Akan Religious Ontology and Environmental Sustainability in Ghana

Ben Willie Kwaku Golo, Hasskei Mohammed Majeed, Nancy Oppongwaa Myles

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In this paper, using ethnographic field data from three indigenous Akan communities, we show that Akan religious ontology about the natural world provides a formidable resource and framework for managing the environmentally destructive tendencies of the human being. We further prove that while these ontologies about the natural world emerge from the intense religiosity of the Akan and the metaphysical worldview of the indigenous Akan, they contain strong environmental ethical norms and values worth resourcing for environmental sustainability in Ghana. We, consequently, argue that significant attention ought to be paid to these religious ontologies - beliefs, norms and practices - of the indigenous Akan, as an effective means of achieving environmental sustainability. We, therefore, propose the resourcing and adoption of indigenous religious ontologies on the natural world that have the potential of informing and enhancing environmental policies and initiatives towards environmental sustainability in Ghana.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)86-114
Number of pages29
JournalWorldviews: Environment, Culture, Religion
Volume27
Issue number1-2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

Keywords

  • environmental sustainability
  • indigenous Akan
  • natural world
  • religious environmentalism
  • religious ontology
  • stewardship

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Akan Religious Ontology and Environmental Sustainability in Ghana'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this