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Tribe Snapshots Frafra |
| Location: |
Northeastern Ghana |
| Population: |
30,000 |
| Language: |
Frafra (Voltaic) |
| Neighboring Peoples: |
Kassena, Mossi, Winiama, Nuna, Bwa, Lobi |
| Types of Art: |
The most recognized of the Frafra art forms
are cast brass jewelry and beautifully decorated
architecture. In addition anthropomorphic figures
sculpted from clay and wood and various personal
objects, ranging from jewelry to wooden stools,
are created to honor the spirits. |
| History: |
Frafra peoples belong to a larger subset of
peoples in the area of southern Burkina Faso and
northern Ghana collectively known as Gurunsi peoples.
This term is applied to these peoples, who share
common histories, languages, and political structures,
but it may also carry pejorative overtones in
local usage. Most of Gurunsi live in modern day
Burkina Faso, and the degree to which Frafra history
differs from their northerly neighbors, such as
the Nuna, Bwa, and Winiama, is linked to their
living in modern day Ghana. These differences
arose during colonial times, which began in the
early part of the 20th century, as French and
British colonial systems differed in their administrative
practices. |
| Economy: |
Frafra are primarily sedentary farmers, growing
millet, sorghum, and yams. Maize, rice, peanuts,
and beans are grown in addition to these staples.
Farmers throughout the region practice slash and
burn farming, using fields for approximately seven
or eight years before they are allowed to lie
fallow for at least a decade. In the family fields
close to the villages, women grow cash crops,
including sesame and tobacco, which are sold in
local markets. Men participate in hunting during
the long dry season. This is important for ritual
reasons, since it is during this time that men
may interact with the spirits that inhabit the
bush. During the dry season, when food supplies
are running low, some fishing is practiced in
local swamps. |
| Political Systems: |
Frafra societies are comprised mainly of farmers,
without social or political stratification. They
are not divided among occupational castes or groups
since most of them simply till the land and engage
in occasional hunting. They had no internal system
of chiefs, and all important decisions were made
by a council of elders consisting of the oldest
members of each of the village lineages. Religious
leaders do maintain some political authority,
determining the agricultural cycle and parceling
out land for cultivation. |
| Religion: |
Belief in a supreme creator being is central
to Frafra beliefs. A shrine to this god occupies
the center of every village. Each extended family
maintains its own hut, in which the lineage magical
objects are kept. The objects allow the family
to maintain contact with the vital forces of nature.
These objects are inherited by the ancestors and
are the communal property of the lineage, providing
protection and social cohesion among all members
of the family. |
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