Rituals are among the most enduring aspects of the African cultural landscape. They appear to exist outside of time, eternal and unchanging. Joseph Adjaye argues that while rituals may seem to be static, in reality, they are dynamic and changing. Through intense analysis of child naming ceremonies, libations, puberty initiation rights, funerals and two major Ghanaian festivals, Adjaye explores the interplay between ritual and audience interaction and participation. By so doing, he shows the many ways rituals have provided Ghanaians with a means to conceptualize and change their present and shape their future. In other words, rituals help individuals escape the boundaries of self by promoting a sense of collective purpose and agency. This book will appeal to not only Africanists, but to readers interested in the roles rituals play in their own lives and the ways that rituals encourage socially transforming initiatives.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
CONTENTSCONTENTSContents Acknowledgments vii1 Introduction 12 The Performativity of Akan Libations: An Ethnopoetic Construction of Reality 133 Naming, Identity, and Personhood in Akan Cultural Practice 414 Dangerous Crossroads: Liminality and Contested Meaning in Krobo Dipo Girls' Initiation 595 Edina Asafo, Bakatue Festival, and the Democratization of Ritual 836 Citizenship, Community, and the Struggle for Public Space: Takyiman Apo? Mmrante? (Youngmen) and the Negation of Dominant Narratives of Structure 1097 Funerals and the Construction of Self and Other in Akan Society 1398 Conclusion 163Bibliography 177Index 191About the Author 197
