Impact of religious beliefs on dressing in Ghana case study of the tamale metropolitan assembly

Abstract

This work uncovered the impact of religious beliefs on the dressing of the people of Tamale, in the northern region of Ghana. Most indigenes of Tamale dress decently but it is unclear the moral source of the decency. It is hypothesized that the three religions (Christianity, Islam and Tradition) in Ghana collectively do have moral effect on how the people present themselves in dressing. Some people are unsure whether religion influences how they dress. Therefore, this study sought to identify the correlation between the religious beliefs of the people and how they dress. Data was collected following the administration of questionnaire addressing key demographic characteristics including gender, age, education, marital status, religion, occupation and ethnicity. Data was also collected through interviews with some of the participants of the study, and through observation and personal communication. The results show that 67% of the respondents attributed their dressing to a fundamental need to cover their bodies, 22% posited that wearing of cloths helps protect the body from bad weather, 8% said they clothe to look attractive and 3% stated that they dress to impress. Of the total respondents, 59% said religious beliefs have a bearing on people’s dressing whereas 41% answered otherwise. Of the total respondents, 79% depicted that their kind of dressing depicted their religion. The data revealed that most of the people are conversant of the influence of their religion on their dressing. The researcher concludes that the religious belief of the people of Tamale does influence how they present themselves in terms of clothing. Having realized the significant influence of religion on dressing, which constitutes a significant part of the moral values of the people, it is highly recommended that these values be inculcated in kids at early stages of life, both at home and as part of a school curriculum.