The Impact of Colonialism on Cultural Identity: A Comparative Study of Ghana & South Africa
Date
2013-12
Authors
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Publisher
University Of Ghana
Abstract
This study primarily sought to investigate the effects of colonialism on the cultural
identities of Africans, using Ghana and South Africa as case studies. Cultural identity was
categorised into 3 major components; customs and traditions, language and land and it is within
this ambit that both theoretical and empirical literature were sought and discussed to achieve the
study objectives. Hence, this research confined itself to events during and after the colonial
period (and apartheid period in the case of South Africa). Ghana and South Africa were chosen
as case studies because amongst other reasons, both were colonised by the British and the Dutch
at different periods and so served as a good basis for comparison. This study was based on the
hypothesis that colonialism was unable to wither away completely the cultural identities of both
Ghana and South Africa. It at worst affected certain aspects of culture, land and language, but
not significant enough to leave both countries without their indigenous cultural identities.
Hence, qualitative research techniques and data from sources such as peer-reviewed journals,
books, articles and other publications were used to test this hypothesis. In the first place, extant
literature clearly demonstrates that colonialism significantly affected the cultural identities
(land, language and culture) of Ghana and South Africa. Secondly, in comparison, this
study concludes that the impacts of colonialism on land in South Africa are different and
arguably more severe than in Ghana. Thirdly, the impacts of colonialism on language are
different between Ghana and South Africa (even though the severity in the differences may be
difficult to judge). Finally, the impacts of colonialism on culture (with regards to
chieftaincy and tribe) in both Ghana and South Africa are somewhat different. Thus, with
regards to chieftaincy, the major difference lies in the fact that whereas in Ghana, the
colonialist to some extent collaborated and in some cases protected chieftaincy, in the case of
South Africa, colonialist and the apartheid regime downplayed chieftaincy for imperialistic
reasons. Similarly, fostering the distinction between tribes in the same state in Ghana was
purposeful for imperialistic reasons. In the case of South Africa, apartheid mainly resulted in
segregations along racial categories. It is, therefore, recommended that in the case of South
Africa for instance, the government can find gradual solutions to the current impasse on land
redistribution through more strategic collaboration, international relations and negotiations
with the various organizations, associations and international corporations directly involved
(stakeholders). Also, further studies may be conducted to identify if possible, the severity of the
effects of colonialism on the various aspects of cultural identity, so as to be able to give
direction to intervention programmes meant to mitigate these effects.
Description
MA.
Keywords
Colonialism, Cultural Identity, Ghana, South Africa