Abstract:
Widowhood cultural practices in Africa in general and Ghana in particular has been
subjected to criticisms the world over to the extent of describing it as dehumanizing,
torturous, cruel and outmoded, and for that matter calling for its abolishing. This
study aimed at finding out the nature and the effects of widowhood rites as practised
among selected Akan communities in the Akuapem-South municipality on the
widows who go through those rites. The sub-themes that guided the study were to find
out the origins of widowhood rites, discover some aspects of widowhood which
apparently were described as dehumanizing, cruel and humiliating, find out what the
widows felt about the experiences they went through and explain why widows who
apparently went through harsh and severe form of the rites failed to report their
ordeal, in spite of legislation prohibiting such rites. Case study research design was
used in the study under qualitative research and methods to come out with the
research findings. Thirty (30) participants were selected using snowballing sampling
method under purposive sampling. The respondents included fifteen (15) widow, five
(5) queens, five (5) women who had once supervised a widow to go through the rites
and five (5) heads of family. Beside the widows, the other participants were selected
on the grounds that they were the custodians of culture of the various communities
selected for the study. The data collection instrument used was conversational
interview. The study revealed that widowhood rites had no mythical origins, but it is
part of the culture of the people based on their traditional religious beliefs. Again, the
study revealed that no aspect of the rites could be described as dehumanizing, cruel or
humiliating as the widows did not complain of what they went through and for that
matter there is no need to report any ordeal to any authority. In conclusion, the study
revealed that widowhood rites among the people of Akuapem-South municipality is
really a good emotional and psychological support instrument for widows to cope
with their grief on the loss of the husband. It is recommended that the various reasons
for going through the widowhood rites must be explain to them before or after every
stage of a rite.
Description:
A THESIS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION,
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE. SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF
RESEARCH AND GRADUATE STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION,
WINNEBA, IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR
THE AWARD OF MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA
APRIL, 2015