Clans and the Concept of Totemism Among the Dagara in the Jirapa Municipality of Ghana

Résumé

Totemism is an important notion in the lives of people in Africa and the world over. Certain customs and beliefs identify different people across the world; totems play a significant part in Dagaaba beliefs and activities. However, there has not been much research on clans and their totems among the Dagaaba. The research was conducted out in four villages in and around Jirapa. Sigri, Ullo, Sabuli, and Jirapa Municipality, Upper West Region. Purposive sampling was used by the researchers to acquire data. To collect data, unstructured interviews and participatory observation were used. Those interviewed were between the ages of fifty and sixty. The findings showed that the Dagara take their totems seriously because of the crucial role they are supposed to play among the different clans. Totems were revealed to be highly venerated among the tribes in the municipality. In the study of Jirapa's (Dagara) totems, they discovered that the bulk of the totems were animal-based, though flora was also acknowledged. Another discovery in the research was that every clan was formed with the use of a totem, which the elders taught the younger generation about. The study concluded that, modernization and cultural dynamism have impacted their survival in the environment and if care is not taken the younger generation will not have access to totems because indigenous peoples failed to conserve and protect the environment for survival. The study made the recommendation that more research be done to determine the purpose of African indigenous symbols in various ethnic contexts.

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