Is this change in our culture helping? Tell me what you thinkš„
Africa is a place that is built on values, norms, and culture. These three things are what we grew up seeing. They are taken with higher heights. Growing up, we were advised to go as these things say and donāt do things that donāt stand to support them. Norms of communities always came in to take away these bad behaviors that werenāt supported by society. Culture gave each one of us a home to grow out of originality. That was where patriotism started. Our values gave helped made good people and grew with good manners
Well, I have my own experience to share about them. Growing up in communities like this made life lovely and fun. It gave everyone a chance to love but so live according to what society sees as right. As a child, an old man even from another family is seen as a father. These made us grow up knowing and respecting these old. They shared words of wisdom with us and we listened and grew to be who were are today. I donāt know how I would have been if not for this type of upbringing. This really helped a lot. I would like to share some key points about how good it was.
In a Ghanaian certain, especially in northern Ghana, we have the norms or the habit of eating together as children. One big pot is what the extended family cooks from. All the children in the house donāt go to their mothers to eat. They have a big bowl as the houseās children and jointly eat together. This was how I grew up. This isnāt just about food. But this thought us we are the same and we should be one. Eating together brought that unity between us and gave us the chance to know almost every child the family has. It wasnāt just about coming together to have the food shared about us. But it gave us the chance to choose and follow a leader. Aside from that, the love when we always sat around the food was always amazing.
Another thing I miss in todayās Ghana is the right of the old to question and advise a kid who isnāt from his/ her house. Growing up, we had people who we never knew beat us to action and give us the right direction. They bring us home and our parents will commend them and beat us in addition never to do that. They made us know no matter where you are, you can still be brought to action. We noticed that and stayed cool and humble anytime we even travel. In todayās northern Ghana, we canāt find that. Parents donāt even allow their brothers to interfere in their childrenās matters even if the child is wrong. They do things as in, āThatās my child. Let me question him the way I want.ā This has affected the system and I donāt know if there is a way we can bend back to what we grew up seeing.
I write this with tears. If this continues I donāt know what the next generation will grow up to be like. We are the youth and the future of the society. Letās keep up with the old norms and values to restore back the integrity in our societies and in our lives. Thanks for passing through. What do you have to say about this too?
First of all, Iāll like to request that you collect this plenty tears of yours in a basin and send to me, Iāll be happy to use it and wash my bum bum.
Change is certain, with culture and everything else.
I donāt get you, why are you talking about how great the past was as if life was perfect then? For all I know, with all the values and culture and everything else that you are claiming we used to have, northern Ghana never knew peace. People were fighting everywhere, witchcraft was prevalent everywhere, majority of the kids were malnourished and no outsider wanted to live or even visit northern Ghana.
When we stopped unnecessarily eating together, most communicable diseases vanished and our nutrition improved.
When strangers stopped beating us all in the name of ācorrecting us,ā we learned to express ourselves and became less afraid of making mistakes. We learned to resist and protest against oppression and our lives changed for good.
You should appreciate the life we have today and be grateful for the change we are seeing today.
Well, you have a point. But I will say they way we grew affects the way we see things. Maybe that's your end. From my end, I still had a voice, I had good food and the culture did great in my attitude today.
Not that the culture doesn't have its bad side. It does but for its good side, I know I have been privileged enough to have a taste of it.
That was indeed a good sign of togetherness which coexisted among us. Lately as societies keep growing this practice began to fade out. Good write up. Thanks so much!
Always a pleasure