Public Face of Islam in Kumasi
By Gracia Clark
Video Footages
Alternative Eid
Date: August 2011Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
Since the 1970s, a faction has been growing in Kumasi who adhere to more fundamentalist visions of Islam that condemn “unnecessary’’ prayers and rituals added to those prescribed by the Koran. Among those criticized are senior leaders in the Sufi brotherhoods, who offer special blessings and protections to their devout followers. Most of the established families of chiefs and imams in Ghana have historically been affiliated with the Khadiyya brotherhood, and look to North African centers for further education and religious authority. The Mohammediyya, as they call themselves, consider the Koran itself sufficient instruction and all other practices superstitious if not heretical. They particularly criticize the practice of pilgrimages to the graves of saintly Sufi figures in Senegal and Morocco, since only the pilgrimage to Mecca is mandated in the Koran. Exposure to Saudi authorities and practices has spread through the experience of youth traveling to Arabia on the prized scholarships given for secular university or Islamic study. Recordings of Saudi or other fundamentalist preachers also win many adherents, and Saudi Arabia has built and staffed many mosques within Ghana. Rivalries between the two camps have grown tense and occasionally trigger violent confrontations. The Mohammediyya, often younger and from less prominent Zongo families, sometimes preach openly against cherished traditional practices and leaders. Even without naming names, the younger relatives and followers of the traditional leaders will defend their reputations with insults and fists. They accuse the Mohammediyya of not respecting their elders, a Koranic mandate, while the more radical new preachers hint of magic charms and interpret as sorcery such practices as writing verses of the Koran on a slate, then washed off and drunk by the petitioner. The most serious expression of separatism came when the Mohammediyya established their own mosque for Friday Prayers, breaking the most fundamental symbol of unity for Kumasi Muslims. Other Kumasi Muslims who sympathize with their beliefs still attend Friday Prayers at the Central Mosque and lament the split. The dissidents claimed that praying behind the community elders risked weakening or contaminating their prayers, if that particular elder happened to be among those engaging in dubious magical rituals. Holding a separate prayer service to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, suggesting that the Chief Imam even holds his on the wrong day, makes a very conspicuous statement to fellow Muslims and the city at large.
Aluminum Casting
Date: July 2009Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
Aluminum casting has no logical connection to Islam, but has become an occupation identified with Muslims in Kumasi. Decades ago, the VALCO aluminum refinery at the Volta Dam produced quantities of scrap metal from its smelters and manufacturing processes. Northerners predominated in recycling cardboard, paper, and other metal scrap, so they became expert in recycling this aluminum into sturdy cooking pots of many sizes for sale all over Ghana. The complicated melting and casting process uses lost wax molds made of sand, also used by Asante brass and goldsmiths for making their renowned gold weight figures, gold jewelry, and even spare keys. The close-knit community of workshops in one spot helps expand markets fort he pots by reassuring buyers of their standard size and quality..
City Parade
Date: August 2011Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
Video Footage Scene Comments Start (00:00:00) Families returning from the noon prayer at Kumasi Central Mosque on Eid-al-Fitr, 2011. 00:00:12 The followers of a popular local teacher surround him and his family, as the last vehicles allowed pass. 00:01:16 Note hawkers with head loads and pushcarts as the street clears. Pairs of young men and sets of women walk along. 00:01:40 Boys claiming good viewing positions near local vendors' tables and kiosks. 00:02:15 The first chiefs' umbrellas come into view at the top of the street. Community members crowd the street and watch from uncompleted buildings. 00:02:25 Muslim chiefs riding on trucks, using Asante-style umbrellas and wearing richly embroidered robes, typically Hausa. Their crowds of followers merge with onlookers. One group wears matching cloths and headscarves in bright green, a color favored by the Prophet. 00:03:31 Important attendant rides a horse, a very expensive luxury in this climate. A chief in Fulani-style dress with green veil displays a less Islamic ethnic tableau on the roof of the truck cab. Children in matching outfits ride in back. 00:03:40 Women and chief dancing on truck. Fly whisks made of horse's mane. 00:03:54 Upper Region ethnic drumming and dance. Men in smocks, some women in "traditional" non-Islamic dress. 00:04:25 Women in green uniform cloth with headscarves and/or lace veils dancing together. Men playing trombones. 00:05:00 Street level views of uniforms, hawkers. 00:05:20 Banner carried by constituents of local chief of Yoruba immigrants. 00:05:36 Young man in white brocade, showing off his horsemanship---or not. 00:06:00 Northern Region chief in embroidered smock, dancing for the crowd. 00:06:30 Ethnic chief of Upper Region residents in Kumasi. His Asante-style headband has gold medallions, and he wears a metallic brocade robe over a handwoven white and indigo smock. Followers hold banner with portraits of male and female leaders. 00:06:58 Sub-chiefs on horses with young sons riding in front. Note policemen passing by. 00:07:29 Zongo chief riding horse with gold trappings, in white flowing robes One set of palace guards wears red turbans, other elders in other matching turbans or outfits. Note men taking photos, two men holding umbrellas. Regalia include silver helmet, sheer lace veils on men and horse. 00:09:30 Crowds seen from our rooftop perch. Kente cloth umbrella in center shades the Asantehemma. Pickup trucks outnumber horses. Note slow and halting pace of parade, allowing more dancing. Men and women in casual modern dress join in. 00:12:00 Brass band with snare and bass drum. Good dancers show off for friends taking video. 00:13:14 Expert dancers from Upper Region whirl their heavy smocks, to music from traditional drums and clay flutes. 00:14:43 Drummer dances up to a "big man" in smock, who puts paper money on the drummer's forehead and then joins in the dancing. A young woman in "generic modern Ghanaian" pink cloth outfit tips drummer, then waves her pink purse and white handkerchief at "big man." When she starts dancing, he tips her liberally.
Modern Wedding
Date: March 2012Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
Weddings are some of the most important family ceremonies in most cultures, and especially for Muslims because their religion calls for relatively simple funerals. In Ghana, as in much of West Africa, the bride and her mother demonstrate and bolster their social status by accumulating an impressive array of cloth and household items which the bride takes to her marital home. Displaying these goods, usually called a dowry, remains a prominent feature of the event even when the goods themselves include more that appeal to modern than traditional aspirations. Both mothers and teenage daughters in Kumasi can join special mutual savings groups that collect money in anticipation of the girls’ weddings. This wedding takes place in one of the older Muslim suburbs and provides a good example of the melding of traditional and modern elements. The ceremony begins with women kin and friends of the bride dancing in front of a huge display of furniture, electric appliances, suitcases, clothing and stacks of serving dishes. Members of the savings group dance wearing their uniform-a brown polo shirt with the name of the group printed on it. Other participants wear a variety of old and new fashions. The commentary of a master of ceremonies, speaking with a microphone, adds glamour to the atmosphere. Meanwhile, the groom is praying with male members of both families at a nearby mosque to solemnize the marriage. The festivities climax with the entry of the bride, not wearing white but some of her colorful new clothes. Her friends and family drop money on the ground before her, which a young attendant deftly collects before she steps on it. She meets the groom under an arch of balloons, where they dance together rather awkwardly before both turning to dance more comfortably with their familiar companions.
Pageant Enacting the Haj
Date: November 2011Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
Several months before it was time to start on the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, members of this mosque in Kumasi who had made the pilgrimage decided to stage this reenactment of the various stages of the ritual, so that those going that year would know what to expect. Since the pageant took place inside the mosque itself, its degree of realism was limited, but the coordinators took care to preserve the correct sequence of events. Quite a large group acted as the pilgrims and arrived by plane, settled at their camping site, mimed cleansing themselves and changed into white pilgrim garb. All those from Ghana would camp together, and some had Ghana or its flag on their uniforms. Cardboard models of rocky heights were placed strategically around the room, where the pilgrims would cast away the devil and visit the site where Abraham had offered to sacrifice Isaac. An ornately decorated cube in the center represented the Q'aba, which both male and female groups circled a number of times, as the ritual climax. The scene was somewhat chaotic, with various people shouting instructions, but it also served to popularize the pilgrimage among those who had not planned to go.
Ramadan Class for Bantama Women's Group
Date: September 6, 2009Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
Mallam Zacharia Rahmen tells two stories. The first is the story of Lot and his wife at Sodom. God sent his angel to warn Lot that he was going to destroy the earth because of the promiscuous behavior going on. He warned Lot to leave with his family and not look back, but when Lot's wife turned around, she turned into a pillar of salt. Mallam uses this story to preach against homosexuality. The second story is of Noah and the ark. Again, God wanted to rid the world of unbelievers and idol worshipers but preserve the believers on the ship. All those who did not board the ship perished in the flood. Quote: "It is ugly, it [homosexuality and promiscuity] makes God angry, but that is what's going on, Bantama some are here, Suame some are there, Asafo some are there, everywhere in Ghana you go some are there, God forbid, they are all over."
Vulcanizer
Date: 2014Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
Modest craftsmen like this man, who repairs car and truck tires, appear along all the major streets in Kumasi. His main investment is the vulcanizing machine itself, but his reputation for reliable workmanship ensures a steady clientele. Although he and his young son are Muslim work in a predominantly Muslim neighborhood, they look no different from other street side "fitters," specialists in transport-related repairs.
Interviews
A Spare Parts Dealer
Date: August 26, 2009Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
"We should take more business, but the money is small. That is why we cannot do what we would like to do."
Muslims Do Not Behave Like That
Date: 2006Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
"You are supposed to live in mutual respect and kindness with your neighbor, if you have one, whether that neighbor is a believer or a non-believer."
Zacharia and Yakubu Discussion
Date: September 6, 2009Format: Image-MovingImage/mp4
"As a Muslim, your hands do not bother anyone, your mouth should not hurt anyone, your legs should not bother anyone, don't cheat, don't beat anyone, don't kill anyone, you see, this is what we call Muslim."
Images
A Trading Family
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This wealthy woman employs four of her children in her wholesale business.
A Typical Street Corner
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A major street in a Muslim neighborhood.
All Boys Together
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Boys at a conservative Eid wearing a wide range of outfits.
An Islamic Public Primary School
Date: 2016Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The government approves the standard curriculum provided by both Islamic and Christian affiliated schools, which each add religious subjects.
An Outdoor Sermon
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The neighborhood imam preaches from the male end of the court.
Apartment Buildings
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Multistory buildings with stores on the ground floor and street stalls are common in the central city.
Apprentice Tailor
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Boys can start apprenticeships for tailoring and other crafts in their early teens.
Bagging Goods
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
At home in her courtyard, this woman divides her goods into plastic bags ready to sell.
Blood Drive Supporters
Date: 2016Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A street march downtown to promote blood donation.
Bodyguards of the Zongo Chief
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
These red turbans are the insignia of the Zongo Chief's palace guard.
Boy with White Headdress
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A local boy wears shining white and an Arab headdress for the occasion.
Boys in Headsresses
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Three boys in gleaming white, wearing variations on Arab headdresses.
Boys with Tomato Boxes
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
These young men receive tomatoes shipped from their native Upper East Region to their group in labeled boxes.
Brass Band
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A uniformed group singing with their brass band.
Bright Veil
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Brightly colored sheer lace veils like the white ones are also common.
Brothers and Friend
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Two brothers find a good spot for viewing the parade.
Brothers and Sisters
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Brothers and sisters in dramatic kohl eye makeup, Arab style.
Buses and Trucks
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Freight trucks and passenger buses waiting to load up on the roadside.
Business District
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A busy street in the central business district of the Zongo.
Buying Minutes
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Roadside stands make prepaid phone cards available all over the city.
Central Market Tailor
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A section of the Central Market is devoted to sewing and embroidery of typical Muslim styles for men and women, by men tailors.This young tailor makes men's and women's embroidered outfits, but wears denims himself.
Chicken for Ramadan
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A fishnet keeps these chickens securely inside an aluminum head pan.
Chicken Vendors
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Street vendors take a rest from the holiday rush.
Coed Islamic School
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Secondary school classes put boys and girls together in an Islamic public school.
Collecting Bale Straps
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A retired bale carrier now collects the discarded strapping for resale.
Conservative Women
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Conservative women and girls at a conservative prayer celebration for Eid Al-Fitr.
Crowd as Chief Approaches
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A diverse crowd watches the arrival of a chief.
Crowd of Women
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Many women attend the school festival, keeping to one side of the grounds.
Crowded Balcony
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Even an unfinished balcony on the parade route is full.
Crowds From the Mosque
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Crowds filter back from praying at the Central Mosque before the procession begins.
Cultural Tableau
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Children show off local produce and clothing, riding in front of a chief with Islamic high style green robe and turban and a companion in wild silk.
Dad and Kids En Route
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Very cool Dad with three matching kids in matching festival attire.
Dancing Chief
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Chiefs carried on palanquins or pickups dance to show their vigor and solidarity with onlookers and companions. Note the carpet covering the truck cab.
Daycare Near the Market
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A childcare group downtown near a main bus stop.
Desert Style
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The light color and loose, flowing style of these robes offers good protection from heat, sand and drying wind in desert locations.
Dignitaries with Umbrellas
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Only some of these honored guests wear the school’s green turban.
Drummers and Dancers
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A band of drummers and dancers from the Upper Region accompanying their chief.
Elder Settling Dispute
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Learned elders can spend much of their time hearing disputes between local residents, who bring them to be decided according to Muslim principles.
Elderly Chief
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
An elderly chief surrounded by his supporters in northern smocks.
Elderly Women Study
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Women elders use their leisure for religious study.
Elders in Robes
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The traditional three-piece suit, worn here with long turbans wrapped to cover the neck. The turbans of white cotton or colored lace show each elder's position at court.
Elders Teaching Islamic Law
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A leading local scholar gathers elders to study land law.
Embroidered Veil
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Black and dark brown or blue veils can be plain or richly decorated.
Exhibition Dancer
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Dancing with his heavy smock shows off the wealth and athleticism of this Upper Region man.
Families Celebrating Slideshow
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The whole family gathers with delicious food, gifts and new clothes.
Families Gathering
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
All ages of women sit together at prayer; each family brings its own large mats.
Father-son Team
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The crowds can make horses nervous, so riding has some danger.
Festival Organizers
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
School officials wearing their uniforms for the annual commemoration of the school’s founder.
Festival Souvenirs
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
His cart displays sunglasses and other festive items.
Five Friends
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Five young men wear unique variations of a common style.
Following Behind
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Random onlookers follow behind a chief.
Following the Recitation
Date: 2016Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This earnest learner brought two books to follow along with the recitation.
Foot Washing Before Prayer
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Washing feet, hands, and face prepares Muslims for each of there five daily prayers.
Friday Prayer Group
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This group of men gather on Fridays in a side yard on the grounds of the Central Mosque.
From Own Verandah
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This family can watch the parade passing in front of their house.
Gathering Grass
Date: 2016Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Fattening cattle in the city requires cutting grass for extra fodder.
Grand Smocks
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This chief and his companions display the most lavish possible examples of hand-woven smocks from the Upper Regions.
Guards with Hats
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This set of guards wears elaborate basketry hats typical of the far north of Ghana.
Hardworking People Slideshow
Format: Image-StillImage/jpegMuslims should be honest and hardworking, whatever their occupations.
Hat Variations
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A plain white robe highlights the political message of the shoulder scarf.
Head Carrier
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Women also make their living carrying heavy loads on their heads.
Headscarf Variations
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A line of women showing many variations in dress. From right to left: dark cotton print dress and matching head tie with a shoulder scarf; colorful hair beads with a short-sleeved dress printed with Islamic symbols; longer white headscarves showing beaded hair with long-sleeved white robes (2); Yoruba-style starched head tie matching a short-sleeved beige robe; beads only with long white robe (small child); white opaque veil covering head and shoulders and long-sleeved white robe.
Home from Shopping
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Carrying a bag on the head and a baby on the back is usual In Ghana for Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
Huge Crowds
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The route in mid-parade, with people watching from houses and unfinished buildings.
Islamic Education Slideshow
Format: Image-StillImage/jpegSome diverse venues offered to Kumasi Muslims for formal or informal education
Islamic Neighborhoods Slideshow
Format: Image-StillImage/jpegSome parts of Kumasi are known as predominantly Muslim.
Kids with Style
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Contrasting styles for these boys; sisters in matching dresses.
Koran Class
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Women gather at a local mosque to study the Koran on Fridays.
Late Arrivals
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A family hurries to join the group already starting the prayer.
Learning to Pray
Date: 2006Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A toddler imitates her mother and other women at Friday prayers.
Learning Zongo History
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A leading elder explains the photographs in the Mossi chief's reception room.
Line of Horsemen
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Riders in white robes wait for their chief to move on.
Local Scholar
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A local scholar arrives from the mosque with his student followers.
Long Green Veil
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Three close friends admire their friend's unusually long, opaque veil in a more Middle-eastern style.
Lunch Delivery
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A woman brings cooked food daily for sale to workers in a vehicle repair yard.
Magnificent in Red
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Scarlet and gold robes and umbrella make these chiefs stand out from the crowd.
Making Mirror Frames
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This workshop is located near an industrial sawmill, using offcuts to make frames for mirrors.
Malam and his Brother
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This teacher from a local mosque came with his brother to instruct us in the principles of Islam.
Marching in Uniform
Date: 2014Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Kumasi Muslims marching in their ethnic group uniforms.
Matching Couple
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Proper dress for men and women need not vary much.
Men Gather for Prayer
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Men gathering for prayer at an Eid observance after Ramadan.
Men Outside their Kiosks
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
These men do business from converted shipping containers.
Men Slideshow
Format: Image-StillImage/jpegA range of dress styles compatible with Muslim identity for men
Milk Vendor
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Many vendors of branded snacks rent their equipment from the supplier and only make a commission on sales.
Mobile Cafe
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The coffee company supplies uniforms and carts shaped like their distinctive cans.
Mobile Peddlers
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
These three hawkers with headloads compete with a more established kiosk.
Modern Fashions
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
These two girls combine conservative veils with shorter dresses in a more European style.
Mossi and Housa Commentary
Date: 2016Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A local scholar recites from the Koran, translating and explaining in Hausa, after which a younger man translates both into Mossi, a local language.
Mossi Chief and Followers at Mosque
Date: 2016Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The Mossi chief sponsors daily Koran recitation at his mosque during Ramadan.
Most Traditional
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This compact delegation includes all the highest status elements: horse, gold umbrella and concealing embroidered robe.
Motorcycle Shop
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Muslim men predominate in motorcycle and moped sales here.
Neighborhood Chief Arriving
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The chief of a Muslim neighborhood arrives for an Eid celebration held at the tennis courts of the Lebanese club.
Neighborhood Eid Slideshow
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Gathering for prayers in a local park on a minor holiday
Neighborhood Imam
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The neighborhood imam addresses the chief and assembled men.
Neighborly Group
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A set of close neighbors and family attend the Eid together.
Nobles with Son
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This noble carries his young son in front of him on the horse. The guard, with the saffron turban, carries a silver spiral lance.
Nobles with Son
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This noble carries his young son in front of him on the horse. The guard, with the saffron turban, carries a silver spiral lance.
Notable Woman
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This woman notable arrives in style near the end of the parade.
Notables Slideshow
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Chiefs and other public figures taking part in the parade
On the Carpet
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This chief brought two young attendants onto the carpet with him.
On the Women's Side
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The awning and chairs provided for women attending
One Women, Three Contexts
Format: Image-StillImage/jpegA variety of dress styles Hajia Habiba appropriately wears in public.
Outshining her Truck
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This notable woman rides on her own rented truck, wearing a flamboyant Yoruba-style headtie.
Packed Crowd
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A crowded street makes crossing difficult during the parade.
Pantsuit with Veil
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Although wearing a pantsuit, this young woman veils modestly.
Party Leaders' Photo
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
In a presidential election year, party campaign materials keep this vendor in business.
Photography Shop
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Two young men take and process digital photos in their shop.
Political Party
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Prominent political parties display their candidates in the parade.
Postcolonial Helmet
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The ornate green helmet of this chief, like the silver helmet worn by the Zongo Chief, elaborates upon the British colonial pith helmet.
Poster of Mossi Elders
Date: 2016Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This poster in a chief’s reception room shows him and his elders.
Power Symbols
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
These chiefs display symbols of prestige from many sources: the wild silk smocks, the protective bundles containing verses from the Koran, the typically Akan umbrella, Hausa-style embroidery and a cell phone.
Preparing to March
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Uniformed members of an ethnic group assemble before joining the parade.
Preschool High Style
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Every variety of high style is represented here.
Proud Father and Sons
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A taxi driver with his two sons ready for Eid Al-Fitr prayer.
Proud Grandfather
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A grandfather brings his grandsons to pray at Eid Al-Fitr
Proudly Named
Date: 2006Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Her shop sign announces her Muslim faith and gender.
Returning from Prayers
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
After formal prayers and speeches at the Central Mosque, people secure their places on the parade route.
Returning Woman Student
Date: 2006Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This woman takes afternoon classes in an Islamic public school after leaving school years ago.
Rich Combinations
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
These chiefs combine Islamic talismans with white and embroidered robes over handwoven smocks typical of Ghana's Upper Regions.
Riding in Comfort
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This dignified woman sits on a mattress made of pillows on the car roof.
Riding the Cab
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This chief wears Islamic colors sitting on a carpet on top of a gold truck.
Roadside Shop
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A roadside convenience store with a little of everything.
School Classes in a Home
Date: 2006Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This school teaches women both secular and Koranic subjects in a malama’s home.
School Founder's Day Slideshow
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A local Islamic school gathers on their deceased founder's birthday.
School Principal
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This man runs a government-certified Islamic public school that includes primary, junior and senior secondary classes.
Schoolgirl
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
One girl in long-sleeved dress and opaque white veil with a pencil.
Seamstress
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Many seamstresses like this work from kiosks located near their homes.
See and Be Seen
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Two wealthy locals greet each other in their festive attire.
Senior Midwife
Date: 2016Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
As a midwife in a rural district, she sometimes bringing women with labor difficulties to hospital on the back of her motorcycle.
Sharing a Book
Date: 2016Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The faithful share knowledge as well as food during Ramadan.
Shoemaker Apprentices
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Both Muslim and Asante men make and repair shoes. This shop specializes in recycling uppers from imported secondhand shoes into new styles.
Spectators Slideshow
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Community members experience the parade.
Standard Veil
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
In this very common style for formal occasions, a middle-aged woman wears a printed cotton log-sleeved blouse with matching skirt and head tie, adding sheer white veil over her head and shoulders.
Street Corner Business
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Three occupations in less than ten feet.
Streetside Table
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Many Muslims sell and buy from simple tables by the sidewalk.
Students Adjusting Their Uniforms
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
These boys in special uniforms prepare for a marching display.
Studying Koran Slideshow
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The Koran was given to Prophet Mohammed during Ramadan.
Tailor and Imam's Son
Date: 2006Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This tailor sews and embroiders men's and women's clothing. His father serves as Imam in another Ghanaian town.
Teenage Girlfriends
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Teen girls socialize with friends after the prayers.
The Asante Queen Mother
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Representing the Asante royalty on this occasion, the Queen Mother's distinctive patterned umbrella echoes her pink kente cloth.
The Asantehemma's Entourage
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Those accompanying the Asantehemma wear Islamic-themed attire.
The Blue Horse
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This father carries his son in front like nobles in the parade did on their horses
The Chief's Photographer
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The Muslim chief of a Kumasi neighborhood poses with his entourage for his own photographer.
The End of the Parade
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
As dusk settles and the dignitaries have passed, private and group parties start along the route.
The Headmaster
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The headmaster of this Islamic school preaches a sermon at their annual festival.
Three Coordinated Chiefs
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
These three make an impressive appearance in coordinated scarlet and gold robes on richly decorated horses behaving well.
Three Matching Outfits
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Like many, these three brothers got new matching outfits for Ramadan
Tires for Sale
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Lightly used tires displayed in the neighborhood.
Token Veil
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A woman wears her veil on one shoulder, with short sleeves.
Tots in Suits
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Western formal dress also appears acceptable at an Eid prayer.
Trading in the Street Slideshow
Format: Image-StillImage/jpegPublic space often provides workspace, especially for traders.
Traditional Brass Pans
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Young girls carry the brass pans containing shea butter and other traditional gifts for the palace.
Traffic Congestion
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The slow pace of movement often forces delegations to a standstill.
Truck Drivers' Union
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This local branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union is predominantly Muslim.
Truck Mechanic
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This man runs a roadside truck repair workshop in a Muslim neighborhood.
Truck Parts Dealer
Date: 2006Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
In her shop on a major road in Magazine, a huge vehicle repair center, she sells double axles, diesel engines and crankshafts.
Turban and Lace
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Elaborate white-and-gold lace over a red car complements a saffron turban that covers most of this chief's head and neck.
Two Men Friends
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Men also enjoy dressing well and greeting their friends and neighbors.
Uniform Turban
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A man and boy among others with black turbans and gold skullcaps.
Unloading Bales
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
General stereotypes assume all these load carriers are from the North.
Urban Cattle
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Herding, trading and slaughtering cattle in Kumasi are all occupations associated with Muslims, especially Fulani and Hausa.
Veil Shop
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This young married Muslim sells veils from Dubai, but is not wearing one.
Veiled Trouser Suit
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This woman casually covers her cotton print pantsuit with a long veil.
Veiled Young Women
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
These two girlfriends are more particular than average about veiling.
Veiling the Car
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The light cloth under this chief's flowing robe conceals most of the car.
Veils with Attitude
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Three young women with very different styles, but all with an identifiable veil.
Visiting Grandma
Date: 2006Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Mother brings her young son to visit his grandmother’s market stall.
Walking to the Mosque
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A family walking together to Friday prayers.
Well Dressed Elder
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
An elder in his fine three-piece suit of blue damask.
Well Dressed Man
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The flowing white sleeveless over robe sets off the heavily embroidered outfit with a well-matched hat.
White and Red Contrast
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
White robes and a red umbrella set these chiefs apart from their attendants.
Woman Teacher
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Teacher addressing a coed senior class in an Islamic public school.
Women at a Funeral
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The funeral of an aged mother held in the family home and attended by Muslims and Christians.
Women Going Somewhere
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
A group of women passing by in a Muslim neighborhood.
Women Relatives
Date: 2014Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Sisters and wives of the Mossi chief's household with friends.
Women Slideshow
Format: Image-StillImage/jpegA range of dress styles that express modesty and Islamic faith
Women Study the Koran
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
These women enjoy their opportunity to learn.
Women Studying the Koran on Fridays
Date: 2006Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Women attend a weekly Koran study class organized at a suburban public school and mosque.
Women's Class in Yard
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
These women gather on chairs under an awning to study the Koran.
Women's Koran Class
Date: 2006Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
This women’s class meets Friday in a local mosque to study the Koran.
Women's Section
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Women and girls pray on one side, facing the backs of the men on the other court.
Work Neighbors Pray Together
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Young men who work in this neighborhood regularly gather for noon prayer inside this roadside shop made from a shipping container.
Young Educated Women
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Devout university graduates working on interview translations.
Young Man
Date: 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Empressive embroidery is as acceptable as the color pink.
Young Men
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Young men meet in an informal afternoon discussion group.
Young Scholars
Date: 2012Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
Young boys wearing their uniform items creatively.
Young Woman Reads Koran
Date: 2009Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
All ages study together by reading in unison.
Zongo Chief
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The Zongo Chief in procession with his entourage.
Zongo Chief
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The Zongo Chief in procession with his entourage
Zongo Chief's Horse
Date: August 2011Format: Image-StillImage/jpeg
The multiple layers of the Zongo Chief's costume even cover his horse with lace. The horse and flywhisk are symbols of high prestige connected to the northern savannah.
Maps
Trade Routes
Format: Image-StillImage/jpegTrans-Sahara trade routes linking Medieval Europe to the gold-producing Akan regions towards the southern coast.
