Akan Traditional Religion and Economic Ethics

Type:

Book Chapter

Author:

Rose Mary Amenga-Etego

Published:

2024

Publisher:

Oxford University Press

Abstract Has the proverb, ‘A good name is better than riches’, been replaced by ‘Money is blood’ in contemporary Ghanaian society? Acknowledged as an integral part of the sacred text of Africa, proverbs serve as the repository of wisdom, religious beliefs, philosophy, and cultural norms, as well as the ethical and legal frameworks of Indigenous communities. Proverbs provide an avenue for the understanding of Indigenous communities and their religio-cultural beliefs and practices. Yet, as oral text, proverbs are dynamic and fluid, evolving with respect to time and context. Is the contemporary rush for money and the relegation of the ‘good name’ to the margins an issue of the modern economy, or is it grounded in the complex nature of the Akan religio-cultural systems and economic ethics? With reference to the above proverbs, including those imbedded in Akan marriage and inheritance, this chapter examines how proverbs have created a paradigm shift in the economic ethics of Akan society, also known as the Ashanti.

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