Ghanaian women in art and culture
Ghanaian women with a baby on the front, a baby on the back, loaded with a basket of produce on their heads, walk for miles to sell their goods to help supply for their families. They are gowned in colorful, traditional African attire from head to toe. They work from morning to night, under the hot African sun without breaking a sweat.
Women represent 51 percent of the Ghanaian population compared to 48 percent male, according to the 2010 Population and Housing Census. Despite dominance in the population, female presence in the art world of this West African country, however, remains slim to none.
Women in Ghana are often considered the bearers of children, the farmers and ones in society to sell produce and various goods. According to Country Studies, “Given the male dominance in traditional [Ghanaian] society, some economic anthropologists have explained a female’s ability to reproduce as the most important means by which women ensured social and economic security for themselves, especially if they bore male children.” This creates a mindset in Ghanaian society that women are to bear the next generation of Ghanaians and the jobs they are able to perform are dictated by this notion.
Traditional Ghanaian art is a dominant force throughout the country, passed down from generation to generation. But it is often passed down to the males of society. The manager of TK Beads in Accra said “I was born into beads. I was born to create beads and I am still making beads” and has been a part of the bead making community for 22 years.
He said women are not encouraged to pursue careers such as bead-making or kente sewing like men are because it requires them to sit for extended periods of time. In Ghanaian society, it is believed if a woman sits for long period of time, it disrupts the women’s natural ability bear children. Women in art are most commonly used to string beads or as sellers of art to visiting tourists or in local markets.
Women like poet and theater enthusiast Rita Richardson are attempting to break through this stereotype with the creation of Zaafi Arts Productions. She said the challenges of being a female artist in Ghana society is tough, but worth being able to pursue her dream.
“As a women, it is very challenging,” Richardson said. “You don’t get help. Sometimes, you have to sacrifice so many things and the money I make goes to the things I want to do. Society don’t get it, but this is my dream and with Zaafi Art, the mission is to use drama from my theater to help make the little change I want to make in society. I want to encourage the good and discourage the bad.”
While Ghanaian women struggle today to break into the art world, some continue to push their message of strength, perseverance and independence. Artist Emmanuel Glover’s most popular subjects for his famous paintings are women. The reason – they are a representation of Ghana’s bravery and preservation of culture and society.
“In our culture, women support the culture and hold the culture together,” Glover said. “It is amazing the courage they carry about and they carry their babies and their load. I see their courage and their perseverance, despite everything. I like to capture a subject who is undefeated and courageous. They do everything. You don’t see the men doing that.”
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