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The Ga-Dangbe, Ga-Dangme, Ga-Adangme or Ga-Adangbe are an
ethnic group An ethnicity or ethnic group is a group of people with shared attributes, which they collectively believe to have, and long-term endogamy. Ethnicities share attributes like language, culture, common sets of ancestry, traditions, society, re ...
in
Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...
,
Togo Togo, officially the Togolese Republic, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to Ghana–Togo border, the west, Benin to Benin–Togo border, the east and Burkina Faso to Burkina Faso–Togo border, the north. It is one of the le ...
and
Benin Benin, officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It was formerly known as Dahomey. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north-west, and Niger to the north-east. The majority of its po ...
. The Ga or Gan and Dangbe or Dangme people are grouped as part of the Ga–Dangme
ethnolinguistic Ethnolinguistics (sometimes called cultural linguistics) is an area of anthropological linguistics that studies the relationship between a language or group of languages and the cultural practices of the people who speak those languages. It exa ...
group. The Ga-Dangmes are one ethnic group that lives primarily in the
Greater Accra The Greater Accra Region has the smallest area of Ghana's 16 administrative regions, occupying a total land surface of 3,245 square kilometres. This is 1.4 per cent of the total land area of Ghana. It is the most populated region, with a popul ...
region of Ghana. Ethnic Ga family names (surnames) include Nikoi, Amon, Kotey, Kotei, Adei, Adjei, Kutorkor, Okantey, Oblitey, Lartey, Nortey, Aryee, Obodai, Oboshi, Torgbor, Torshii and Lante. The following are names derived from the ethnic Dangme and common among the Ningos Tettey, Tetteh, Teye, Narh, Narteh, Nartey, Kwei, Kweinor, Kwetey, Dugbatey, Martey, Addotey, Addo, Siaw, Saki, Amanor, Djangba, Kabu, Kabutey, Koranteng, Nortse, Horminor. These are aligned to the ethnic Ga as well: Lomo, Lomotey, Tetteh, Ankrah, Tetteyfio, Laryea, Ayitey, Okai, Bortey, Quaye, Quaynor, Ashong, Kotei, Sowah, Odoi, Ablor, Adjetey, Dodoo, Darku and Quartey. (Dawhenya royal family name: Darpoh) Under their leader
King Ayi Kushi Ayi Kush was a king of the Ga dangme. He is the first known Gã Mantse of recorded History. The Great Nicolai Ashaley, the leader of the great migration was both a spiritual and political leader of the Gã people, and he led the Gãs to their ho ...
(Cush) (1483–1519) they were led from the east in several states before reaching their destination in Accra. Oral traditions state the Ga came from the region of
Lake Chad Lake Chad (, Kanuri language, Kanuri: ''Sádǝ'', ) is an endorheic freshwater lake located at the junction of four countries: Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, in western and central Africa respectively, with a catchment area in excess of . ...
and reached their destination in the 16th century. It is also believed that by the 17th century they traveled down the
River Niger The Niger River ( ; ) is the main river of West Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in south-eastern Guinea near the Sierra Leone border. It runs in a crescent shape through Mali, Nige ...
and crossed the Volta to reach present day Ghana. This leader is the Moses of the Ga-Dangme people, with his seven puritan laws he gave them and that has formed the basis and philosophy of the state. The Ga people were organized into six independent towns (
Accra Accra (; or ''Gaga''; ; Ewe: Gɛ; ) is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , had a population of ...
( Ga Mashie), Osu, La,
Teshie Teshie is a coastal town in the Ledzokuku Municipal District, a district in the Greater Accra Region of southeastern Ghana. Teshie is the ninth most populous settlement in Ghana, with a population of 171,875 people. Politics Teshie is in t ...
,
Nungua Nungua is a town in Krowor Municipal District in the Greater Accra Region of southeastern Ghana near the coast. Nungua is the eighteenth most populous settlement in Ghana, in terms of population, with a population of 84,119 people. Politic ...
, and
Tema Tema is a city on the Bight of Benin and Atlantic coast of Ghana. It is located east of the capital city; Accra, in the region of Greater Accra, and is the capital of the Tema Metropolitan District. As of 2013, Tema is the eleventh most p ...
). Each town had a stool, which served as the central object of Ga ritual and war magic. Accra became the most prominent Ga-Dangme towns and is now the heartbeat and capital of Ghana.Ga , people
. Britannica.com. Retrieved on 19 December 2015.
The Ga people were originally farmers, but today fishing and trading in imported goods are the principal occupations. Trading is generally in the hands of women, and a husband has no control over his wife's money. Succession to most offices held by women and inheritance of women's property are by matrilineal descent. Inheritance of other property and succession to male-held public offices are by patrilineal descent. Men of the lineage live together in a men's compound, while women, even after marriage, live with their mothers and children in a women's compound. Each Ga town has a number of different cults and many gods, and there are a number of annual town festivals. The Dangme people occupy the coastal area of Ghana from Kpone to Ada, on the Volta River and South Atlantic Ocean along the Gulf of Guinea and inland along the Volta River. The Dangme People include the Ada, Kpone, Krobo, Ningo, Osudoku, Prampram, and Shai, all speaking Dangbe of the Kwa branch of the Niger-Congo family of languages.Adangme , people
. Britannica.com. Retrieved on 19 December 2015.
The Dangme People have the largest population among the two related Ga-Dangme People. About 70% of the Greater Accra Regional Land is owned by the Dangmes located in Dangme East and Dangme West Districts of Ghana. Also, in the Eastern Region and Volta Region of Ghana, about 15% of lands belong to the Dangme People. These are mainly in the Manya Krobo and Yilo Krobo Districts of the Eastern Region. In the Agotime Area of Volta Region and the Dangme Area in the Southern part of Togo. Dangme occupations are fishing, trading and farming which is based on the Huza system. This was an early and innovative form of capitalism where an elaborate system of property ownership was established and subsequently shared. In this system a huge tract of land is acquired by a group of people but represented by a prominent member of the group, the group were usually members of an extended family; the land is subdivided among them according to the amount each has paid, and each individual thereafter has complete control of his own section. Negotiations with the seller are carried out by an elected Huzatse (“father of the Huza”), who later acts as the Huza leader and representative. Millet was formerly the staple food, but more common crops now include cassava, yams, corn (maize), plantain, cocoa, and
palm oil Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp (reddish pulp) of the fruit of oil palms. The oil is used in food manufacturing, in beauty products, and as biofuel. Palm oil accounted for about 36% of global oils produced from o ...
. Lineage members generally return to the traditional lineage home from the Huza farms several times a year to participate in the festivals of their lineage gods. There are also many annual festivals. The Ga-Dangme are organized into clans based on patrilineal descent; the clans are subdivided into localized patrilineages, the basic units of the Ga-Dangme historical, political, cultural tribal group.


Language

Linguistically, the Ga-Dangbe speak the
Kwa languages The Kwa languages, often specified as New Kwa, are a proposed but as-yet-undemonstrated family of languages spoken in the south-eastern part of Ivory Coast, across southern Ghana, and in central Togo. The Kwa family belongs to the Niger-Congo ...
Ga and Dangme and are a patrilineal people. Dangme is exclusively closer to the original Ga–Dangme languages than the Ga language.


Arts and culture

The Ga people celebrate the
Homowo Homowo is a festival celebrated by the Ga people of Ghana in the Greater Accra Region. The festival starts at the end of April into May with the planting of crops (mainly millet) before the rainy season starts. The Ga people celebrate Homowo in ...
festival, which literally means "hooting at hunger". This festival originated several centuries ago. It is celebrated in remembrance of a great famine that hit the Ga people. It is mainly a food festival which celebrates the passing of that terrible period in the history of the Ga people. It takes place in August every year and is celebrated by all the Ga clans. The Dangbe people from Ada celebrate the
Asafotu {{Unreferenced, date=June 2019, bot=noref (GreenC bot) Asafotu Festival is celebrated by the Ga-Adangbe people of Ghana and Togo. The Ada/Dangbe East people celebrate Asafotu which is also called 'Asafotufiam', an annual warrior's festival celebra ...
festival, which is also called 'Asafotufiam', an annual warrior's festival celebrated by Ada people from the last Thursday of July to the first weekend of August. It commemorates the victories of the warriors in battle and is a memorial for those who fell on the battlefield. To re-enact these historic events, the warriors dress in traditional battle dress and stage a mock battle. This is also a time for male
rites of passage A rite of passage is a ceremony or ritual of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves a significant change of status in society. In cultural anthropology the term is the Anglicisation of ''rite ...
, when young men are introduced to warfare. The festival also coincides with the harvest cycle, when these special customs and ceremonies are performed. These include purification ceremonies. The celebration reaches its climax with a durbar of chiefs, a colourful procession of the Chiefs in palanquins with their retinue. They are accompanied by traditional military groups called '
Asafo 300px, Asafo flag, No. 2 Company; created by Akwa Osei, Ghana, Fante people; c. 1900, Cotton and rayon, embroidery and appliqué Asafo flag, No. 1 Company Asafo are traditional warrior groups in Akan culture, based on lineal descent. The word ...
Companies' amidst drumming, singing and dancing through the streets and on the durbar grounds. At the durbar, greetings are exchanged between the chiefs,
libations A libation is a ritual pouring of a liquid as an offering to a deity or spirit, or in memory of the dead. It was common in many religions of antiquity and continues to be offered in cultures today. Various substances have been used for liba ...
are poured and declarations of allegiance are made. The Dangbe people from Odumase - Krobo also Celebrate the ''Ngmayemfestival, An Annual Harvest festival to Celebrate the bounty harvest of their farmers is celebrated by the Krobo people throughout the last week (Seven days) of October with a visit to their famous Ancestral home, the Krobo Mountains ''Kloyomon the last Friday of October with a climax on the Saturday with a grand Durbar of Chiefs and People of the Krobo Traditional Area. the ''Konorwho is the Paramount Chief sits in state as the overlord together with his sub-chiefs, Government officials, other traditional Authorities and Invited guests.


Music and sports

The Ga-Dangbe music includes drumming and dancing. One of their traditional music and dance styles (albeit a fairly modern one) is '' kpanlogo'', a modernized traditional dance and music form developed around 1960.
Yacub Addy Yacub Addy (15 April 1931 – 18 December 2014) was a Ghanaian traditional drummer, composer, choreographer and educator who collaborated with many musicians in various genres, including Wynton Marsalis. He has been referred to as "the leading ...
, Obo Addy, and Mustapha Tettey Addy are Ga drummers who have achieved international fame. Music of the Ga-Dangbe people also include ''Klama ''Kpatsaand the Dipo dance all of the Krobo people. In addition to music, the Ga-Dangbe people are known for their long history and successes in the sport of
boxing Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...
. The fishing community of
Bukom Bukom is a village and suburb of Accra, the capital of Ghana. Bukom has produced a number of successful Boxing, boxers. These include Azumah Nelson, Bukom Banku, Ike Quartey and Kwame Asante, as well as welterweight Joshua Clottey, who won the ...
on the outskirts of
Accra Accra (; or ''Gaga''; ; Ewe: Gɛ; ) is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , had a population of ...
, is considered as the mecca of boxing in Ghana and has produced several notable boxers. It is the home of many famous boxing "clubs" and gymnasiums. Notable fighters include former WBC champion,
David Kotei David Kotei Poision (originating from the Kotei family; born 12 July 1943), popularly called "D.K. Poison", is a former world featherweight boxing champion between 1975 and 1976. He is the first Ghanaian professional boxer to win a world title. ...
aka DK Poison,
Alfred Kotey Alfred Kotey (3 June 1968 – 30 June 2020) was a Ghanaian professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2012. He held the WBO bantamweight title from 1994 to 1995 and at regional level the Commonwealth flyweight title from 1989 to 1990. As an ama ...
, Joshua "The Hitter" Clottey, and former WBA Welterweight champion boxer Ike "Bazooka" Quartey, and former multi-weight class champion Azumah "Zoom Zoom" Nelson aka Prof.


Rites of passage

For the Shai and Krobo people, the
Dipo Dipo rites are one of the most popular, yet criticized, Puberty rite, puberty rites and practices in Ghana, yet is one of the most attended events in the country, receiving huge numbers of tourists. The rite is performed by the people of Krobo Odu ...
is the formal rite of passage. Originally designed as a formal marriage training for mature women in their twenties, Dipo has evolved into a pre-marital sexual purification rite that involves teenage girls conducting traditional religious rituals and putting on dance performances for the public. Initiates are partially nude throughout much of the ritual. In addition, they are each adorned with custom-made glass beads, colorful
loincloth A loincloth is a one-piece garment, either wrapped around itself or kept in place by a belt. It covers the genitals and sometimes the buttocks. Loincloths which are held up by belts or strings are specifically known as breechcloth or breechclo ...
s, and various forms of woven headgear. According to researcher and author Priscilla Akua Boakye, "
ipo An initial public offering (IPO) or stock launch is a public offering in which shares of a company are sold to institutional investors and usually also to retail (individual) investors. An IPO is typically underwritten by one or more investment ...
was a form of vocational training for young women in which they were taught generally how to assume their roles as responsible women." Despite the ritual being designated for older teenaged girls, it is not uncommon for young pre-adolescent and even toddler aged girls to take part.


Funerals and "fantasy" coffins

The Ga people are known for their
funeral A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect th ...
celebrations and processions. The Ga believe that when someone dies, they move to another life. Therefore, special coffins are often crafted by highly skilled carpenters since this tradition spread in the 1950s. The pioneers of these artistic coffins were master craftsmen, such as Ataa Oko (1919–2012) from La, and Seth Kane Kwei (1925–1992) from Teshie. The coffins can be anything wanted by relatives of the deceased from a pencil to an
elephant Elephants are the largest living land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant ('' Loxodonta africana''), the African forest elephant (''L. cyclotis''), and the Asian elephant ('' Elephas maximus ...
. Coffins are usually crafted to reflect an essence of the deceased in forms such as a
character trait In psychology, trait theory (also called dispositional theory) is an approach to the study of human personality psychology, personality. Trait theorists are primarily interested in the measurement of ''traits'', which can be defined as habitual pa ...
, an occupation, or a symbol of one's standing in the community.National Museum of Funeral History
. Retrieved 20 September 2007
For example, a
taxicab A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a Driving, driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of thei ...
driver is most likely to be buried in a coffin shaped as a car. Many families spend excessive amounts on coffins because they often feel that they have to pay their last respects to the deceased and being buried in a coffin of cultural, symbolic as well as expensive taste is seen as fitting. Prices of coffins can vary depending on what is being ordered. It is not unusual for a single coffin to cost $600. This is expensive for local families considering that it is not unusual to meet people with an income of only $50 a month. This means that funerals are often paid for by wealthier members of the family, if such a member exists, with smaller contributions coming from other working members of the family. This is needed as the coffin is only a portion of the total funeral cost that will be incurred. Some foreigners are known to have been buried in Ga-styled coffins.Fair trade arts and crafts direct from African artisans
. Retrieved 20 September 2007
The use of these fantasy coffins is explained by the religious beliefs of the Ga people regarding their afterlife. They believe that death is not the end and that life continues in the next world in the same way it did on earth. Ancestors are also thought to be much more powerful than the living and able to influence their relatives who are still living (lucky as they are). This is why families do everything they can to ensure that a dead person is sympathetic towards them as early as possible. The social status of the deceased depends primarily on the size and the success of the burial service and of course the usage of an exclusive coffin. These coffins are only seen on the day of the burials when they are buried with the deceased. They often symbolise the dead people's professions, the purpose being to help them continue with their earthly profession in the
afterlife The afterlife or life after death is a purported existence in which the essential part of an individual's Stream of consciousness (psychology), stream of consciousness or Personal identity, identity continues to exist after the death of their ...
. Certain shapes, such as a sword or chair coffin, represent royal or priestly insignia with a magical and religious function. Only people with the appropriate status are allowed to be buried in these types of coffins. Various creatures, such as lions, cockerels and crabs represent clan
totem A totem (from or ''doodem'') is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage (anthropology), lineage, or tribe, such as in the Anishinaabe clan system. While the word ...
s. Similarly, only the heads of the families concerned are permitted to be buried in coffins such as these. Many coffin shapes also evoke proverbs, which are interpreted in different ways by the Ga. Design coffins have been used since around the 1950s, especially in rural Ga groups with traditional beliefs, and have now become an integral part of Ga burial culture. Today, figural coffins are made in several workshops in Togo and Greater Accra. Popular coffinmakers are, for example, Cedi and Eric Adjetey Anang of Kane Kwei Carpentry Workshop, Paa Joe, Daniel Mensah and Kudjoe Affutu. Most of the figural coffins are used for funerals, only a few are exported for international art exhibitions.


Notable Ga-Adangbe people

* Ebenezer Ako-Adjei (17 June 1916 – 14 January 2002) was a lawyer and politician, who served as foreign minister and in other leading cabinet roles during the first Republic of Ghana as a member of the
Convention People's Party The Convention People's Party (CPP) is a socialist political party in Ghana based on the ideas of the first President of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah. The CPP was formed in June 1949 after Nkrumah broke away from the United Gold Coast Convention (UGC ...
. He was a founding member of the
United Gold Coast Convention The United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) was an early nationalist movement British colony of the Gold Coast (present-day Ghana) that sought independence after the Second World War. It was founded in August 1947 with the aim of self-government "i ...
and is one of the " Big Six", who were arguably the most famous people in Ghana's fight for independence from British rule. *
Tetteh Quarshie Tetteh Quarshie (c. 1842 – 25 December 1892) was an agriculturalist in the British Colony of Gold Coast and the person directly responsible for the introduction of Theobroma cacao, cocoa crops to Gold Coast, which today constitute one of the majo ...
(1842 – 25 December 1892) was a pre-independence agriculturalist and the person directly responsible for the introduction of cocoa crops to Ghana, which today constitute one of the major export crops of the Ghanaian economy. * Carl Christian Reindorf (31 May 1834 – 1 July 1917) was a Euro-African-born pioneer historian, teacher, farmer, trader, physician and pastor who worked with the Basel Mission on the Gold Coast. He wrote '' The History of the Gold Coast and Asante'' in the Ga language, considered a pioneering work and a "historical classic". The work was later translated into English and published in 1895 in
Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
. He used written sources and oral tradition, interviewing more than 200 people in the course of assembling his history. * Nii Tackie Tawiah III (6 October 1940 – December 2012) was the monarch of the Ga State from 2006 to 2012. * John William Hansen (23 February 1927 – 7 April 2012), popularly known as Jerry Hansen, was a highlife musician. He was a singer, a composer, an arranger, a saxophonist and a pioneer of highlife music. He was the bandleader and founder of the Ramblers International Band. He was a founding member and the first president of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) *Lieutenant General
Joseph Arthur Ankrah Joseph Arthur Ankrah (18 August 1915 – 25 November 1992) was a Ghanaian army general who was the second head of state of Ghana from 1966 to 1969 as chairman of the National Liberation Council. He was Ghana's first military head of state. Ankr ...
(18 August 1915 – 25 November 1992) served as the first commander of the
Ghana Armed Forces The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) is the state military organisation of Ghana, consisting of the Army (GA), Navy (GN), and Ghana Air Force. The Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces is the president of Ghana, who is also the supreme military ...
, the Chief of the Defence Staff of Ghana and from 1966 and 1969 as the second
President of Ghana The president of the Republic of Ghana is the elected head of state and head of government of Ghana, as well as commander-in-chief of the Ghana Armed Forces. The current president of Ghana is John Mahama, who won the 2024 presidential elect ...
. Ankrah also served as Chairperson of the
Organisation of African Unity The Organisation of African Unity (OAU; , OUA) was an African intergovernmental organization established on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with 33 signatory governments. Some of the key aims of the OAU were to encourage political and ec ...
from 24 February to 5 November 1966. * Mustapha Tettey Addy, traditional drummer & composer (b. 1942) * Nii Narku Quaynor,PhD, (born 1945) is a scientist and engineer who has played an important role in the introduction and development of the
Internet The Internet (or internet) is the Global network, global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a internetworking, network of networks ...
throughout Africa. He holds degrees in engineering and computer science from Dartmouth College and the State University of New York at Stony Brook, where he completed his Ph.D. in 1977. Upon returning to Ghana in the 1990s, Quaynor established one of Africa’s earliest Internet service providers and played a founding role in organizations like the African Network Operators Group (AfNOG) and AfriNIC, the continent’s Internet numbers registry. He served as ICANN’s first African director and has contributed to numerous global ICT initiatives, including as Chair of the OAU Internet Task Force and a Commissioner on the Global Commission on Internet Governance. Quaynor is recognized for his contributions with awards such as the Jonathan B. Postel Service Award and his 2013 induction into the Internet Hall of Fame. * Ashitey Trebi-Ollennu Ashitey Trebi-Ollennu, PhD is a Ghanaian robotics engineer at NASA, serving as the chief engineer and technical group leader for the mobility and manipulation group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Trebi-Ollennu has played a significant role in various NASA Mars missions, including the Mars Rover and InSight projects. He holds multiple professional certifications and has a background in avionics and control systems. * Victor B. Lawrence ,PhD (born May 10, 1945, Ghana) is a renowned electrical engineer recognized for his groundbreaking work in signal processing and telecommunications. He played a pivotal role in advancing modem technology, data encoding, and high-speed Internet transmission, including the development of the 56kbps modem and improvements in DSL technologies. Lawrence's contributions to silicon chip design and digital video were essential to the global expansion of the Internet and digital broadcasting. Holding several U.S. patents, he is currently a faculty member at Stevens Institute of Technology and has been a leading advocate for bringing Internet access to underserved regions, notably through the installation of fiber optic cables along the west coast of Africa. * Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey Honourable Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey (born 8 February 1963) is a Ghanaian diplomat, lawyer, and politician, currently serving as Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations. Previously, she held the role of Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, appointed in 2017 by President Nana Akufo-Addo. As Foreign Minister, she played an instrumental role on the United Nations Security Council, securing UN funding for African Union-led peace operations, and chaired the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, advocating for regional stability and democratic transitions. Botchwey also promoted Ghana’s "Year of Return" initiative, which strengthened ties with the African diaspora. A member of the New Patriotic Party, she holds degrees in law and business from the University of London and the University of Ghana and is widely recognized for her contributions to diplomacy and international cooperation. * Raphael Nii Amaa Ollennu, JSC, FGA (21 May 1906 – 22 December 1986) was a jurist and judge who became a Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana, the acting President of Ghana during the Second Republic from 7 August 1970 to 31 August 1970 and the Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana from 1969 to 1972. * Obo Addy, traditional and contemporary drummer, composer and educator; NEA National Heritage Fellow 1996 U.S.A. (1936–2012) *
Yacub Addy Yacub Addy (15 April 1931 – 18 December 2014) was a Ghanaian traditional drummer, composer, choreographer and educator who collaborated with many musicians in various genres, including Wynton Marsalis. He has been referred to as "the leading ...
, traditional drummer, composer, choreographer and educator: NEA National Heritage Fellow 2010 U.S.A.; collaborated with
Wynton Marsalis Wynton Learson Marsalis (born October 18, 1961) is an American trumpeter, composer, and music instructor, who is currently the artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has been active in promoting classical and jazz music, often to young ...
(1931–2014)Statement on the Death of NEA National Heritage Fellow Yacub Addy , NEA
. Arts.gov (20 January 2015). Retrieved on 2015-12-19.
* Christian Tsui Hesse, popularly known as Chris Hesse (born 29 August 1932) is a cinematographer, filmmaker, film administrator, photographer and Presbyterian minister who is known for his cinematography in several films such as Love Brewed in the African Pot (1980) and Heritage Africa (1989). He was the personal photographer of Ghana's first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah. Chris Hesse helped to document the visual history of the political leadership and development of the country. He also worked for the United Nations, serving as a photographer, documenting the Congo crisis in 1960. * Atukwei John Okai (15 March 1941 – 13 July 2018) was a poet, cultural activist, and an academic. He was Secretary-General of the Pan African Writers' Association, and a President of the Ghana Association of Writers. His early work was published under the name John Okai. With his poems rooted in the oral tradition, he is generally acknowledged to have been the first real performance poet to emerge from Africa, and his work has been called "also politically radical and socially conscious, one of his great concerns being Pan-Africanism". His performances on radio and television worldwide include an acclaimed 1975 appearance at Poetry International at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, where he shared the stage with US poets Stanley Kunitz and Robert Lowell, and Nicolás Guillén of Cuba. *Justice Jacob Hackenburg Griffiths-Randolph (6 September 1914 – 25 July 1986) was a judge and also the Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana during the Third Republic. In 1959, during the First Republic of Ghana, President Kwame Nkrumah appointed him as Commissioner of Income Tax, the first African to hold that position. In 1966, he was appointed a Superior Court judge by the new government and served in Bolgatanga, Cape Coast, Tamale and finally Accra, where he was until he retired from the Bench in 1979. In September 1979, the 3rd Republic was born, and he was unanimously selected to be Speaker of Parliament. He served as Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana from 24 September 1979 – 31 December 1981 * Ernestina Naadu Mills (née Botchway) is an educator and a First Lady of Ghana. She was the wife of President
John Atta Mills John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills (21 July 1944 – 24 July 2012) was a Ghanaian politician and legal scholar who served as the 11th president of Ghana from 2009 until his death in 2012. He was inaugurated on 7 January 2009, having defeated the govern ...
(21 July 1944 – 24 July 2012) and is the recipient of a humanitarian award from the Health Legend Foundation. * Rebecca Akufo-Addo (née Griffiths-Randolph) is a public figure and a First Lady of Ghana. She is the wife of President
Nana Akufo-Addo William Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo ( ; born 29 March 1944) is a Ghanaian politician who served as the 13th president of Ghana from January 2017 to January 2025. He previously served as Attorney General of Ghana, Attorney General from 2001 to 20 ...
. *
Ayi Kwei Armah Ayi Kwei Armah (born 28 October 1939) is a Ghanaian writer best known for his novels including '' The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born'' (1968), '' Two Thousand Seasons'' (1973) and '' The Healers'' (1978). He is also an essayist, as well as havin ...
, writer (b. 1939) * Nii Ayikwei Parkes (born 1 April 1974), is a performance poet, writer, publisher, and sociocultural commentator. He is one of 39 writers aged under 40 from sub-Saharan Africa who in April 2014 were named as part of the Hay Festival's prestigious Africa39 project * Emmanuel Tettey Mensah aka E. T. Mensah, musician (1919–1996) who was regarded as the "King of Highlife" music. He led the band "The Tempos", a group that toured widely in West Africa *Warren Gamaliel Kpakpo Akwei, also known as
Guy Warren Guy Warren of Ghana, also known as Kofi Ghanaba (4 May 1923 – 22 December 2008), was a Ghanaian musician, most notable as the inventor of Afro-jazz — "the reuniting of African-American jazz with its African roots" — and as a member of The ...
or Kofi Ghanaba (4 May 1923 – 22 December 2008) was a musician, best known as the inventor of Afro-jazz — "the reuniting of African-American jazz with its African roots" — and as a member of The Tempos, alongside E. T. Mensah. He also inspired musicians such as Fela Kuti. Warren's virtuosity on the African drums earned him the appellation "The Divine Drummer". At different stages of his life, he also worked as a journalist, DJ and broadcaster. *John William Hansen, a singer, a composer, an arranger, a saxophonist, and a pioneer of highlife music. He was the founder of Ramblers International Band * King Bruce, (3 June 1922 – 12 September 1997), a composer, band leader, musician, arranger, band leader, and multi-instrumentalist who made his mark on Ghana's dance band highlife tradition in a variety of ways. *
Shatta Wale Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jr., (born 17 October 1984) known by his stage name Shatta Wale, formerly Bandana. is a Ghanaian reggae-dancehall artist. Shatta Wale started with stage name "Bandana'' after senior high school and released the hit trac ...
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. * Augustine Abbey, also known as Idikoko, is an actor and movie maker known for comedy. He is also known for his main roles as a house boy or gate man. He has produced and starred in a BBC documentary and also directed and produced a film on HIV and AIDS in partnership with UNESCO and Esi Sutherland-Addy's MMOFRA Foundation. * Theresa Amerley Tagoe, Minister of Parliament (1943–2010) * Azumah "The Professor" Nelson, boxer (b. 1958) * Neville Alexander Odartey-Wellington, army commander *
Nii Amaa Ollennu Raphael Nii Amaa Ollennu (21 May 1906 – 22 December 1986) was a Ghanaian jurist and judge who served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana from 1962 to 1966. He briefly served as acting President of Ghana during the Second Republic in A ...
, former Interim President of Ghana (1906–1986) * Ike "Bazooka" Quartey, boxer (b. 1969) *
Ben Tackie Benjamin Tackie (born 23 July 1973) is a Ghanaian former professional boxer and world title challenger. He was known for his excellent chin and ability to throw a high volume of punches. All but one of his losses came via decision. Profession ...
, boxer (b. 1973) *Justice Daniel Francis Annan, first Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana in the Fourth Republic. (b. 1928) * George Commey Mills-Odoi, first Ghanaian
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; Justice of Supreme Court of Ghana (1962–1966) *Justice E.N.P. Sowah, Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Ghana (1986–1990) *
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, former diplomat *
Joshua Clottey Joshua Clottey (born October 6, 1977) is a Ghanaian former professional boxer who competed from 1995 to 2019, and held the IBF welterweight title from 2008 to 2009. As an amateur, he competed at the 1994 Commonwealth Games. At the peak of his car ...
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, boxer, International Boxing Federation (IBF) Lightweight World Champion * Frank Gibbs Torto, chemist * Daniel McKorley, the founder and chief executive officer of McDan Group of Companies * Lesley Naa Norle Lokko is a Ghanaian-Scottish architect, academic, and novelist. She says: "I live almost simultaneously in Johannesburg, London, Accra and Edinburgh. *
Adjetey Anang Adjetey Anang (born 8 July 1973) is a Ghanaian actor, popularly known as "Pusher", which was his screen name in the television series '' Things We Do for Love''. He has featured in many Ghanaian movies, including ''Deadly Voyage'', '' A Sting in ...
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'' and was a recurring character on FOX's '' The Last Man on Earth''. He currently co-stars on BET's '' Real Husbands of Hollywood'' and the ''Grey's Anatomy'' spin-off, ''
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's third film, '' The Modern Ocean''. * Joselyn Dumas, television show host and actress *Berla Addardey Mundi aka Berla Mundi, media personality, women's advocate and voice artist * Naa Ashorkor Mensah-Doku, actress, radio/TV broadcaster and public relations professional *Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jr. aka
Shatta Wale Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jr., (born 17 October 1984) known by his stage name Shatta Wale, formerly Bandana. is a Ghanaian reggae-dancehall artist. Shatta Wale started with stage name "Bandana'' after senior high school and released the hit trac ...
, formerly known as Bandana, music producer and reggae-dancehall artiste *
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, actress, model, film producer and entrepreneur *
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(born Christopher Keith Nii Attoh; 17 May 1974) is an actor, on-air personality, television presenter and producer. He is best known as "Kwame Mensah" in Nigerian soap opera Tinsel. *Odartei Mills Lamptey, popularly known as Gasmilla or International Fisherman, is a
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artist. * Theophilus Tagoe (born 1 May 1982, disappeared 6 July 2014), popularly known as Castro or Castro Under Fire is a hiplife recording artist and musician. *
Nii Kwate Owoo Nii Kwate Owoo (born 1944) is a Ghanaian academic and filmmaker, described by ''Variety'' as "one of the first Ghanaians to lense in 35mm". His name has also appeared in film credits as Kwate Nee-Owoo. Background Owoo was educated at Mfantsipim ...
, (born 1944) is an academic and filmmaker, described by Variety as "one of the first Ghanaians to make a 35mm film". His name has also appeared in film credits as Kwate Nee-Owoo. * Eddie Nartey, (born 6 November 1984) is an actor, director, and film producer. His supporting role in Frank Rajah's "Somewhere In Africa" earned him a nomination at the Nollywood and African Film Critics Awards (NAFCA), and Ghana movie awards. He was nominated in the best actor category for Kiss Me If You Can. *The Tagoe Sisters is the name of a musical duo consisting of twins Lydia Dedei Yawson Nee Tagoe and Elizabeth Korkoi Tagoe. They have been singing in the gospel music industry since 1983 *
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See also

*
Ga–Dangme languages Ga–Dangme is a branch of the Kwa language family. Ga–Dangme is made up of just two languages: Ga and Dangme. They are closely related and have sometimes been considered as a single language. There are many similarities in the basic vocabul ...
*
Adangme language The Dangme language, also ''Adangme'', ''Dangbe'' or ''Adaŋgbi'', is a Kwa language spoken in south-eastern Ghana by the Dangme people ''(Dangmeli)''. They are part of the larger Ga-Dangme ethnic group. Klogbi is a variant, spoken by the Kl ...
*
Ga language Ga is a Kwa language spoken in Ghana, in and around the capital Accra, by the Ga people. There are also some speakers in Togo, Benin and western Nigeria. It has a phonemic distinction between three vowel lengths. Classification Ga is a Kw ...
* Ga Mantse *
Homowo Homowo is a festival celebrated by the Ga people of Ghana in the Greater Accra Region. The festival starts at the end of April into May with the planting of crops (mainly millet) before the rainy season starts. The Ga people celebrate Homowo in ...
* Jamestown *
List of rulers of Gã (Nkran) This is a list of Kings of Accra, rulers of the Gã State in southern Ghana. Their title was '' Gã Mantse''. See also *Ghana *Accra * Gold Coast References {{DEFAULTSORT:Ga, Rulers Rulers A ruler, sometimes called a rule, scale, ...
*
Tabom people The Agudas or Tabom are the Afro-Brazilian community in the south of Benin, Togo and Ghana who are mostly of Yoruba descent. The Tabom People are an Afro-Brazilian community of former enslaved peoples who returned to Africa (Ghana). When they a ...
*
Teshie Teshie is a coastal town in the Ledzokuku Municipal District, a district in the Greater Accra Region of southeastern Ghana. Teshie is the ninth most populous settlement in Ghana, with a population of 171,875 people. Politics Teshie is in t ...
* Ga-Adangbes


References


Further reading

* 2000. Parker, John, ''Making the Town. Ga State and Society in Early Colonial Accra'', Portsmouth, Heinemann. * 2010. Tschumi, Regula. ''The Deathbed of a Living Man. A Coffin for the Centre Pompidou'', in: Saâdane Afif (ed.), "Anthologie de l'humour noir", Paris: Editions Centre Pompidou, p. 56-61. * 2008. Tschumi, Regula. ''The Buried Treasures of the Ga: Coffin Art in Ghana''. Benteli, Bern. * 2004. Tschumi, Regula. ''A Report on Paa Joe and the Proverbial Coffins of Teshie and Nungua, Ghana'' in: Africa e Mediterraneo, Nr. 47–48, S. 44–47. * 1991. ''External Influences on Ga Society and Culture'', in: Institute of African Studies Research Review, NS Vol. 7, Nos. 1&2, pages 61–71. * 1940. Field, M. J., ''Social organization of the Ga people'', The Crown Agents for the Colony'', London. * 1969 (1937) Field 1969: M. ''Religion and Medicine of the Ga People'', London, New York.


External links


Ethnologue report for Ga

Pictures of different themed Ga coffins



External Influences on Ga Society and Culture

The Bead Culture among the Krobo of Ghana

Diplomacy and Power Politics in Mid-Nineteenth Century Krobo

Videos on Speaking in Ga

Young Boy discusses encounters with Ga-Adangbes - (Spoken in Ga).
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ga People Tribes of Africa Indigenous peoples of West Africa Ethnic groups in Ghana Ethnic groups in Togo