ritual of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves a significant change of status in society. In cultural anthropology the term is the Anglicisation of ''rite ...
, when young men are introduced to warfare. The festival also coincides with the harvest cycle, when these special customs and ceremonies are performed. These include purification ceremonies. The celebration reaches its climax with a durbar of chiefs, a colourful procession of the Chiefs in palanquins with their retinue. They are accompanied by traditional military groups called '
Asafo Asafo are traditional warrior groups in Akan culture, based on lineal descent. The word derives from , meaning war, and , meaning people. The traditional role of the Asafo companies was defence of the state. As the result of contact with Europea ...
Companies' amidst drumming, singing and dancing through the streets and on the durbar grounds. At the durbar, greetings are exchanged between the chiefs,
libations A libation is a ritual pouring of a liquid, or grains such as rice, as an offering to a deity or spirit, or in memory of the dead. It was common in many religions of antiquity and continues to be offered in cultures today. Various subst ...
are poured and declarations of allegiance are made. The Dangbe people from Odumase - Krobo also Celebrate the ''Ngmayemfestival, An Annual Harvest festival to Celebrate the bounty harvest of their farmers is celebrated by the Krobo people throughout the last week (Seven days) of October with a visit to their famous Ancestral home, the Krobo Mountains ''Kloyomon the last Friday of October with a climax on the Saturday with a grand Durbar of Chiefs and People of the Krobo Traditional Area. the ''Konorwho is the Paramount Chief sits in state as the overlord together with his sub-chiefs, Government officials, other traditional Authorities and Invited guests.


Music and sports

The Ga-Dangbe music includes drumming and dancing. One of their traditional music and dance styles (albeit a fairly modern one) is ''
kpanlogo ''Kpanlogo'' is a recreational dance and music form originating from the 1960s among urban youth in Accra, Ghana. Origin It was first played by the Ga ethnic group, most of whom live in and around the capital city, Accra, but is now performed an ...
'', a modernized traditional dance and music form developed around 1960. Yacub Addy, Obo Addy, and
Mustapha Tettey Addy Mustapha Tettey Addy (born 1942 in Avenor, Accra, Ghana) is a Ghanaian master drummer and ethnomusicologist. Addy is the founder of The Obonu Drummers, which performs creative drumming composed by Addy that is based upon the royal Obonu drummin ...
are Ga drummers who have achieved international fame. Music of the Ga-Dangbe people also include ''Klama ''Kpatsaand the Dipo dance all of the Krobo people. In addition to music, the Ga-Dangbe people are known for their long history and successes in the sport of
boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...
. The fishing community of Bukom on the outskirts of
Accra Accra (; tw, Nkran; dag, Ankara; gaa, Ga or ''Gaga'') is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , ...
, is considered as the mecca of boxing in Ghana and has produced several notable boxers. It is the home of many famous boxing "clubs" and gymnasiums. Notable fighters include former WBC champion,
David Kotei David Kotey (originating from the Kotei family; born 7 December 1950), popularly called "D.K. Poison", is a former world featherweight boxing champion between 1975 and 1976. He is the first Ghanaian professional boxer to win a world title. Am ...
aka DK Poison,
Alfred Kotey Alfred Kotey (3 June 1968 – 30 June 2020) was a Ghanaian professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2012. He held the WBO bantamweight title from 1994 to 1995 and at regional level the Commonwealth flyweight title from 1989 to 1990. As an am ...
, Joshua "The Hitter" Clottey, and former WBA Welterweight champion boxer Ike "Bazooka" Quartey, and former multi-weight class champion Azumah "Zoom Zoom" Nelson aka Prof.


Rites of passage

For the Shai and Krobo people, the Dipo is the formal rite of passage. Originally designed as a formal marriage training for mature women in their twenties, Dipo has evolved into a pre-marital sexual purification rite that involves teenage girls conducting traditional religious rituals and putting on dance performances for the public. Initiates are partially nude throughout much of the ritual. In addition, they are each adorned with custom-made glass beads, colorful
loincloth A loincloth is a one-piece garment, either wrapped around itself or kept in place by a belt. It covers the genitals and, at least partially, the buttocks. Loincloths which are held up by belts or strings are specifically known as breechcloth or ...
s, and various forms of woven headgear. According researcher and author Priscilla Akua Boakye, " ipowas a form of vocational training for young women in which they were taught generally how to assume their roles as responsible women." Despite the ritual being designated for older teenaged girls, it is not uncommon for young pre-adolescent and even toddler aged girls to take part.


Funerals and "fantasy" coffins

The Ga people are known for their
funeral A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect ...
celebrations and processions. The Ga believe that when someone dies, they move to another life. Therefore, special coffins are often crafted by highly skilled carpenters since this tradition spread in the 1950s. The pioneers of these artistic coffins were master craftsmen, such as
Ataa Oko Ataa Oko and his third wife, with a coffin in the form of a battleship, about 1960 Ataa Oko Addo (c. 1919 – 9 December 2012) was a Ghanaian builder of figurative palanquins and figurative coffins, and at over 80 years of age he became a painte ...
(1919-2012) from La, and Seth Kane Kwei (1925-1992) from Teshie. The coffins can be anything wanted by relatives of the deceased from a pencil to an
elephant Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantida ...
. Coffins are usually crafted to reflect an essence of the deceased in forms such as a
character trait In psychology, trait theory (also called dispositional theory) is an approach to the study of human personality. Trait theorists are primarily interested in the measurement of ''traits'', which can be defined as habitual patterns of behaviour, ...
, an occupation, or a symbol of one's standing in the community.National Museum of Funeral History
. Retrieved 20 September 2007
For example, a
taxicab A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choi ...
driver is most likely to be buried in a coffin shaped as a car. Many families spend excessive amounts on coffins because they often feel that they have to pay their last respects to the deceased and being buried in a coffin of cultural, symbolic as well as expensive taste is seen as fitting. Prices of coffins can vary depending on what is being ordered. It is not unusual for a single coffin to cost $600. This is expensive for local families considering that it is not unusual to meet people with an income of only $50 a month. This means that funerals are often paid for by wealthier members of the family, if such a member exists, with smaller contributions coming from other working members of the family. This is needed as the coffin is only a portion of the total funeral cost that will be incurred. Some foreigners are known to have been buried in Ga-styled coffins.Fair trade arts and crafts direct from African artisans
. Retrieved 20 September 2007
The use of these fantasy coffins is explained by the religious beliefs of the Ga people regarding their afterlife. They believe that death is not the end and that life continues in the next world in the same way it did on earth. Ancestors are also thought to be much more powerful than the living and able to influence their relatives who are still living (lucky as they are). This is why families do everything they can to ensure that a dead person is sympathetic towards them as early as possible. The social status of the deceased depends primarily on the size and the success of the burial service and of course the usage of an exclusive coffin. These coffins are only seen on the day of the burials when they are buried with the deceased. They often symbolise the dead people's professions, the purpose being to help them continue with their earthly profession in the
afterlife The afterlife (also referred to as life after death) is a purported existence in which the essential part of an individual's identity or their stream of consciousness continues to live after the death of their physical body. The surviving es ...
. Certain shapes, such as a sword or chair coffin, represent royal or priestly insignia with a magical and religious function. Only people with the appropriate status are allowed to be buried in these types of coffins. Various creatures, such as lions, cockerels and crabs represent clan
totem A totem (from oj, ᑑᑌᒼ, italics=no or '' doodem'') is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe, such as in the Anishinaabe clan system. While ''the ...
s. Similarly, only the heads of the families concerned are permitted to be buried in coffins such as these. Many coffin shapes also evoke proverbs, which are interpreted in different ways by the Ga. Design coffins have been used since around the 1950s, especially in rural Ga groups with traditional beliefs, and have now become an integral part of Ga burial culture. Today, figural coffins are made in several workshops in Togo and Greater Accra. Popular coffinmakers are, for example, Cedi and Eric Adjetey Anang of
Kane Kwei Carpentry Workshop The Kane Kwei Carpentry Workshop is a studio established in Teshie, Ghana, since the 1950s. It is known for its design coffins that became symbolic of African artistic creativity. It featured the talents of several artists who would go on to gain ...
, Paa Joe, Daniel Mensah and Kudjoe Affutu. Most of the figural coffins are used for funerals, only a few are exported for international art exhibitions.


Notable Ga-Adangbe people

*
Ebenezer Ako-Adjei Dr. Ebenezer Ako Adjei (17 June 1916 – 14 January 2002) was a Ghanaian statesman, politician, lawyer and journalist. He was a founding member of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), the first political party of Ghana (then Gold Coast). As ...
(17 June 1916 – 14 January 2002) was a lawyer and politician, who served as foreign minister and in other leading cabinet roles during the first Republic of Ghana as a member of the
Convention People's Party The Convention People's Party (CPP) is a socialist political party in Ghana based on the ideas of the first President of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah. The CPP was formed in June 1949 after Nkrumah broke away from the United Gold Coast Convention (UG ...
. He was a founding member of the
United Gold Coast Convention The United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) was a political party founded in 1947 whose aim was to bring about Ghanaian independence from their British colonial masters after the Second World War. The United Gold Coast Convention appointed its leade ...
and is one of the " Big Six", who were arguably the most famous people in Ghana's fight for independence from British rule. *
Tetteh Quarshie Tetteh Quarshie (1842 – 25 December 1892) was a pre-independence Ghanaian agriculturalist and the person directly responsible for the introduction of cocoa crops to Ghana, which today constitute one of the major export crops of the Ghanaian econ ...
(1842 – 25 December 1892) was a pre-independence agriculturalist and the person directly responsible for the introduction of cocoa crops to Ghana, which today constitute one of the major export crops of the Ghanaian economy. *
Carl Christian Reindorf Carl Christian Reindorf (31 May 1834 – 1 July 1917) was a Euro-African-born pioneer historian, teacher, farmer, trader, physician and pastor who worked with the Basel Mission on the Gold Coast. He wrote '' The History of the Gold Coast and ...
(31 May 1834 – 1 July 1917) was a Euro-African-born pioneer historian, teacher, farmer, trader, physician and pastor who worked with the Basel Mission on the Gold Coast. He wrote ''
The History of the Gold Coast and Asante ''The History of Gold Coast and Asante'' is a preserved work of oral tradition by Carl Christian Reindorf (1834–1917) and considered a pioneering work and a "historical classic" and entirely written in English and Ga language. He completed his ...
'' in the Ga language, considered a pioneering work and a "historical classic". The work was later translated into English and published in 1895 in
Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
. He used written sources and oral tradition, interviewing more than 200 people in the course of assembling his history. * Nii Tackie Tawiah III (6 October 1940 – December 2012) was the monarch of the Ga State from 2006 to 2012. * John William Hansen (23 February 1927 – 7 April 2012), popularly known as Jerry Hansen, was a highlife musician. He was a singer, a composer, an arranger, a saxophonist and a pioneer of highlife music. He was the bandleader and founder of the Ramblers International Band. He was a founding member and the first president of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) *Lieutenant General Joseph Arthur Ankrah (18 August 1915 – 25 November 1992) served as the first commander of the
Ghana Armed Forces The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) is the unified armed force of Ghana, consisting of the Army (GA), Navy (GN), and Ghana Air Force. The Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces is the president of Ghana, who is also the supreme military comman ...
, the Chief of the Defence Staff of Ghana and from 1966 and 1969 as the second
President of Ghana The president of the Republic of Ghana is the elected head of state and head of government of Ghana, as well as commander-in-chief of the Ghana Armed Forces. The current president of Ghana is Nana Akufo-Addo, who won the 2020 presidential ...
. Ankrah also served as Chairperson of the
Organisation of African Unity The Organisation of African Unity (OAU; french: Organisation de l'unité africaine, OUA) was an intergovernmental organization established on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with 32 signatory governments. One of the main heads for OAU's ...
from 24 February to 5 November 1966. *
Mustapha Tettey Addy Mustapha Tettey Addy (born 1942 in Avenor, Accra, Ghana) is a Ghanaian master drummer and ethnomusicologist. Addy is the founder of The Obonu Drummers, which performs creative drumming composed by Addy that is based upon the royal Obonu drummin ...
, traditional drummer & composer (b. 1942) * Nii Narku Quaynor is a scientist and engineer who has played an important role in the introduction and development of the
Internet The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, p ...
throughout Africa. * Raphael Nii Amaa Ollennu, JSC, FGA (21 May 1906 – 22 December 1986) was a jurist and judge who became a Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana, the acting President of Ghana during the Second Republic from 7 August 1970 to 31 August 1970 and the Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana from 1969 to 1972. * Obo Addy, traditional and contemporary drummer, composer and educator; NEA National Heritage Fellow 1996 U.S.A. (1936-2012) * Yacub Addy, traditional drummer, composer, choreographer and educator: NEA National Heritage Fellow 2010 U.S.A.; collaborated with
Wynton Marsalis Wynton Learson Marsalis (born October 18, 1961) is an American trumpeter, composer, teacher, and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has promoted classical and jazz music, often to young audiences. Marsalis has won nine Grammy Award ...
(1931-2014) * Christian Tsui Hesse, popularly known as Chris Hesse (born 29 August 1932) is a cinematographer, filmmaker, film administrator, photographer and Presbyterian minister who is known for his cinematography in several films such as Love Brewed in the African Pot (1980) and Heritage Africa (1989). He was the personal photographer of Ghana's first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah. Chris Hesse helped to document the visual history of the political leadership and development of the country. He also worked for the United Nations, serving as a photographer, documenting the Congo crisis in 1960. * Atukwei John Okai (15 March 1941 – 13 July 2018) was a poet, cultural activist, and an academic. He was Secretary-General of the Pan African Writers' Association, and a President of the Ghana Association of Writers. His early work was published under the name John Okai. With his poems rooted in the oral tradition, he is generally acknowledged to have been the first real performance poet to emerge from Africa, and his work has been called "also politically radical and socially conscious, one of his great concerns being Pan-Africanism". His performances on radio and television worldwide include an acclaimed 1975 appearance at Poetry International at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, where he shared the stage with US poets Stanley Kunitz and Robert Lowell, and Nicolás Guillén of Cuba. *Justice Jacob Hackenburg Griffiths-Randolph (6 September 1914 – 25 July 1986) was a judge and also the Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana during the Third Republic. In 1959, during the First Republic of Ghana, President Kwame Nkrumah appointed him as Commissioner of Income Tax, the first African to hold that position. In 1966, he was appointed a Superior Court judge by the new government and served in Bolgatanga, Cape Coast, Tamale and finally Accra, where he was until he retired from the Bench in 1979. In September 1979, the 3rd Republic was born, and he was unanimously selected to be Speaker of Parliament. He served as Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana from 24 September 1979 – 31 December 1981 *
Ernestina Naadu Mills Ernestina Naadu Mills (née Botchway) is a Ghanaian educator and former First Lady of Ghana. She was the wife of former Ghanaian president John Atta Mills (21 July 1944 – 24 July 2012), and is the recipient of a Humanitarian award from the He ...
(née Botchway) is an educator and a First Lady of Ghana. She was the wife of President
John Atta Mills John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills (21 July 1944 – 24 July 2012) was a Ghanaian politician and legal scholar who served as President of Ghana from 2009 until his death in 2012. He was inaugurated on 7 January 2009, having defeated the governing party ...
(21 July 1944 – 24 July 2012) and is the recipient of a humanitarian award from the Health Legend Foundation. *
Rebecca Akufo-Addo Rebecca Naa Okaikor Akufo-Addo (née Griffiths-Randolph; born 1951) is a Ghanaian public figure and the current First Lady of Ghana as the wife of President Nana Akufo-Addo, 5th President of the 4th Republic of Ghana. Rebecca Akufo-Addo is the d ...
(née Griffiths-Randolph) is a public figure and a First Lady of Ghana. She is the wife of President
Nana Akufo-Addo Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo ( ; born 29 March 1944) is a Ghanaian politician who has served as the president of Ghana since 7 January 2017. In 2020, he was re-elected for his second term, which will end on 6 January 2025. Akufo-Addo previously ...
. *
Ayi Kwei Armah Ayi Kwei Armah (born 28 October 1939) is a Ghanaian writer best known for his novels including '' The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born'' (1968), '' Two Thousand Seasons'' (1973) and '' The Healers'' (1978). He is also an essayist, as well as havi ...
, writer (b. 1939) *
Nii Ayikwei Parkes Nii Ayikwei Parkes (; born 1 April 1974), born in the United Kingdom to parents from Ghana, where he was raised, is a performance poet, writer, publisher and sociocultural commentator. He is one of 39 writers aged under 40 from sub-Saharan Afric ...
(born 1 April 1974), is a performance poet, writer, publisher, and sociocultural commentator. He is one of 39 writers aged under 40 from sub-Saharan Africa who in April 2014 were named as part of the Hay Festival's prestigious Africa39 project * Emmanuel Tettey Mensah aka E. T. Mensah, musician (1919-1996) who was regarded as the "King of Highlife" music. He led the band "The Tempos", a group that toured widely in West Africa *Warren Gamaliel Kpakpo Akwei, also known as
Guy Warren Guy Warren of Ghana, also known as Kofi Ghanaba (4 May 1923 – 22 December 2008), was a Ghanaian musician, best known as the inventor of Afro-jazz — "the reuniting of African-American jazz with its African roots" — and as a member of The T ...
or Kofi Ghanaba (4 May 1923 – 22 December 2008) was a musician, best known as the inventor of Afro-jazz — "the reuniting of African-American jazz with its African roots" — and as a member of The Tempos, alongside E. T. Mensah. He also inspired musicians such as Fela Kuti. Warren's virtuosity on the African drums earned him the appellation "The Divine Drummer". At different stages of his life, he also worked as a journalist, DJ and broadcaster. *John William Hansen, a singer, a composer, an arranger, a saxophonist, and a pioneer of highlife music. He was the founder of Ramblers International Band *
King Bruce King Bruce (3 June 1922 – 12 September 1997) was a Ghanaian composer, band leader and musician. Background Composer, arranger, band leader and multi-instrumentalist made his mark on Ghana's dance band highlife tradition in a variety of ways. B ...
, (3 June 1922 – 12 September 1997), a composer, band leader, musician, arranger, band leader, and multi-instrumentalist who made his mark on Ghana's dance band highlife tradition in a variety of ways. *
Saka Acquaye Saka Acquaye (2 November 1923 – 27 February 2007)Nii Addokwei Moffatt ''Daily Graphic'', via Modern Ghana, 8 March 2007. was a Ghanaian musician, playwright, sculptor and textile designer. Early life Saka Acquaye was born in Accra, Gold Coas ...
(2 November 1923 – 27 February 2007), a musician, playwright, sculptor and textile designer. He founded the African Ensemble while in the US and as its leader, recorded an album under the ELEKTRA label. He was a member of Ramblers International Band *
Grace Nortey Grace Nortey (born 1 February 1937) is a Ghanaian actress who has played several lead roles on Ghanaian television. She has been active in the film, theatre and drama industry for over five decades and is considered as one of the ace actresses ...
is an actress who played multi-character lead roles on Ghanaian television in the 1990s. * Mac Jordan Amartey (1936–2018) was a popular actor. * Emmanuel Armah (born 22 April 1968) is a retired football defender. He played for Hearts of Oak in Ghana, except for the 1994–95 season at Sportul Studențesc București in Romania. He represented Ghana at the
1992 Africa Cup of Nations The 1992 African Cup of Nations was the 18th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the football championship of Africa ( CAF). It was hosted by Senegal. The field expanded to twelve teams, split into four groups of three; the top two teams in e ...
. *
Augustine Abbey Augustine Abbey, also known as Idikoko, is a Ghanaian actor and movie maker known for comedy. His is also known for his main roles as a house boy or gate man. He has produced and starred in a BBC documentary and also directed and produced a fi ...
, also known as Idikoko, is an actor and movie maker known for comedy. He is also known for his main roles as a house boy or gate man. He has produced and starred in a BBC documentary and also directed and produced a film on HIV and AIDS in partnership with UNESCO and Esi Sutherland-Addy's MMOFRA Foundation. * Theresa Amerley Tagoe, Minister of Parliament (1943-2010) * Azumah "The Professor" Nelson, boxer (b. 1958) * Neville Alexander Odartey-Wellington, army commander * Nii Amaa Ollennu, former Interim President of Ghana (1906-1986) * Ike "Bazooka" Quartey, boxer (b. 1969) *
Ben Tackie Benjamin Tackie (born 23 July 1973) is a Ghanaian professional boxer and world title challenger. He is known for his excellent chin and ability to throw a high volume of punches. All but one of his losses have come via decision. Professional ...
, boxer (b. 1973) *Justice
Daniel Francis Annan Justice Daniel Francis Kweipe Annan (November 7, 1928 – July 16, 2006) was Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana from 1993 to 2001. He was a member of the Provisional National Defence Council government which governed Ghana prior the fourth repub ...
, first Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana in the Fourth Republic. (b. 1928) * George Commey Mills-Odoi, first Ghanaian
Attorney General of Ghana The Attorney General of Ghana is the chief legal advisor to the Ghanaian government. The attorney general is also responsible for the Ministry of Justice. The Attorney General also serves as a member of the General Legal Council which regulates l ...
; Justice of Supreme Court of Ghana (1962-1966) *Justice E.N.P. Sowah, Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Ghana (1986-1990) * Ebenezer Akuete, former diplomat *
Joshua Clottey Joshua Clottey (born October 6, 1977) is a Ghanaian former professional boxer who competed from 1995 to 2019, and held the IBF welterweight title from 2008 to 2009. As an amateur, he competed at the 1994 Commonwealth Games. At the peak of his car ...
, boxer, Former IBF Welterweight Champion. *
Richard Commey Richard Oblitey Commey (born 10 March 1987) is a Ghanaian professional boxer who held the IBF lightweight title in 2019. He previously held multiple regional lightweight titles including; the Ghanaian title in 2011; the ABU title in 2013; and th ...
, boxer, International Boxing Federation (IBF) Lightweight World Champion * Frank Gibbs Torto, chemist * Daniel McKorley, the founder and chief executive officer of McDan Group of Companies * Lesley Naa Norle Lokko is a Ghanaian-Scottish architect, academic, and novelist. She says: "I live almost simultaneously in Johannesburg, London, Accra and Edinburgh. *
Adjetey Anang Adjetey Anang (born 8 July 1973) is a Ghanaian actor, popularly known as "Pusher", which was his screen name in the television series '' Things We Do for Love''. He has featured in many Ghanaian movies, including '' Deadly Voyage'', ''A Sting in ...
, actor, popularly known as "Pusher", which was his screen name in the television series 'Things We Do for Love, and most recentry, Yolo' * Nii Addo Quaynor, better known by his stage name Tinny, a rapper * Boris Frederic Cecil Tay-Natey Ofuatey-Kodjoe (born 8 March 1973), better known as Boris Kodjoe, is an Austrian-born actor of German and Ghanaian descent known for his roles as Kelby in the 2002 film Brown Sugar, the sports-courier agent Damon Carter on the Showtime drama series ''
Soul Food Soul food is an ethnic cuisine traditionally prepared and eaten by African Americans, originating in the Southern United States.Soul Food originated with the foods that were given to enslaved Black people by their white owners on Souther ...
'' and was a recurring character on FOX's '' The Last Man on Earth''. He currently co-stars on BET's ''
Real Husbands of Hollywood ''Real Husbands of Hollywood'' (abbreviated ''RHOH'') is an American reality television parody that originally aired on BET from January 15, 2013 to December 13, 2016. A revival series produced for streaming service BET+ premiered on February ...
'' and the ''Grey's Anatomy'' spin-off, ''
Station 19 ''Station 19'' is an American action- drama television series created by Stacy McKee for ABC that premiered on March 22, 2018. It is the second spin-off of '' Grey's Anatomy'' (after '' Private Practice''). Set in Seattle, the series focuses on ...
''. * Abraham Nii Attah (born 2 July 2001). He made his feature film debut in ''
Beasts of No Nation ''Beasts of No Nation'' is a 2005 novel by the Nigerian-American author Uzodinma Iweala, that takes its title from Fela Kuti's 1989 album of the same name. The book won the 2005 Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction and was adapted as a mov ...
'' (2015). For his leading role of child soldier Agu, Attah was awarded the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor at the 72nd Venice International Film Festival. He was made an ambassador for the Free Education Policy in Ghana, after having supported the policy with a picture endorsement. In 2017, he appeared in the
Marvel Studios Marvel Studios, LLC (originally known as Marvel Films from 1993 to 1996) is an American film and television production company that is a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, a division of the Walt Disney Company. Marvel Studios produces the Ma ...
film '' Spider-Man: Homecoming''. He has joined the ensemble cast of
Shane Carruth Shane Carruth (born 1972) is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, composer, and actor. He is the writer, director, and co-star of the prize-winning science-fiction film ''Primer'' (2004), which was his debut feature. His second film, ''Upstream ...
's third film, '' The Modern Ocean''. * Joselyn Dumas, television show host and actress *Berla Addardey Mundi aka Berla Mundi, media personality, women's advocate and voice artist * Naa Ashorkor Mensah-Doku, actress, radio/TV broadcaster and public relations professional *Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jr. aka
Shatta Wale Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jr., (born 17 October 1984) is a Ghanaian reggae-dancehall artist. He is known by his stage name Shatta Wale, formerly Bandana. His best-known singles are "Dancehall King", "My level" and "We taking over" .He is also kn ...
, formerly known as Bandana, music producer and reggae-dancehall artiste * Yvonne Nelson, actress, model, film producer and entrepreneur *
Chris Attoh Chris Attoh (born Christopher Keith Nii Attoh; May 17, 1979) is a Ghanaian actor, film director, on-air personality, television presenter and producer. He is best known as "Kwame Mensah" in Nigerian soap opera '' Tinsel''. Education He attende ...
(born Christopher Keith Nii Attoh; 17 May 1974) is an actor, on-air personality, television presenter and producer. He is best known as "Kwame Mensah" in Nigerian soap opera Tinsel. *Odartei Mills Lamptey, popularly known as
Gasmilla Odartei Milla Lamptey popularly known as Gasmilla or International Fisherman, is a Ghanaian Hiplife artist. He is noted for his hit songs ''Aboodatoi'' and ''Telemo'' and creating the Azonto Dance and Genre. He is an Afro-pop singer and a songwr ...
or International Fisherman, is a
hiplife Hiplife is a Ghanaian musical style that fuses Ghanaian culture and hip hop. Recorded predominantly in the Ghanaian Akan language, hiplife is rapidly gaining popularity in the 2010s throughout West Africa and abroad, especially in the United K ...
artist. * Theophilus Tagoe (born 1 May 1982, disappeared 6 July 2014), popularly known as Castro or Castro Under Fire is a hiplife recording artist and musician. * Nii Kwate Owoo, (born 1944) is an academic and filmmaker, described by Variety as "one of the first Ghanaians to make a 35mm film". His name has also appeared in film credits as Kwate Nee-Owoo. *
Eddie Nartey Eddie Nartey (born 6 November 1984) is a Ghanaian actor, director, and film producer. His supporting role in Frank Rajah's ''Somewhere in Africa, Somewhere In Africa'' earned him a nomination at the Nollywood and African Film Critics Awardsf, and ...
, (born 6 November 1984) is an actor, director, and film producer. His supporting role in Frank Rajah's "Somewhere In Africa" earned him a nomination at the Nollywood and African Film Critics Awards (NAFCA), and Ghana movie awards. He was nominated in the best actor category for Kiss Me If You Can. *The Tagoe Sisters is the name of a musical duo consisting of twins Lydia Dedei Yawson Nee Tagoe and Elizabeth Korkoi Tagoe. They have been singing in the gospel music industry since 1983 * Nii Okai (Ernest Nii-Okai Okai, born 19 September 1977) is a contemporary gospel singer and choir leader. * Danny Nettey (19 September 1968 – 15 July 2016) was a musician and songwriter. He was best described as one of the pioneers of Contemporary Gospel music in Ghana. *
Virgil Abloh Virgil Abloh (; September 30, 1980 – November 28, 2021) was an American fashion designer and entrepreneur. He was the artistic director of Louis Vuitton's menswear collection beginning in 2018, and was given increased creative responsibilitie ...
(; born 30 September 1980) is a Ghanaian-American
fashion design Fashion design is the Art (skill), art of applying design, aesthetics, clothing construction and natural beauty to clothing and its Fashion accessory, accessories. It is influenced by culture and different trends, and has varied over time and plac ...
er, entrepreneur, artist, and DJ who has been the
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of
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's men's wear collection since March 2018. Abloh is also the CEO of
Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city ...
-based label
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, a fashion house he founded in 2013. A trained architect, Abloh, who also worked in Chicago
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, entered the world of international fashion with an internship at
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in 2009 alongside rapper
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. The two then began an artistic collaboration that would launch Abloh's career into founding Off-White. The first American of African descent to be artistic director at a French luxury fashion house, he was named by ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...
'' magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2018.


See also

*
Ga–Dangme languages Ga–Dangme is a branch of the Kwa language family. Ga–Dangme is made up of just two languages: Ga and Dangme. They are closely related and have sometimes been considered as a single language. There are many similarities in the basic vocabul ...
*
Adangme language The Dangbe language, also ''Dangbe'' or ''Adaŋgbi'', is a Kwa language spoken in south-eastern Ghana by the Dangbe People ''(Dangbeli)''. The Dangbeli are part of the larger Ga-Dangbe ethnic group. Klogbi is a variant, spoken by the Kloli ( ...
*
Ga language Ga is a Kwa language spoken in Ghana, in and around the capital Accra. There are also some speakers in Togo, Benin and Western Nigeria. It has a phonemic distinction between three vowel lengths. Classification Ga is a Kwa language, part ...
* Ga Mantse *
Homowo Homowo is a harvest festival celebrated by the Ga people of Ghana in the Greater Accra Region. The festival starts in the month of August with the planting of crops (mainly maize and yam) before the rainy season starts. During the festival, ...
* Jamestown *
List of rulers of Gã (Nkran) This is a list of Gã Mantse, rulers of the Gã State in southern Ghana. See also *Ghana *Accra * Gold Coast References {{DEFAULTSORT:Ga, Rulers Rulers A ruler, sometimes called a rule, line gauge, or scale, is a device used in g ...
* Tabom people *
Teshie Teshie is a coastal town in the Ledzokuku Municipal District, a district in the Greater Accra Region of southeastern Ghana. Teshie is the ninth most populous settlement in Ghana, with a population of 171,875 people. Politics Teshie is in th ...
* Ga-Adangbes


References


Further reading

* 2000. Parker, John, ''Making the Town. Ga State and Society in Early Colonial Accra'', Portsmouth, Heinemann. * 2010. Tschumi, Regula. ''The Deathbead of a Living Man. A Coffin for the Centre Pompidou'', in: Saâdane Afif (ed.), "Anthologie de l'humour noir", Paris: Editions Centre Pompidou, p. 56-61. * 2008. Tschumi, Regula. ''The Buried Treasures of the Ga: Coffin Art in Ghana''. Benteli, Bern. * 2004. Tschumi, Regula. ''A Report on Paa Joe and the Proverbial Coffins of Teshie and Nungua, Ghana'' in: Africa e Mediterraneo, Nr. 47–48, S. 44–47. * 1991. ''External Influences on Ga Society and Culture'', in: Institute of African Studies Research Review, NS Vol. 7, Nos. 1&2, pages 61–71. * 1940. Field, M. J., ''Social organization of the Ga people'', The Crown Agents for the Colony'', London. * 1969 (1937) Field 1969: M. ''Religion and Medicine of the Ga People'', London, New York.


External links


Ethnologue report for Ga

Pictures of different themed Ga coffinsExternal Influences on Ga Society and CultureThe Bead Culture among the Krobo of GhanaDiplomacy and Power Politics in Mid-Nineteenth Century KroboVideos on Speaking in GaYoung Boy discusses encounters with Ga-Adangbes - (Spoken in Ga).
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ga People Tribes of Africa Indigenous peoples of West Africa Ethnic groups in Ghana Ethnic groups in Togo