|
Tribe Snapshots Kassena |
| Location: |
Northern Ghana |
| Population: |
30,000 |
| Language: |
Kassena |
| Neighboring
Peoples: |
Mossi, Winiama,
Nuna,
Bwa, Lobi |
| Types
of Art: |
The most recognized of the Kassena art forms
are magnificent wooden masks. 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. Kassena
build spectacular adobe homes. |
| History: |
Kassena peoples belong to a larger subset of
peoples in the area of southern Burkina Faso and
northern Ghana collectively known as Gurunsi.
This term is applied to these peoples, who share
common histories, languages, and political structures,
but it also carries pejorative overtones in local
usage. Most of Gurunsi live in modern day Burkina
Faso, and the degree to which recent Kassena history
differs from their northerly neighbors, such as
the Nuna, Bwa, and Winiama, is because they live
in modern day Ghana. These differences arose during
the colonial period in the early part of the 20th
century, as French and British colonial systems
differed in their administrative practices. |
| Economy: |
Kassena 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 (keri) 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: |
Kassena 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 maintain some political authority, determining
the agricultural cycle and parceling out land
for cultivation. |
| Religion: |
Belief in a supreme creator being is central
to Kassena beliefs. A shrine to this god occupies
the center of every village. An element of this
creator god is Su, the mask spirit which is enshrined
in the oldest and most sacred mask in the community.
The spirit of Su can be harnessed to benefit the
community or to cause harm to their enemies. When
Su is properly appeased communal harmony is achieved.
He is responsible for human fertility and is recognized
for his role in the continuity of life. 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 the communal property
of the lineage, providing protection and social
cohesion among all members of the family. |
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