Race in Ghana

Race in Ghana is marked by an underlying racial hierarchy valuing whiteness over blackness. This May Be seen through certain social phenomena from within Ghana and other postcolonial regions in the world. The process of racialization has been reinforced by the postcolonial policies and ongoing Western influence, both culturally and economically.

Racial politics of Ghana

The racial political structure of Ghana is based on the conception that Ghana as a country is free of racism due to their status as being the first African colony to gain full independence on March 6, 1957. As such, the country is seen as the central hub for Pan-Africanism and African nationalism on the continent. Due to this reputation, Ghana is revered as the pioneer that championed over the European Colonization of Africa (Scramble for Africa) and til this day, Ghana still serves as a role model of independence in Africa. As the nation progressed, the racial lines that once marginalized groups within Ghana began to break down and a new identity of blackness had emerged in response to years of European domination. Since then many Ghanaian and Africans alike have shown great unity during times of Ghana's celebration of its independence.

Yet despite these tremendous initiatives, certain critics and researchers alike have made arguments to suggest that despite the liberation of Ghana, the presence of European hegemony still exist in their everyday lives. As suggested by Jemima Pierre, the racial connotations of Ghana implicate that there are societal norms and economic practices that perpetuate white supremacy. According to her argument, it is suggested that the cultural implication of whiteness has caused many Ghanaians to become more inherently invested in promoting positive traits and institutions that are seen as more modern and sophisticated. This perspective has brought a great deal of controversy and debate among academics in the African studies community. Due to this debate, many Ghanaians and critics have come forward with the counter argument that Ghana as a whole is a hallmark of black pride, but Pierre's argument countered these claims given the evidence of how European hegemony has and is still influencing many of the social aspects in the state of Ghana.

The perspective which Pierre argued stems from the colonial past that Ghana endured during its history. As a European colony, Ghana was subjected to numerous levels of changes that resulted into the societal change. After its independence, Ghana was able to take control of its development and political economy. The first Ghanaian President, Kwame Nkrumah, developed policies and national symbols to reinforce the new found African pride that had swept the African continent. But there were many challenges that proved to be dangerous and detrimental to the Ghanaian state. These obstacles were the continued European influence, political instability, and the Cold War. These problems greatly contributed to the struggle of racial identity in Ghana given the constant interference by the Europeans and other Western powers. Another attribute that contributes to racial identity in Ghana are the number of immigrants of non-African descent that migrated to Ghana during the '60s to the mid-'90s. The migrations occurred due to the new hopes of economic investment, and because of the influx of immigrants, Ghana's demographic make-up has shifted during the last sixty years. As a result, Ghana's racial identity is becoming more globalized with the exception that the majority of Ghanaians are of African origin. Given the overall population with black Ghanaians being the majority, there is still considerably outside influences that dictate how the Ghanaian government operates on the bases of accommodating outside investors, foreign government officials, and business men/women (particularly White/Europeans) for their services and visits which are sometimes accompanied with special treatment and benefits.

The ghost of Anglo European hegemony

In order to clearly understand the concept of the Ghost of Anglo European Hegemony, it needs to be broken down. Hegemony is the normalized dominance of one group over another. When Jemima Pierre references this she is stating how the Anglo Europeans left lasting impressions on the Ghanaian people and land. The ghost is the lingering effects of what was done when the Europeans were inhabitants of Ghana along with the Ghanaian people. Some of these effects include division of the people by way of economic power/position and the disruption to local politics pre-European influence. Once the Europeans pulled out of the land they had already destroyed the civility that once existed. The leaders from indirect rule were left in place. These leaders were there to continue to implement the policies and laws that Europeans had enacted. These laws, unbeknownst to them at the time, were racist and were created to keep the division wide.

The trope of whiteness in Ghana

In Ghana, the ghosts of colonialism, white supremacy, and imperialism still linger in their society, whiteness is seen as superior and the goal, creating a Trope of Whiteness. There's an initial distrust of white people, but also a need to become white and assimilate into white culture. In the book, The Predicament of Blackness: Postcolonial Ghana and the Politics of Race, Jemima Pierre speaks to a group of Ghanaian college students AbOUT how they view white people and white influence. Many of the college students had an almost God-like view of white people, calling them "demigods" or "mini-gods", the University students also pointed out that they treat white people better than their fellow Ghanaians despite an initial distrust for white people, and this is because the students see white people as more successful, more advanced, more educated, and are leading in almost all industries. . This Trope of Whiteness is one of the many lasting impacts of colonialism in Ghana, and because of white supremacy and internalized racism it is almost ingrained in the minds of many Ghanaians that white people are better and/or smarter. The idea that "whiteness is the ownership of the Earth" , goes hand in hand with the Trope of Whiteness in Ghana, Ghanaians are exposed to Eurocentric beauty standards and even the white washing of religion is ingrained in the minds of many Ghanaians.

Kwame Dompi, a professor at a university in the United States, made an assertion about the whitewashed view of Jesus in Ghana. "If you think of God as the Good of All good, then you will think of Whites the same way.". In many Ghanaian churches, Jesus has "long blond hair and a blond beard" and the significance of having a white Jesus goes back to the dialogue about white people being "mini-gods" or "demigods". It can also lead to many Ghanaians' belief in an exaggerated white goodness, that because Jesus Is white then all whites must be good because Jesus is good, and it pushes along the message that darkness and blackness is bad, therefore they are bad, and this can often lead to many Ghanaians performing whiteness to seem and be more successful, attractive, and good. This is especially true for poor Ghanaians, who do see whiteness as wealth and power. In her book, Pierre tells the story of a young Ghanaian girl who shyly waves at a white family, just hoping to catch their attention, and it is pointed out to Pierre that if the family was non-White they would not get the same reception from her.

The Trope of Whiteness in Ghana is confusing and often times problematic, because of where the trope comes from. The admiration of whiteness did not happen overnight, but because of centuries of colonialism, imperialism, and white/European influence on pop culture and religion have become so ingrained in the minds of Ghanaians that they, and many other African decedents have a hard time letting go of it, or want to become a part of it

The Obruni case

The word obruni means "foreigner". Its modern use shows how omnipresent the racial hierarchy is in Ghanaian culture.

Originally used to identify White Europeans, the term is now used to refer to foreign Whites as well as foreign Asians, diaspora Blacks and Ghanaians returning from abroad. It's common use to describe seemingly rich and culturally different Ghanaians and other Blacks signals a clear association made between Whiteness as racialized identity and Whiteness as a particular class status, cultural standing, education level and outlook. By unconsciously reinforcing the link between whiteness and wealth, it normalizes social characteristics held by the white people.

In the same way, obruni is also sometimes used as an indicator for goodness or attractiveness. This use of the word links directly whiteness to goodness. Thus, It construct and affirms a racial hierarchy dominated by the white people that permeates society. It contributes indirectly to the legitimation of the latter's social domination in Ghana.

Skin bleachingna

Skin lightening in Ghana or skin whitening has become increasingly popular, with many citizens of Ghana having a desire for lighter skin colour. The products that they use that can cause permanent damage to their skin as well as to their health. This is all because of the internalized racism that the Ghanaian citizens have encountered. Skin bleaching crosses class lines, which makes it a problem that affects the entire country. In 2005 the Ghana Health Service launched an anti-bleaching campaign to inform its citizens of the potential damage that skin bleaching causes. The region that has the most problem with skin bleaching is the Ashanti region. This is due to cultural adaptation to skin bleaching. The queen mother is favoured when she is lighter, this is because she holds a place a power and she needs to look brighter. The problem with skin bleaching is due to the internalized racism in Ghana where whiteness is favoured.

Race and the politics of African-Diaspora interactions

Race, when it comes to the interaction with the African-Diaspora, is “within mutual processes of discourse, practices, and (mis)recognitions that are informed both by African diasporic racial consciousness and identity and by Ghanaian racialized consciousness and agency.” There are some differences in views on the aspect of slavery and its role in history between the people of the Diaspora and Ghanaian people. The Ghanaian people believe that the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade did not affect them as much as it effected the people of the Diaspora. This does not mean that they view slavery as a less significant part of African history, to them it is a part that did not affect them as much. Descendants of the Diaspora feel the complete opposite. During a conversation with Lynette, Kofi, stated that Lynette was the lucky one. "I was surprised- shocked, even- that one of my friends would have such a view of the African diasporic experience." To people of the diaspora the Trans-Atlantic slave trade is seen as barbaric, inhumane and heinous. Despite the difference of perspective regarding the slave trade, Ghanaians believe in solidarity with all people of African descent. As a result of their solidarity the first president of Ghana created the All-African People's Revolutionary Party.

The All-African People's Revolutionary Party (A-APRP) was established to combat the forces oppressing Africans worldwide in a struggle for equality while uniting them through a revolutionary Pan-Africanism movement. A-APRP was requested by the first president of Ghana Kwame Nkrumah. Kwame Toure was a U.S. civil rights and Black Power movement activist formerly known as Stokely Carmichael. With Toure as leader the party grew so fast that it spread throughout the African Continent and the African Diaspora. In Ghana, the party focused on African unity as define by Pan-Africanism, while maintaining a balance between work and study. This also stressed that members raise their political consciousness

Descendants of the diaspora are often viewed as tourists travelling for pleasure. However, when these people do journey to Africa, specifically Ghana, more often than not it is with the intent of discovering their history first hand. "Black diaspora visitors journey to Africa for cultural and spiritual renewal...". This voyage is an attempt to fill a void that was caused by the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and the displacement of those people and their ancestors. They feel connected to the land and the people. The voyages also serve to gain first hand knowledge and experience between the descendants of the Diaspora and Ghanaian people. The voyages are beneficial to both groups. Some Ghanaian people feel connected to the descendants of the diaspora as well, this is seen in the greetings among other things. They often refer to each other as brother, sister, or cousin to show the mutual feeling of connection.

The influence of heritage tourism

Heritage tourism is a form of political socioeconomic gain and a huge part of Tourism in Ghana. It is described as when a person travels to experience a place that includes cultural, historic and natural resources with its artifacts and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past and present. The process of racialization via heritage tourism are perpetuated at a local and state level via the state institutions and organizations that operate the PANAFEST/ Emancipation Day. The influences of heritage tourism on the process of racialization are strictly economic. The Ghanaian governments exploit the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and its history as a basis for economic prosperity. Ghanaians Freddie Blay, the minister of tourism, focused on developmental and emancipation goals for Africa but emphasized that these goals would only be conceptual under the fold of Africa’s contemporary economic situation and Ghana’s history of slavery. Blay stated: “Emancipation day should be a universal event because Africa endured a trauma unprecedented in the annals of history …we carry the marks and scars of slavery and its later [result] of discrimination ...slavery affected economic growth and social growth ...we salute the survival of the African - both on the continent and in the diaspora… What we need is the unity of resolve and a purpose. Therefore, challenge this generation of Africans, whether on the homeland or in the diaspora, to rise up to the challenge and prove the resilience of the African spirit and the resourcefulness of the African mind” (Pierre, 125) It is explained that the emancipation and African spirit both symbolized the self determination and future economic development. The state depicts heritage tourism through the global perspective of slavery in benefit of economic development.