COURSE: ANTHROPOLOGY
DATE: 19-03-009
CHAPTER ONE
WIDOWHOOD RITE AMONG THE KROBO-ODUMASI PEOPLE
The Krobos are people of the Dangme who live in the eastern region of the southeast of Ghana. Their main occupation is farming so they occupy areas in the Accra Plains, the Akwapim Mountains, and the Afram Basin. The land of the Krobos is mainly lowland, but historically, they occupied two major mountains, Krobo Mountain and Akwapim Mountain. Krobo Mountain was initially occupied because it provided a favourable place for settlement for defense against invading enemies, for a burial ground, and it served as a symbol of unity. Later on, the mountain came to be regarded as an ancestral home, visited for an annual blessing. Akwapim Mountain is occupied only when population pressure makes it necessary to increase food production.
Cultural practices are some of the vital things countries, population and tribes use to identify themselves. Most of these customs and practices portray the cultural heritage and contribute to the dignity of these people. The Krobos have lots of cultural practices such “dipo” (a custom to initiate a teenage girl into womanhood), widowhood rite to mention but a few.
Widowhood rite is a custom that is performed on a woman upon the death of her husband. Among the Krobo people, this rite is known as “yayi fimi”. It is performed on the assumption that the death man does not end the marital relationship with his wife and so this rite is performed in order to end the relationship. This rite surprisingly still exists in many remote communities in Ghana. Though it is being performed in many parts of the country, the practice differs from society to society. As a result, this research aims at studying the widowhood rites among the Krobos – Odumasi people.
OBJECTIVES
This research aims at the following objectives in order to achieve the purpose of the study. The following are therefore the objectives for the study:
- To find out the significance of this rite
- To examine the process for performing this rite
- To find out whether there are any changes in the performance of this rite
- To examine people’s perceptions about this rite and whether it is a practice that need to be abolish or preserved
LIMITATIONS/CHALLENGES OF THE STUDY
Sample size
Selection of an appropriate sample size is vital for the success of this research but it was very difficult to get respondents to interview for my findings especially, for those who have gone through the old system of widowhood rite to share their experiences and views. And even for the focus group discussion, the number of women I expected for the discussion was eight but getting to the field four of them could not turn up for the discussion. This was a possible challenge on my research.
Language barrier
This was a problem that I faced in the course of my research because I do not understand and speak Krobo. It was very difficult for me to communicate very well to my interviewees’ so I hired an interpreter to translate the responses and interpret to my interviewees. Although I had an interpreter she sometimes over interpret or translate
CHAPTER TWO
METHODOLOGY
The method used in collecting the research data was based on primary data which was collected through interviews. The data collection method for this research was based on:
Focus group discussion: This method of research was used to interview some widows in the community. It was mainly used to enable me get firsthand information from the widows who have had an experience in the widowhood rite. The discussion was done in a group and all the women contributed to the discussion. For this reason, the result reflects on the responses of the group and not the individual.
In order to get good information for my data, the interview was based on the study to achieve my objectives using interview guide and was recorded by a secretary and tape recorder was also used. This method of research also gave me more insight into the topic of discussion.
- Sampling size - 4 women
- Marital status - all unmarried
- Sampling frame - a day
- Ages of women - 40-60
- Location - Krobo-Odumasi
Individual in-depth interview: This method was used to interview three (3) people from the community who have deeper knowledge about the widowhood rite; to share their individual experiences, views, opinions, and perceptions. An elderly woman who had experience of the old system of this rite, a pastor who minster this rite in his church in the Christian way and an elderly woman from the community were all interviewed individually on the basis of this study in order to achieve my objectives using an interview guide.
CHAPTER THREE
DATA DISCUSSION
Widowhood rite is performed on the assumption that the death man does not end the marital relationship with his wife and so this rite is performed to end the relationship. It is also belief that without this rite the deceased husband would return and have sexual contact with the wife or torment her.
“Yayi fimi” was performed on a woman immediately after the burial ceremony of her husband. After the burial, the widow was made to go through a one week ritual performance. She was kept indoors in the room that her late husband was laid during the funeral. The widow was not allowed to sleep on a bed or seat on a chair. She was made to seat and sleep on a mate on the floor. During this period, the elderly sister of her late husband and two other elderly women in the community were appointed to cater for her. She was made to eat one type of food throughout the one week period, that is, “fufu” and palmnut soup with dry fish no meat and incase there was no palmnut, palm oil was used in replaced to prepare the soup. The food was prepared and served by the elderly women appointed to cater for her. But before she eats, she was made to sprinkle some of the food on the floor, which means that she is feeding her late husband first before she consumes her food and after eating she was not allowed to wash her hands so she rubbed them on her legs.
Irrespective of the weather or age, she was bathed everyday at dawn by one of the elderly women with cold water and a plantain stem was beaten to soft like sponge to be used for her bath. Soap was not allowed to be used. After each bath she was given a white stone clay, “meere” to smear on all the parts of her body.
Again, the widow was not allowed to talk to any man during this period because it was believed that if she speaks with any man, the curse that followed her husband to die will be transfer to the man too. Thus, the man will die and her wife will become a widow as well. But if the issue she wants to talk about is very important, a stem grass was put in her mouth before she could talk. She was also made to cover herself throughout the ritual with only her late husband’s kente cloth and a pieces of the kente was torn to tire on her neck like a chain and on her waist like the beads that women wear around their waists. The widow carries this piece of kente around her waist to protect her from spiritually having sexual intercourse with her late husband because it was believed that the dead husband may return and spiritually sleep with the wife and get her pregnant. Many cases of such had happened.
At the end of the one week, the piece of kente on her waist and neck were removed and the cloth she used in covering herself was given to her to keep for the future to be used to wrap her body when she die. At this stage the widow’s hairs were shaved with blade and a piece of cloth was tired as a turban around her head and then a black scarf was used to tire her head too. In fact the widow has a special way of tiring the hair different from other woman in the community in order to identify her as widow. Before she leaves for her house, she is taken to the bush to fetch fire wood to sell. The reason was to remind her that from hence she has to work hard to fend for herself and the children if any since her husband was not in existence.
After the ritual week, the widow was made to walk bear footed to everywhere; she was not allowed to travel or go any long distance; not allowed to speak or shake hands with any man throughout the one year period and she was mandated to wear black dresses and cloths to show that she is morning her husband. All this was done for a period of one year.
In the time past, it was mandatory for a widow to participate in the widowhood rite because it is a tradition that was laid down from generation to generation. The essence of this rite was to break the spiritual relationship between the dead (husband) and his wife.
Furthermore, the research discovered that although this custom still exists among the Krobos, there have been some changes within the past years due to the advent of Christianity. Gradually, the old process of performing widowhood rite is fading away while many families adopt the Christian process. This process is more prevalent than the old approach. The process involve in performing it in the Christian way is very simple and short compared to the old system of the rite.
In the Christians manner, the widowhood rite is performed few days after the burial ceremony the widow’s husband. First, three days fasting is declared for the widow and during this three days fasting period at each day (both in the morning and evening), a pastor and some elderly women from the church go to the widow’s house to fellowship and pray with her and the family. There, she is encouraged with the word of God and water is blessed for her to use for bathing.
After the three days fasting, the widow and her family decide when to present the mourning cloth to the church to be blessed. When they do, it is blessed and declared holy to be worn. Here, the widow wears the mourning cloth for a period of six months and her movement is not restricted.
From the findings of the study, the responses from the widows interviewed revealed that widowhood rite should be abolish in the society because is a form of punishment. It also undermines the rights of women and fosters gender inequality in the society.
CHAPTER FOUR
RECOMMENDATIONS
First and foremost, the widowhood rite undermines the fundamental human rights of women because in most cases many women are forced by families and perpetuators to do it and so the government should enact policies or laws that will protect the rights of widows.
Secondly, pressure groups and opinion leaders in the community should come together to organize programs to educate the local people especially women more about their basic rights so that they will be alert to fight against any practice that will infringed on their rights.
Thirdly, this rite should be remodel. Changes must be made to fit into the present time. I therefore suggest that the traditional rulers and the people should come together to make some change and remove some practices that are inhuman in the rite. Women should also not be forced to do it.
CONCLUSION
In totality, one can say that, surely this practice really served the purpose it was meant to serve in time past, however with the presence of modernity and the practice of democracy, this practice seem to go way beyond the abuse of the fundamental human rights of innocent people especially women. This practice or tradition must be remodel to suit these times, for not all traditions or culture and beliefs are that bad.
CHAPTER FIVE
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Primary Sources
Madam, Agyeman, Comfort. Teacher Krobo-Odumasi: Interview by Researcher, 7 February, 2009
Head Pastor.Presbyterian church of Ghana. Siasi-Odumasi: Interviewed by Researcher, 7 February, 2009
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