SOCI 223 Traditional Ghanaian Social Institutions Session 10 Traditional Politics 1 Lecturer: Dr. Rosemond Hiadzi, Sociology Contact Information: rhiadzi@ug.edu.gh College of Education School of Continuing and Distance Education 2014/2015 2016/2017
Session Overview At the end of the session, the student will Identify the two kinds of political systems existing in traditional societies Explain the non-centralized political system Understand the role of the lineage head in traditional societies Appreciate why the lineage system is effective Slide 2
Session Outline The key topics to be covered in the session are as follows: Topic One Defining politics Topic Two Types of political systems Topic Three - The lineage system Topic Four Functions of the lineage head Topic Five The Tallensi lineage system Slide 3
Reading List Abotchie, C. (2011) Structure of Traditional Ghanaian Societies. Hans Publications Ltd. Accra Assimeng, J. M. (1981) Social Structure of Ghana. Chapter one Nukunya, G. K. (2002) Tradition and Change. An Introduction to Sociology. Chapters one and two Slide 4
Topic One DEFINING POLITICS Slide 5
What is politics? The process of discussions and maneuverings which goes on before a decision is taken Mair (1957) That part of the total organization of a society that is concerned with the maintenance or establishment of social order within a territorial framework through the use or the possibility of the use of physical force Radcliffe-Brown (1975) Slide 6
Topic two TYPES OF POLITICAL SYSTEMS Slide 7
Types of political systems Non centralized (acephalous) Power is distributed amongst various people in the community eg. The lineage system Centralized Power is concentrated in the hands of one ruler eg. The chief Slide 8
Topic three THE LINEAGE SYSTEM Slide 9
The non centralized political system The Lineage system A lineage is a collection of families recruited by patrilineal or matrilineal descent The political administration of the lineage is the responsibility of the most senior surviving male member The Akans call him abusua panyin, the Ewes call him ametsitsia, the Gas call him wetse He is usually assisted by a female counterpart who sees to issues affecting the female members of the community. She is referred to as obaa panyin amongst the Akans, mama amongst the Ewes and weku nye amongst the Gas Slide 10
Topic four FUNCTIONS OF THE LINEAGE HEAD Slide 11
Functions of the lineage head The functions of the lineage head is not only restricted to political functions. In fact, he performs social structural functions as well. For that matter, the lineage system can be likened to a miniature society. Slide 12
Political functions The maintenance of law and order within the group Arbitration and settlement of disputes amongst members Presides over a traditional moral code which prescribes the do s and don ts as well as the norms of the group Ensures reconciliation (after disputes) between members and also with the gods and ancestors Sanctions members to ensure conformity amongst members. The sanctions are in the form of rewards for good behavior and punishments for wrong doing Sanctions can also be secular and sacred Slide 13
Political functions Secular sanctions involve exclusion from day to day activities eg. Economic rights such as loss of rights to access land, imposition of fines, ostracism, lack of financial support in times of need etc Sacred sanctions involve those related to the deities and religion in general eg. Loss of protection by the ancestors, loss of the right to re-incarnation, loss of one s place and rights in the ancestoral cult Traditional society based on these sanctions is said to operate a penal pharmacy. This means, just as every illness is treated with the appropriate medicine and in the right dosage, punishments are also meted out according to the severity of the crime or offense Slide 14
Religious functions Mediator between the people and the ancestors Performs religious functions on behalf of the people such as the pouring of libation, invocation of the gods and spirits etc These functions are performed on a daily basis and also during special occasions such as festival time Slide 15
Economic functions Sharing of lineage assets such as land, cattle, water bodies Access of lineage members to such assets is based on whether one belongs to a matrilineal system or the patrilineal system Other economic functions include the financial assistance to relieve a debt or to start a trade Slide 16
Marriage functions In arranged marriages, the lineage head gives the final approval of a potential partner before the marriage can be contracted In preferential marriages, the lineage head makes sure that all necessary investigations into the background of the potential spouse are conducted before approval is given The investigations are conducted to look out for the following The ethnic origin of the potential partner The absence of such behavioral traits as quarrelsomeness, hot temperaments Genetically transmitted diseases Witchcraft infertility Slide 17
Educational functions Oversees the socialization of the young members of the lineage Presides over the traditional rites of passage which serve as a traditional means of socializing the younger members of the society Slide 18
Health functions Responsible for the health needs of the lineage members He takes the decisions concerning diagnosis and treatment when a member of the lineage falls sick Thus he presides over investigations into the cause of the sickness whether germ caused or as a result of disruption in social relationships He performs the necessary rituals to pacify the gods and ancestors and the offended party in the event that the disease is as a result of a disruption in social relationship Slide 19
Topic Five THE TALLENSI LINEAGE SYSTEM Slide 20
The Tallensi An example of an Acephalous society Two groups of the Tallensi namely The Real Talis (the indigenes) The Namoos (migrants from Mamprusi) Their lineage system is segmentary in nature Segmentation refers to the situation whereby a group which sees itself as a unit in one context will in other contexts break into other units of the same kind or unite with others of the same kind to form bigger units (Nukunya, 1992:72) Slide 21
The Tallensi Four levels of segmentation The maximal lineage trace their descent to a known ancestor who lived 9 to 10 generations ago The major lineage - trace their descent to a known ancestor who lived 8 generations ago The minor lineage - trace their descent to a known ancestor who lived 5 to 7 generations ago The minimal lineage - trace their descent to a known ancestor who lived 4 to 6 generations ago NB: Other societies with similar systems include the Kokomba, Lowiili and LoDagaba Slide 22
Efficacy of the lineage polity Collective responsibility of the entire lineage when someone commits an offense, any member of the lineage can be punished for the wrong doing Lineage head is also accountable to the supernatural entities and thus his behavior is also regulated Slide 23