The structure and style of the Ga libation text

Abstract

This study was fundamentally conducted to find the structure and style of libation prayer text among the Ga. It further looked at the concept of libation and its significance among the Ga. Purposive sampling was used to select the Ga Mashie Community for the study. Qualitative research was adopted for the study. The researcher collected data through observation, interview and documentation. The sample population for the study was twenty (20): comprising ten (10) elders in the Ga Mashie Community and ten (10) Ga teachers from second cycle school. The result of the study indicates that the Ga perform libation on all occasions and gatherings. It also revealed that libation is performed by spiritual leaders, family heads and elders who are mostly men. Women are, however, allowed to perform libation on a few occasions. The study on the structure also indicates that the Ga invite the Supreme God and deities as well as ancestors in their libation prayers. In the libation prayers they narrate the purpose of gathering, make their requests and conclude by asking for blessings from the spiritual beings or cursing their enemies. The structure of the libation text is therefore invocation of divine beings and the ancestors, explanation for summons and supplication of divine beings. The study also highlights the fact that the Ga believe in life after death which is the reason behind their giving befitting burial to their deceased and their reason for inviting their ancestors in all their social gatherings. The study further reveals that the Ga libation prayer text has several stylistic features such as parallelisms, symbolisms, metaphors and idioms among others.