March 27, 2026
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animism

Akan Deities and Their Day Names: Onyankopɔn Kwame, Asaase Yaa, Po Abenaa and Kofi Yesu

Mensah Adinkrah06 mins

Among the Akan of Ghana, naming is never a casual act. Names locate a person in time, history, morality, and the spiritual universe. One of the most distinctive Akan naming practices is the giving of day names (kradin), assigned according to the day of the week on which a child is born. These names are…

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When Trees and Rivers Lose Their Spirits: Animism in Modern Ghana

Mensah Adinkrah02 mins

Animism is the belief that the environment and society are populated with spirits. Many Ghanaians hold animistic beliefs, maintaining that their surroundings are inhabited by spiritual beings. Some of these spirits are believed to be benevolent, while others are considered malevolent. Animistic beliefs are widespread across Ghana’s ethnic groups. Even Ghanaians who identify as Christian…

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