Ghana

The West African country of Ghana was the center of a wealthy trading empire from late medieval times. It was invaded by the British, and in 1901 the Ghanaian Empire became a full part of the British Empire as the Gold Coast. In 1957 it gained its independence under Kwame Nkrumah and became the Republic of Ghana.

The reason for the country being known as the Gold Coast was because of its rich history of making gold ornaments, which was associated with the Kingdom of Ashanti. There was a rich heritage in the country before the arrival of the Portuguese, the Danes, the Dutch, the French, and the British, who came in search of slaves. The Danes, and later the British, established settlements, and it was not long before scholars started studying the elaborate woodcarving and metalworking of the Ashanti. Boys and young men were involved in fashioning finely carved stools, and other ceremonial ornaments. The Ewé people, who live in modern-day Ghana and also in Togo, were involved in carving small figurines used by children to play, although particular ones were imbued with great symbolic and ritual importance and were sacred. Dancing and the playing of drums was also common.

For girls and women, spinning and weaving brightly colored cloth occupied much of their time, both for recreation and, obviously, to wear and to sell. Girls have been involved in skipping and playing Hide & Seek, and other similar games with boys. The introduction of many schools throughout the country from the 1930s led to most boys, and many girls, attending some form of school, where sports were a part of the British curriculum for recreational purposes. This led to the introduction of soccer, which is now the most popular game for boys and young men in the country, with Ghana's soccer team having achieved great results in various World Cup events. Boxing has also been heavily promoted through the success of the Ghanian boxer Roy Ankrah. Many of the schools follow a British-style curriculum, and as a result, many children play cards and also board games, with computer games becoming increasingly common, especially among the wealthier families. Cycling is also a common form of recreation, as is hiking. The Ghana Scout Association was founded in 1912, and the Ghana Girl Guides Association was founded in 1921.

Taking part in musical events and listening to recordings of Ghanian music has been very popular since the 1920s—the Ghanian band Kumasi Trio received attention in London in 1928. Other instruments played include the guitar and the saxophone, as well as a variety of drums, giving the music a feeling of the rhythm of jazz. Because so many people from Ghana were taken as slaves to the Americas, Ghanian music has been popular among African-Americans, and this, and the government campaign by Kwame Nkrumah beginning in 1957 has led to much more indigenous music.