Indigenous and Exogenous Sources. The Akan People: A documentary History
Date
2015-11
Authors
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Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The Journal of African History
Abstract
The sources in this volume are separated into two categories: indigenous and exogenous.
Alongside the well-written prefatory essay that provides a context for reading and using the
sources provided in the book, Part One gives an overview of Akan cultural history and consequently
of this collection at large. The first contribution from Kenya Shujaa assesses the
current states of knowledge about the Akan past and equips readers with some of the
major research questions that have guided investigations into Akan prehistory. This
essay inter alia focuses on the question of Akan origins and the processes of urbanism
and state formation. Shujaa approaches the study of Akan history from a landscape perspective,
employing multiple scales of analysis in her review. What is interesting about
her contribution is her masterful synthesis of Ghanaian archaeology, history, and linguistics
in recreating Akan history. Following Shujaa, Kwame Daaku’s ‘History in the Oral
Traditions of the Akan’ offers a prelude to the category of indigenous sources that follow
his contribution.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
West Africa, Ghana, sources, exploration/travel, oral sources