Witchcraft in Ghana
Colonial History and Context: headers in sentence case per MOS:Head
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Tales of witch beliefs and accusations occur through various forms of media including television, newspaper, and magazines, and law.{{Citation |author=Mensah Adinkrah |chapter=Witchcraft Beliefs in Ghana|title=Witchcraft, Witches, and Violence in Ghana|year=2015|pages=53–107|publisher=Berghahn Books|doi=10.2307/j.ctt9qcswd.7|isbn=978-1-78238-561-5}} However, research in Eastern Ghana indicates that Akan who live by the [[Kwahu West Municipal District|Kwahu]] sandstone plateau often engage with witchcraft informally; suspicions are spread through word-of-mouth away from formal public affairs.{{Cite journal|last=Bleek|first=Wolf|date=December 1976|title=Witchcraft, Gossip and Death: A Social Drama|journal=Man|volume=11|issue=4|pages=526–541|doi=10.2307/2800437|jstor=2800437}} |
Tales of witch beliefs and accusations occur through various forms of media including television, newspaper, and magazines, and law.{{Citation |author=Mensah Adinkrah |chapter=Witchcraft Beliefs in Ghana|title=Witchcraft, Witches, and Violence in Ghana|year=2015|pages=53–107|publisher=Berghahn Books|doi=10.2307/j.ctt9qcswd.7|isbn=978-1-78238-561-5}} However, research in Eastern Ghana indicates that Akan who live by the [[Kwahu West Municipal District|Kwahu]] sandstone plateau often engage with witchcraft informally; suspicions are spread through word-of-mouth away from formal public affairs.{{Cite journal|last=Bleek|first=Wolf|date=December 1976|title=Witchcraft, Gossip and Death: A Social Drama|journal=Man|volume=11|issue=4|pages=526–541|doi=10.2307/2800437|jstor=2800437}} |
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=== Colonial |
=== Colonial history and context === |
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When Ghana was colonized by the British in 1874, the state reserved the right to administer capital punishment for witchcraft and pre-colonial witchcraft test were similarly outlawed. However, native tribunals continued to judge witchcraft cases without legal authority. In 1927, the Native Administration Ordinance (NAO) granted the Gold Coast Tribunals the official authority to judge witchcraft cases, which brought them into legal compliance and legitimized native tribunal cases. |
When Ghana was colonized by the British in 1874, the state reserved the right to administer capital punishment for witchcraft and pre-colonial witchcraft test were similarly outlawed. However, native tribunals continued to judge witchcraft cases without legal authority. In 1927, the Native Administration Ordinance (NAO) granted the Gold Coast Tribunals the official authority to judge witchcraft cases, which brought them into legal compliance and legitimized native tribunal cases. |
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