Anthropology of Streetism: Documenting the Heritage Resources of Street Dwellers in Adabraka

Abstract

The phenomenon of working and living on the street is on the rise in most Third World Countries of which Ghana is no exception. There have been several investigations into the lives of street dwellers most of which have provided useful insights into understanding the causes, effects and remedies to this phenomenon. However, most of such works fail to identify and document the positive cultural constructions that can be learned or deduced from life in the streets. This research explored and drew insights from the day to day life of the street dwellers in Adabraka, and identified and documented some aspects of their ways of life that can be viewed as the heritage. Concluding on information gathered during my research through the use of an eclectic research methodology which included techniques of both ethnography and visual documentation, it was evident that street dwelling is not always bad as mostly perceived. There are some positive aspects of this way of life that can be learned by the ‘normal’ individual. The study, for instance, revealed that the attitude of determination and perseverance, the African concept of ‘Ubuntu’ and egalitarian lifestyles can be learnt from these street dwellers. Hence, it is worthy of documenting these ways of life which can be considered as heritage