A Note on Akan Colour Symbolism

8/17/2019 A Note on Akan Colour Symbolism

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A R T I C L E S

A NOTE ON AKAN COLOUR SYMBOLISM

by G.P. Hagan*

On ritual occasi ons Akansuse three main colo urs. These

colours are Fufu

( w h i t e ) .

Tunturn (bla ck, or

d a r k ) ,

K o b e n e , K o k o o .

or Memene ( r e d ) . Except in a few cases involving the use of green

( b u n ) ,

all colours used in ritual ceremo nies appear to fall under

these three broad term s; so that the terms Fufu, Tuntum . Kobene

(and their cognat e t erms) tend to apprehe nd wid er ranges or spectra

of colou r than would normall y fall under them in a naturalis tic '

classificatio n of colou rs. White , yellow, milk and any shade off -

whit e are Fufu; red, purple, pink, orange, and violet are Kobene;

black, blue, indigo, and the darker shades of .brown are Tuntum.

One immediate implication of this is that the colour terms Fufu,

Kobene and Tuntum cannot be interpreted as whit e red and black ,

but I shall here use whit e, black and red, and they should be under-

stood to refer to the variou s array s of colour which the terms

Fufu, Tuntum and Kobene designate.

Symbol ically.JFufu, Ko be ne , and Tuntu m have ce rtai n broad

connota tions, but the most significant meaning which attaches to

each one of these colo urs can only be discovered in the context of

the specific ritu als. The aim of this note is to indicate the

standard well-known meanings of these colours and then to show the

mean ings they acqu ire in two ritual conte xts .

General Me aning of Fufu, Tuntum, Kobe ne

Among Ak an s, Fufu is the ritually auspi ciou s colour and it

has immediate assoc iatio n wit h victory and spiritual purity . It

is associa ted with the sacred, and It is considered the colour of

gods and king s; the symbol of the purity and sacr edness of their

persons and estate. Fufu also expresses joy and hope and wel l-

being. That aspect of the human person which bears a man's

destin y and directs his fortune s (KRA) Is associated w ith Fufu,

and the expre ssion Kra-biri (the dark Kr a) refers to the state

of a person w ho has lost hope and lost his ritual be aring s.

* Mr. G.P. Hagan is a Research Fellow in Social An thropo logy.


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A R T I C L E S

9.

T u n t u m s t a n d s f o r d a r k n e s s a n d l o s s , a n d f o r d e a t h , b u t

It d o e s n o t n e c e s s a r i l y c o n n o t e d e f i l e m e n t o r p r o f a n a t i o n . T h e

S t o o l o f k i n g s o r e l d e r s w h o d i e I n b a t t l e o r o f o l d a g e w h i l e

I n o f f i c e a r e c o n s e c r a t e d a n d h e l d s a c r e d t o t h e i r m e m o r y , a n d

t h e y a r e b l a c k . If a w o m a n e n t e r e d a s t o o l h o u s e d u r i n g h e r

m e n s l s , s h e h a d t o b u y h e r h e a d b y s a c r i f i c i n g s h e e p a n d p a y / n g

f i n e s .

W h i t e s t o o l s , t h e u n c o n s e c r a t e d s t o o l s o f t h e A s h a n t i ,

a r e b y c o n t r a s t p r o f a n e . K o f i An tu fa am s u g g e s t e d t h a t b l a c k

s y m b o l i z e s s p i r i t u a l i t y a n d a g e . A l l o b j e c t s w h i c h a r e d e d i c a t e d

t o t h e s p i r i t s o f t h e d e a d a r e p u r p o s e l y t r e a t e d t o a p p e a r b a c k

( Ko fi A n t u b a m 1 9 6 3 , p . 7 9 ) ; o b j e c t s o f w a r b o o t y , e x c e p t g o ld a n d

s i l v e r ,

r e

b l a c k e n e d . B u t I n s p i t e o f i t s a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h

s p i r i t u a l i t y a n d a g e T u n t u r n i s n e v e r u s e d f o r t h e c e l e b r a t i o n o f

v i c t o r y ; i t u s u a l l y e x p r e s s e s s o r r o w a n d it i s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h

i l l - l u c k .

K o b e n e i s f u l l o f a m b i g u i t i e s . A k a n s g e n e r a l l y . p o i n t t o

b l o o d a s t h e p a r a d i g m o f t h i s c o l o u r c l u s t e r a n d m u c h o f t h e

a m b i g u i t y i n t h e s y m b o l i c m e a n i n g o f t h e c o l o u r d e r i v e s f r o m t h e

m i x e d a s s o c i a t i o n s o f b l o o d . B l o o d s t a n d s f o r l i f e a n d v i t a l i t y ,

a n d t h e w o r d b o p v a ( b l o o d ) m e a n s t h e f i r e ( g y a ) o f c r e a t i o n ( b o ) .

A k a n s b e l i e v e t h a t b l o o d I s t h e m e a n s b y w h i c h a K r a m i g h t b e

g i v e n h u m a n f o r m , f i u t a s b l o o d s t a n d s f o r l i f e , s o d o e s a n y b l o o d

w h i c h d o e s n o t g i v e l i f e , o r i s s p i l l e d w a s t e f u l l y , s t a n d f o r d e a t h .

A k a n s c o n s i d e r m e n s t r u a l b l o o d t o b e d a n g e r o u s . It i s b e l i e v e d .

t h a t w h e n m e n s t r u a l b l o o d c o m e s i n t o c o n t a c t w i t h a s a c r e d o b j e c t

it d e s a c r a l i z e s o r b l u n t s t h e s a c r e d o b j e c t ( o k u m a n o ) i n t e r m s o f

t h e p u r p o s e s t h e s a c r e d o b j e c t s e r v e s . In s u c h c o n t e x t s t h e n , r e d

m i g h t s t a n d f o r i m p u r i t y a n d d a n g e r . W h e n a m a n p u t s o n a r e d

c l o t h a n d s m e a r s h i m s e l f w i t h r e d o c r e , It m e a n s h e I s i n a d e f i a n t

m o o d ( o g y I n a k o d o m a n o ) . A m o n g t h e A s h a n t i s , a s R a t t r a y o b s e r v e d ,

a n d it i s g e n e r a l l y t r u e f o r m o s t A k a n s , s o r r o w a n d si n ge r ( an d

d a n g e r ) ( m i n e ) w o u l d s e e m t o b e r e l a t e d , m * a n ? a b e r e ( m y e y e s

a r e r e d ) b e i n g t h e i d i o m c o m m o n f o r b o t h e x p r e s s i o n s . O f c o u r s e

m ' a n i a b e r e r e f e r s t o t h e b l o o d - s h o t e y e .

C O N T E X T U A L S I G N I F I C A N C E

T h e r e a r e w i d e d i f f e r e n c e s irt t h e m a n n e r i n w h i c h c o l o u r s

a r e u s e d . B u t b r o a d l y s p e a k i n g c o l o u r s m i g h t d e n o t e t h r e e d i s -

t i n c t f a c t s . F i r s t , c o l o u r s m i g h t d i f f e r e n t i a t e t h e c a t e g o r i e s

o f i n d i v i d u a l s i n v o l v e d i n r i t u a l c e r e m o n i e s a n d m a k e it p o s s i b l e


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AR T IC L ES 10.

to defi ne their roles in the drama of ritual enactment. Second,

they might point to different st at io ns In a ritual sequence

and mak e it possib le to apprehend movem ent and direction in

ceremonial p erfor mance s. Thirdly, in both of these two kinds

of usage colours might a lso define the affection appropriate to

social categories and the stations of a ceremony and so indicate

the emotional quality of ritual acti on. We see these in various

accounts of Akan rituals. I here examine two.

the first striking thing about an Ashanti funeral is the

clear colour distinctions in the clothing of mourners. As Rattray

observed it, The blood relations smear lines of red clay (ntwuma)

or odame on the forehead (known as kot ob iri gy a). and on the upper

part of the arms (called

a s a f t e ) . . .

Mourning bands (abotiri) are

fastened round the head, into whi ch red peppers are sometimes

placed; the russet-brown mourning cloths are put on; these ar e

sometimes marked with Adinkra stamped desi gns (1929, pslSO )

The mourn ers wh o are not blood relations (and these would include

non-matrilineal relation s, affin es and personal fr iend s) put on

black. Thus at this level black and red refer to opposite cate -

gories and relati onship s. But all the outward and visibl e signs

of mournin g, the red ochre and the funeral cl othes affected by the

ordinary mourne rs, are taboo to a priest (1929,

p . 1 7 5 ) .

So that

a matriki n of the dead in the priesthood must wear whi te and

sprinkle htmse lf with >*h1te cla y, as if as far as he is concerned,

death and mourning and so rrow do not exist. The corpse of a dead

priest is draped in whi te and sprinkled with white clay, symbolizing

the antithesis of ordinary funerary cus toms, which possibly mark

out the wearer s as being in a state of sorrow or defilement

(1929, p . 1 7 5 ) .

In respect of the corps e In terms of whos e connections

these categ ories are distinguis hed, Rattray remarks that Sometimes

the head of the corp se is shaved and marked with alt ernate, red,

w h i t e , and black stri pes, made with esono (red dye ), white clay,

and bidie ( c h a r c o a l ) . This , I am informed, is done so that the

dead pe rson may be readily recognized if he or she walks as a saman

( g h o s t ) , (Rattray 1929, p . 1 5 2 ) .

We see another u se of colours in the ritual which terminates

Kunaye , the ritual which among Akan s a person performs to mourn the

death of a spouse. According to Kofi Antubam, After a year's period

of wearing black cloth, a married person who has lost his or her


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A R T I C L E S

t

p a r t n e r c l o s e s t h e K u n a y q r i t e s a t t h e e n d o f t h e y e a r , a n d I n

t h e m o r n i n g o f t h e f i r s t d a y o f t h e s e c o n d y e a r s h e o r h e t h r o w s

o f f t h e b l a c k a n d p u t s o n K o b e n e ( r e d c l o t h ) f o r t h e c e r e m o n y ,

w e e p i n g i n m e m o r y o f t h e d e a d . T o w a r d s n o o n o n t h a t d a y , h e s h e d s

t h e r e d t o o a n d p u t s o n w h i t e c l o t h t i n t e d w i t h g r e e n ( 1 9 6 3 ,

p . 8 5 ) .

I n B a t t r a y ' s d e s c r i p t i o n o f f u n e r a l c o s t u m e s , i t i s c l e a r

t h a t t h e d i f f e r e n t c o l o u r s w o r n b y m o u r n e r s s e r v e a s l a b e l s t o

d i f f e r e n t i a t e g r o u p s i n t e r m s o f t h e i r r e l a t i o n s h i p s t o t h e d e a d .

R e d m a r k s o u t t h e m a t r i l i n e a l r e l a t i v e s o f t h e d e a d , b l a c k , n o n -

m a t r i l i n e a l r e l a t i v e s a n d t h e p r i n c i p a l g r o u p i n t h i s c l a s s o f

r e l a t i o n s i s t h e a f f i n e s o f t h e d e a d . F o r t h e p r i e s t l y c l a s s

h o w e v e r , n o n e o f t h e s e l a b e l s I s u s e d . T h o s e i n p r i e s t l y o f f i c e

c a n o n l y u s e w h i t e . A s h o r f c o m m e n t o n t h i s i s n e c e s s a r y .

T h e u s e o f c o l o u r i n d e n o t i n g t h e s p e c i f i c c l a s s e s a n d

t h e r e f o r e t h e r o l e o f i n d i v i d u a l s i n f u n e r a r y r i t u a l h e r e e m p l o y s

t w o d i s t i n c t l e v e l s o f c l a s s i f i c a t o r y c a t e g o r i e s . In t h e o n e

c a s e a d i s t i n c t i o n i s m a d e b e t w e e n t h o s e w h o b e l o n g t o t h e a b u s u a

o f t h e d e a d a n d t h o s e w h o a r e o u t s i d e i t . R e d f o r t h e f o r m e r a n d

b l a c k f o r t h e l a t t e r . B u t a t a n o t h e r l e v e l , a c o n t r a s t i s i m p l i c i t

b e t w e e n t h o s e i n t h e a f o r e m e n t i o n e d s t a t u s e s t o g e t h e r a n d t h o s e i n

t h e s a c r e d o f f i c e o f p r i e s t h o o d T h i s d i s t i n c t i o n r e s t s a t a d e e p e r

l e v e l o f c l a s s i f i c a t i o n , o n t h e d i c h o t o m y b e t w e e n t h e s a c r e d a n d

t h e p r o f a n e . A n d t h i s l e v e l o f a n a l y s i s i s s u p e r v e n i e n t t o t h e

f o r m e r , h e n c e t h e f a c t t h a t a p r i e s t , b e h e a m a t e r n a l r e l a t i v e o r

n o t m u s t u s e w h i t e , t h e c o l o u r o f p u r i t y a n d s a c r e d n e s s .

R a t t r a y m a k e s t h i s a n t i t h e s i s c l e a r e r i n h i s o b s e r v a t i o n

t h a t w h i l e t h e h e a d o f a n y o r d i n a r y d e a d m a y b e m a r k e d w i t h

a l t e r n a t e , r e d , w h i t e , a n d b l a c k s t r i p e s , t h e c o r p s e o f a d e a d

p r i e s t i s d r a p e d i n w h i t e a n d s p r i n k l e d w i t h w h i t e c l a y , a s i f

e v e n i n d e a t h , t h e p r i e s t i s u n d e f i l e d b y d e a t h . T h i s a l s o s h o w s

t h e d o m i n a n c e o f t h e s a c r e d / p r o f a n e c a t e g o r i e s o v e r a l l o t h e r m o d e s

o f c l a s s i f i c a t i o n .

I h a v e p e r s o n a l l y b e e n c u r i o u s t o f i n d o u t w h a t t h e c o m b i n a -

t i o n o f r e d , w h i t e a n d b l a c k s t a n d s f o r . H e r e o n e o b s e r v e s t h a t

a n o t h e r u s e o f t h i s t r i c o l o u r i s i n t h e d e c o r a t i o n o f t h e f u n e r a l

v e s s e l a b u s u a k u r u w a ( t h e c l a n o r l i n e a g e p o t v e s s e l ) . T h e

a b u s u a k u r u w a i s u s u a l l y o f b u r n t c l a y p o t a n d i t h a s a l i d o r

c o v e r w h i c h h a s b e e n f a s h i o n e d t o r e p r e s e n t t h e d e a d ; i t h a s

f r e q u e n t l y a l s o r e d a n d w h i t e a n d b l a c k s t r i p e s . A l l t h e b l o o d


6/8

A R T I C L E S 1 2 .

r e l a t i o n s o f t h e d e c e a s e d n o w s h a v e t h e i r h e a d s ; t h i s h a i r i s

p l a c e d i n t h e p o t , ( R a t t r a y 1 9 2 9 , 1 6 9 , 1 6 5 ) w h i c h t h e w o m e n i n

t h e m a t e r n a l l i n e o f t h e d e a d c a r r y t o a n d l e a v e a t t h e p l a c e

o f t h e p o t s ( e s e n s o ) i n t h e c e m e t e r y w h e r e t h e i r r e l a t i o n w a s

b u r i e d . I s h o u l d l i k e t o s u g g e s t t h a t t h e s y m b o l i s m h e r e i s t h e

s a m e a s t h e s y m b o l i s m o f t h e a l t e r n a t e r e d , w h i t e a n d b l a c k p a i n t e d

o n t h e h e a d o f t h e d e a d ; a n d t h a t t h e i d e a t h a t t h e c o l o u r s s h o u l d

m a k e i t p o s s i b l e f o r t h e d e a d t o b e i d e n t i f i e d i n t h e n e t h e r w o r l d

r e s t s o n t h e f a c t t h a t e v e r y i n d i v i d u a l , o r h i s s t a t u s , c a n b e

i d e n t i f i e d i n t e r m s o f t h r e e t h i n g s : h i s r e l a t i o n s w i t h h i s m a t e r -

n a l r e l a t i v e s ( r e d ) , h i s c o n n e c t i o n s w i t h n o n - m a t e r n a l r e l a t i v e s

( b l a c k ) a n d f i n a l l y , h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h t h e s p i r i t u a l w o r l d

( w h i t e ) .

I f t h e d e a d m u s t b e i d e n t i f i e d i n t h e a f t e r w o r l d I t i s

i n t e r m s o f h i s s o c i a l s t a t u s t h a t h e m u s t b e i d e n t i f i e d w h i c h i s

m e a n i n g f u l i n t h e l i g h t o f A k a n b e l i e f t h a t t h e p l a c e t h e s p i r i t

o f t h e d e a d o c c u p i e s i n t h e n e x t w o r l d d e p e n d s o n t h e s o c i a l s t a t u s

h e a t t a i n s b e f o r e d e a t h .

C o m i n g a s i t i s a t t h e e n d o f t h e f u n e r a l o b s e r v a n c e s o f a

b e r e a v e d s p o u s e , t h e r i t u a l o f w h i c h A n t u b a m g i v e s a d e s c r i p t i o n

s e r v e s t o m o v e t h e b e r e a v e d s p o u s e f r o m t h e p r o f a n e t o t h e s a c r e d .

A n d i t i s t h e s t a t i o n s i n t h e p r o c e s s o f t r a n s i t i o n w h i c h t h e

d i s t i n c t c o l o u r s s p e c i f y : b l a c k , t h e s y m b o l o f d e a t h , r e d a s i g n

t h a t s h e i s i n t r a n s i t i o n f r o m t h e p r o f a n e t o t h e s a c r e d ; a n d , w h i t e ,

a s i g n t h a t s h e i s p u r i f i e d , a n d s a c r e d , a n d t h e t i n g e o f g r e e n i s

a c l e a r i n d i c a t i o n o f t h e a s s u m p t i o n o f n e w l i f e .

I n t h e c o n t e x t s a b o v e , t h e e m o t i o n s w h i c h t h e c o l o u r s u s e d

e x p r e s s a r e e x p l i c i t e n o u g h . T h o s e w h o p u t o n r e d a n d s m e a r t h e m -

s e l v e s w i t h r e d o c h r e t o i n d i c a t e t h e y a r e t h e b l o o d r e l a t i v e s o f

t h e d e c e a s e d a r e i n a n e x t r e m e t r a u m a t i c s t a t e , a n d e v e r y e f f o r t

i s m a d e t o d r a m a t i z e t h i s f a c t . T h o s e w h o p u t o n b l a c k b e c a u s e

t h e y a r e n o t r e l a t e d t o t h e d e a d b y b l o o d o n l y s h a r e i n t h e s o r r o w

o f t h e k i n s m e n o f t h e d e a d ; t h e i r g r i e f d o e s n o t a p p r o x i m a t e t o

t h a t o f t h e k i n s m e n o f t h e d e a d . T h e t h i r d c a t e g o r y o f p e o p l e i s

t h e c a t e g o r y o f p r i e s t s , w h o , w h e t h e r a s b l o o d r e l a t i v e s o r o t h e r ,

e x p r e s s , a s i s d u e t o t h e i r o f f i c e , t h e i r c o m p l e t e d i s a s s o c i a t l o n

f r o m d e a t h , s u f f e r i n g a n d s o r r o w . I n t h e m i d s t o f g r i e f , t h e

o f f i c e o f a p r i e s t s t a n d s f o r t h e s p i r i t u a l j o y o f w h i c h t h e l i v i n g

a r e a s s u r e d .

I n l o o k i n g a t t h e r i t u a l w h i c h t e r m i n a t e s K u n a y e a s a

r i t u a l o f t r a n s i t i o n o n e w o u l d s e e b e y o n d t h e s e t w o l e v e l s - f i r s t

t r a n s i t i o n f r o m a n o l d d i s r u p t e d s t a t u s t o a n e w o n e i n t h e s o c i e t y


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A R T I C L E S

13-

a n d s e c o n d a t r a n s i t i o n f r o m t h e s a c r e d t o p r o f a n e — a t h i r d ,

t h e t r a n s i t i o n f r o m s o r r o w t o j o y . T h e b l a c k c o l o u r w h i c h t h e

w i d o w w e a r s t o s h o w s h e h a s l o s t a l o v e d o n e g i v e s w a y t o r e d ,

w h i c h m i g h t h e r e e x p r e s s e x t r e m e s o r r o w c a u s e d b y t h e m e m o r y o f

t h e d e a t h o r t h e s o r r o w a n d d a n g e r f e l t i n t h e c r i s i s o f t r a n s i -

t i o n . W h e n s h e s h e d s t h e r e d a n d p u t s o n w h i t e s h e p u t s a w a y

s o r r o w . S h e a l s o m o v e s f r o m t h e s t a t e o f d a n g e r i n h e r e n t in

t r a n s i t i o n a n d a r r i v e s i n a s t a t e o f j o y .

O n e i n t e r e s t i n g p o i n t h e r e i s t h a t t h e e m o t i o n a l s t a t e s

w h i c h a r e p r e s c r i b e d f o r i n d i v i d u a l s o r g r o u p s p a r t i c u l a r r i t u a l

r o l e s a n d s t a t i o n s i n a c e r e m o n y a s i n d i c a t e d b y t h e c o l o u r i n

u s e m i g h t n o t c o r r e s p o n d t o t h e a c t u a l e m o t i o n a l s t a t e o f t h e

p e r s o n p e r f o r m i n g t h e r i t u a l . A n d w h a t s t r i k e s m e a s a n i m p o r t a n t

a s p e c t o f t h i s c o n f l i c t b e t w e e n a c t u a l e m o t i o n s a n d p r e s c r i b e d

a f f e c t i o n i s t h a t t h e l a t t e r m i g h t b e u s e d a s a m e a n s o f c o n t r o l l i n g

t h e f o r m e r t o b r i n g a b o u t t h e e m o t i o n a l a d j u s t m e n t o n e h a s t o. m a k e

i n s i t u a t i o n s o f c r i s e s . T h i s i s w h a t m i g h t b e a t t h e b o t t o m o f

t h e t r a d i t i o n a l p r a c t i c e t h a t w h e n a s u d d e n d e a t h o c c u r s , d e a t h

t h r o u g h a c c i d e n t , c h i l d b i r t h o r o t h e r

( A t o f o w u ) ,

r e l a t i v e s d o n o t

p u t o n b l a c k o r r e d . T h e y m u s t , l i k e t h e d e a d h i m s e l f , b e i n w h i t e .

O n s u c h o c c a s i o n s A k a n s w h o a r e g i v e n t o m u c h e m o t i o n a l w a i l i n g a t

f u n e r a l s a r e f o r b i d d e n t o w e e p . B y t h i s d e v i c e t h e s u d d e n s u r g e

o f e m o t i o n i s d a m m e d a n d t h e e x c e s s i v e s o r r o w i n g w h i c h m i g h t

s t i m u l a t e t h e d e s i r e t o r e v e n g e a n d l e a d s o m e p e o p l e t o b e h a v e

i n w a y s w h i c h m i g h t b e a n t i - s o c i a l a r e a l l o w e d t o p e t e r o u t . A l s o ,

w h e n a v e r y o l d p e r s o n d i e s , w h i t e i s t h e c o l o u r t r a d i t i o n p r e -

s c r i b e d f o r u s e . I n t h i s i n s t a n c e , p e o p l e a r e n o t o n l y r e q u i r e d

t o c o n t r o l t h e i r e m o t i o n s , b u t a r e a l s o a s k e d t o r e j o i c e . I t is a

c o m m o n b e l i e f t h a t w h e n t h e a g e d d i e t h e y b r i n g t h e b l e s s i n g s o f m a n y

c h i l d r e n t o t h e l i n e a g e . I n t h i s h o p e s o r r o w i s b a n i s h e d .

F o r a n a n a l y s i s o f c o l o u r u s e a m o n g A k a n s t h i s n o t e c a n o n l y

b e a n i n i t i a l p r o b e . I t i s h o p e d t h a t t h e s c h e m e o f a n a l y s i s u s e d

h e r e w i l l b e f o u n d t o g i v e m e a n i n g t o t h e u s e o f c o l o u r i n o t h e r

A k a n r i t u a l s . T h e s t u d y o f c o l o u r c o m b i n a t i o n s i n t h e f i e l d o f

r i t u a l m i g h t r e v e a l a s p e c t s o f d r a m a t i c p r e s e n t a t i o n a n d a e s t h e t i c

a p p r e c i a t i o n w h i c h m a y b e p e c u l i a r t o A f r i c a n c u l t u r e s .


8/8

A R T I C L E S

B I B L I O G R A P H Y

K o f i A n t u b a m , 1 9 6 3

G h a n a ' s H e r i t a g e o f C u l t u r e

K o e h i e r a n d A m e k i n g , L l e p z l g .

C a p t . R . S . R a t t r a y , 1 9 2 7 : R e l i g i o n a n d A r t I n A s h a n t l ( O . U . P . )

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