The Brief History of The Ga Peoples

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Category: History

Created on Sunday, 29 September 2013 00:00

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The Brief History of The Ga Peoples

HISTORY & TRADITIONS- Re External Influence on Ga Society and Culture: The English; probably might pride themselves of and indeed feel lazy in learning other European Languages all because of their dominant language in global affairs but they can hardly escape the dilutions of French words such as restaurant and rendezvous, in their vocabularies. Who; then, are the Tarbons, Alatas and Otublohums of Ga Mashie when we attempt to write or gossip about Ga History?

Asante Fordjour

ABSTRACT

From the mystical Akan historical accounts of the Ga peoples; and not until I had the privilege of reading from Professor Irene Odotei (External Influence on Ga Society and Culture), all that I knew about Nkranfuo [the Gamee] was the empirical belief that their ancestors, mysteriously, fled from Ilfe, in the ancient Nigeria, in their columns like soldier-ants along the Gulf of Guinea to their present settlements, in a date which is hard to be traced. As Professor Odotei (ibid) forcefully points out, “so far no definite date has been established for the first migration into the Accra plains. However, as early as 1557, Ga Mashie had already developed a well-organised trading system.” Having accepted that in examining the true historical triumphs of the Ga country and its peoples, some historical events remain unchallenged: Like many emerging smaller states surrounded by powerful neighbours, during state formation, the Gas did not escape the threats of cultural dilutions and contaminations. They were once defeated and ruled by the Akwamus (1680-1730); the Akyems (1730-1742) and the Asantes (1742- 1826). It was the alliance of the British and indigenous coastal forces that kicked out the Asantes in the Battle of Dodowa in 1826. Notwithstanding their historical tribulations as a smaller State, by their names; cultures, traditions, national contributions and the reoccurring socio-economic complaints and probably, unattended grievances, the woes of the Ga peoples, could be perhaps, summed up as one of unfortunate or self-inflicting- at least, as peoples who have been at the forefront of Gold Coast’s socio-political realignment and self-determination.