Cultural Connections: Part 1

As I stated in my first post, Accra reminds me a lot of Jamaica; however, there is much more than aesthetic that connects Ghana to Jamaica. History and culture unites Jamaica and Ghana in a special way, which is one a major reason I came here. Firstly, there is a strong affinity with Ghanaians and Jamaican culture. I noticed on quite a few tro-tros (minibuses) which are a popular mode of transportation, in addition to or in place of a Ghanaian flag there would be a Jamaican flag. This is key because Mr. Kwabena mentioned that things written on Tro-tros can be a reflection of society and what people value. When I asked Papa Attah he said that a lot of Ghanaians identify with the Rastafarian and reggae culture of Jamaica and see our people as one in the same. It is interesting that Ghanaians would associate the Jamaican flag with Rastafarian culture as opposed to it’s rightful Lion of Judah flag. Maybe speaking with an actual tro-tro driver would glean me toward the true motives of having the Jamaican flag. However, it would follow what Dr. Agyemang said about Ghanaian having a stereotype of Jamaicans and reggae music.

Within our conversation about Jamaican flags on Tro-tros, Papa Attah also mentioned that the Ashanti flag, has the same colors as the Jamaican flag, which I found to be quite interesting. I wondered if the colors had the same meaning. In the Jamaican flag, Gold represents the sunshine and wealth, green represents the land and plants, while black represents the people of Jamaica, especially their strength and resilience. There was a conscious effort not to use red, white, or blue (to be distinct from the British flag). As for the Ashanti flag, yellow represents the Gold wealth of the Ashanti people and the green stands for the rainforest. Black represents the Ashanti people. The golden stool is a symbol of unity for the Ashanti and is their national symbol. There are other connections that I have made already in just the week I have been here; however, they will be revealed in later posts.

2 thoughts on “Cultural Connections: Part 1

  1. Do tro-tros drivers speak English or would you be able to take a translator with you to ask about the flag? I think that would be a great idea to ask them your questions. I encourage you to do that. Do you only see the flags on the vehicles?

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    1. The tro-tro drivers typically speak at least a little english. But most likely for asking these questions, I would bring one of my Ghanaian classmates with me. Tro-tros are not the only place I have seen Jamaican flags. I have seen them in Taxis, t-shirts, and a few shops.

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