Abstract:
The study examines the concept of totemism in Dagaaba clans in the Jirapa Municipality in the
Upper West Region. Dagaare is a Mabia spoken language in Ghana. The research was conducted
in four communities around Jirapa and its environment. The target communities were Sigri, Ullo,
Sabuli and Jirapa Township. The researcher used purposive sampling technique to elicit the data.
The instruments used to collect the data were unstructured interview and participatory
observation. The ages of those interviewed were between fifty to sixty years old. The researcher
used descriptive technique to analyze the data. In my work, I have also touched on how these
animals are protected from being harmed. Dagaaba attach some seriousness to their totems
because of the vital role they play to their entire clans. Though Dagaaba perceive totems to be
their relatives, religious believers have a contrasting view. To them, they are satanic and this
belief has affected the concept of totemism in the Municipality. To conclude, no clan exists
without a totem in the various communities I visited.
Description:
Thesis in the Department of Gur-Gonja, Faculty of
Ghanaian Languages Education, Submitted to the School of
Graduate Studies, in Partial Fulfilment
of the Requirements for the award of the degree of
Master of Arts
(Ghanaian Languages Studies)
in the University of Education, Winneba
SEPTEMBER, 2019
