The Relationship between a Peoples Socio-Cultural Space And Their Literature

Introduction
Literature is a broad term which comprises a body of imaginative and nonimaginative works of a language, period or culture, produced by scholars and researchers,
specialized in a given field (Agyekum, 2013). Thus, imaginative works such as prose,
poetry, drama, fiction, drum language and myths as well as non-imaginative works such as
scientific, logistics and mathematics, and legal writings are grouped under the broad term
literature. Nevertheless, literature in the context of this work refers to imaginative
literature. Lefebvre (1974, p.15) states that any search for space in literary texts is found
everywhere and in every guise: enclosed, described, projected, dreamt of, and speculated
about. Space emerges as, and through, a massive complexity of socio-cultural structures
and relations, behavior and practices, language and discourses. In addition to that, space is
a product of historical and natural forces as well as of bodily perception, emotions and the
imagination. In other words, the question of socio-cultural space in literature has
overwhelming ramifications. For this reason I will limit this work to the socio-cultural
space specifically, the religious beliefs of Akans. The religious beliefs in the culture of
Akans are found in their literature. Many scholars such as Greenblatt, Soyinka, Angmor,
Hayness, Edu-Buandoh, Finnegan, among others, purport that there is a connection
between literature and culture because literature is a cultural production. It is against this
backdrop that this work seeks to discuss how Akan culture in general and specifically their
religious beliefs are related to their literature.

Definitions and Forms of literature

Literature does not lend itself to a single definition, because the making of it over
the centuries has been as complex, unwieldy, and natural as itself. No definition of
literature particularly a brief one, is likely to satisfy everyone. Meyer (1996) attributes this
to the fact that definitions of literature tend to weaken and require qualification when
confronted by the uniqueness of individual works. Even though, a definition of literature
can be too limiting, it would be appropriate to point out various definitions of literature by
scholars. Scholars define the term literature based on different point of views. For some
scholars, literature is art; for others, literature is language; and yet for others, literature is
aesthetic. Literature has also been seen as fictional, as expressive, and as affective. Meyer
(1996), for example sees literature as fictional, imaginative and aesthetic. He defines
literature as a fiction consisting of carefully arranged words designed to stir imagination.
Stories, poems and play are fictional whether written or oral. They are made up or
imagined even when based upon actual historic events. Such imaginative writing differs
from other kinds of writing because its purpose is not primarily to transmit fact or ideas but
it is a source of pleasure. Thus, literature is basically read for enjoyment, delight and
satisfaction. Ellis (1989) defines literature as the verbal expression of human imagination
and one of the primary means by which a culture transmits itself. Angmor (1996), also
states that literature is life; because it stems out of mans experiences in life. Based on these
definitions, it could be noticed that literature contains universal ideas, human imagination,
human experiences and human interest that are written or spoken and it uses language as a
medium to express human ideas, imagination and feelings. However, language could be

verbal or non-verbal.

Hence, a literary text projects the experiences of a writer, an

individual or a society.
The two major forms of literature are oral literature and written literature. The
genres of literature (oral and written) are, prose, poetry and drama. Prose genres include
novels, short stories, legends, myths and folktales. Also poetry genres include epic, sonnet,
lyric, chant and surrogates such as the horn and the drum (found in oral literature). The
genres of drama include comedy, tragedy, romance and satire. The major difference
between oral and written forms is that while the oral is spoken, written literature is written.
However, in many cases, there is a close interaction between the two. For example, a poem
first composed and written down, may pass into the oral tradition and be transmitted by
word of mouth; parallel to the written form, oral compositions, on the other hand, are
sometimes reserved by being written down. In short, the border-line between oral and
written literature in African communities, such as the Akan community is often by no
means a clear-cut (Finnegan, 2012). According to Angmor (1996), oral tradition is just the
indigenous counterpart of modern art which is the written literature. For most Akans
specifically and Ghanaians in general, oral tradition is their first encounter with literature.
In their bid to give an expression to indigenous culture, a number of Akan writers draw on
oral literature for their creative writing. For example, Danquahs The Third Woman and J.
A. Nketias Nyankons[m make use of folktale, Kwesi Kays Maama, L. D. and
Sutherlans The Marriage of Anansewa are dramatic rendering of folktales, Aprakus
bfo Ba Ampomah includes chants of hunters in its text, A. A. Antis Obeede makes use
of myths. The oral tradition has served as a source of material for the Akan written
literature.

Nature of literature
Literature is an expression of human feelings, thoughts, and ideas whose medium is
language whether oral or written. Literature can be a medium for humans to communicate
what they feel, think, and or experience to their audience. It employs easy and refined
language which alike affects the intellect and sentiments of the audience. The language of
literature is highly connotative than denotative. The connotative meaning means that the
words that are used in literary works have feeling and shades of meaning and that those
words tend to evoke the audience while denotative meaning means that the words refer to
meaning in dictionary. The language that is used by literature differs from ordinary spoken
or written language. Literature uses special words, structures, and characteristics. Primarily
the language of literature differs from ordinary language in three ways; first, the language
of literature is concentrated and meaningful; second, its purpose is not simply to explain,
argue, or make a point but rather to give a sense of pleasure in the discovery of a new
experience; and third, literature demands intense concentration from the audience. This
indicates that the language of literature has originality, quality, creativity, and pleasure.
In this case, to differentiate between the literary texts and non-literary texts
(imaginative and non-imaginative), Kleden (2004:7-8) states that literature can be
differentiated based on the kind of meanings that exist in a text. Literary text consists of
textual meaning and referential meaning but non-literary text only consists of referential
meaning. The textual meaning is the meaning that is produced by the relationship of text
itself. While referential meaning is meaning that is produced by the relationship between
internal text and external text (world beyond the text). From the use of language and the

existence of meaning in literary works, it can be concluded that poetry, prose and drama are
put in literary works whereas article, journalism, news, bibliography, memoir, and so on
can be categorized as non-literary works.

Culture
Scholars of varied disciplines have tried to view the term Culture in consonance
with their disciplines. However, virtually all these varied definitions of culture would
seem to anchor on anthropological definition given by Edward Tylor in 1871. According to
him, culture is: that complex whole which includes knowledge, brief, law, art, morals,
customs and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of a society
(cited in Deutscher, 2010). For cultural critics, culture is process, not a product; it is a lived
experience, not a fixed definition (Tyson, 1999). Culture is the belief systems of a people,
their history, their present, future and also the rules of behaviour that is beneficial to the
society as a whole. Gyekye (1996, p. xiii) uses the term culture in a comprehensive
sense, to encompass the entire life of a people: their morals, religious beliefs, social
structures, political and educational systems, forms of music and dance, and all other
products of their creative spirit. Irele (1991: 51) refers to culture as the spirit of a people
which includes beliefs, knowledge, religion and verbal art. Irele (1991) states:
A work of art which is created by the spirit of a people should be seen as
being inspired, imaginative, expressive, formally significant, creative;
though such work may be defective technically, morally and socially.
However, the creative ingenuity and originality, notwithstanding, a work
of art originating from and meant for a particular society would have to

take into account the ethos or the social framework of the societys
culture (p.153).
Religion or religious beliefs which form part of the culture of Akans are the
point of focus in this work. Religion which is the awareness of the existence of spiritual
beings influences the thoughts and actions of the Akan people. Thus religion or their beliefs
is found in their literature.

Relationship between Literature and culture

Literature and culture are closely knit together. As Tyson (1999; p. 295) quotes
Greenblatt:
It appears that the analysis of culture is the servant of literary study, but in
a liberal education broadly conceived it is literary study that is the servant
of text and the culture in which it emerged and the cultures in which it is
interpreted cultural understanding) Culture shapes the literature of a
people.
According to Finnegan (2012, p. 51), literature is practiced in a society. It is
obvious that any analysis of Akan literature must take account of the social and historical
context. An artists work depends on the time and place of his experience. This implies that
a literary artist, like all human beings live in a particular time and place, and their works
are influenced by innumerable conscious and unconscious ways by their own experience
within their own culture. The human is shaped by the culture into which s/he is born. Every
society constrains individual thought and action within a network of cultural limitations
while it simultaneously enables individuals to think and act. Thus the subjectivity of the

individual is a lifelong process of negotiating his/her way, consciously and unconsciously

among the constraints and freedoms offered, at any given moment in time, by the society in
which s/he lives. Literature is therefore a cultural production and so it has its unique
aesthetics and other characteristics as the culture conditions both its creation and reception.
What one culture considers good literature may not necessarily be seen as such in another
culture. Culture conditions a writers assumptions of his or her role as a writer. This
inevitably results in the writers fashioning of a concept that governs the content and form
of his or her writing. Stated differently, there is a cultural tradition of literature and each
writer or verbal artist fashions his work to enhance, subvert, or transform that tradition with
his individual talent. The cultural tradition provides the aesthetics with which to judge the
success or otherwise of a literary creation.
Again literature shapes the culture of a people. A literary text or any other kind of
cultural production, according to Tyson (1999, p. 295) performs cultural work to the
extent to which it shapes the cultural experience of those who encounter it, that is, to the
extent to which it shapes the experiences of members of a cultural group. The nature of
literature is that it uses language in an artistic way. Language is used for communication
and it is a vehicle for transmitting cultural values from one generation to the other. Thus
literature should be understood as a social and communicative system. It should be noted
that, an Akan writer in English or any other language works within two cultures: the
metropolitan language and the indigenous culture in which the Akan writer was raised and
from which s/he writes (Ojaide, 2007). This wide concept serves as a basis to understand
literature as a set of more or less social activities that mostly can be learned and fostered as
literary competences. Literature interests itself with society or man as a social unit. It is not

satisfied with creating a literary work to satisfy only our sense of wonder, it also
concerns itself with the experiences or problems of life and such themes have a
cultural value. One could argue that as much as the Akan writer, especially a poet, attempts
to be creative with the language; s/he aims more to convey the sense of urgency of the
Akan condition than to solely advance the language. While style stands out in a writer, the
focus seems to be the content although for most Akan writers, there is the attempt to
balance content and form. Put differently, the content conditions the form of the literary
work. Art expresses the totality of the peoples experience, worldview, and sensibility. In
other words, the Akan creative imagination reflects the daily lives, beliefs, struggles, and
the existential angst of the Akan people. No aspect of the peoples experience is excluded;
hence no material political, social, economic, religious, or any other is extra-literary to
the Akan writer.
It has been established that literature reflects culture just as culture informs artistic
creations. It would be pertinent at this point to look at a brief background of the religious
realties of Akans, from which their literature emerges. Religion enters all aspects of Akan
life, determining practically, every aspect of life that it can hardly be isolated. In their
religious life and thought, Akans do not distinguish the religious from the nonreligious. In
all undertakings, whether it is hunting, fishing, cultivating, sowing, harvesting, eating,
traveling, etc. religion is at work (Gyekye, 1996). All actions and thought have a religious
meaning and are inspired or influenced by a religious point of view. Religious beliefs of the
Akan could be explained in the context of their belief in the Supreme Being, divinities, and
ancestors. The Supreme Being, divinities and ancestors are unseen beings that which are
able to affect their lives either negatively or positively. The Akans believe the Supreme

Being is the creator of all things including the divinities. He is referred to as Creator,
Comforter, the Great one, the Great Spirit, the Dependable One, Eternal, Infinite, etc.
Akans believe the Supreme Being is good, merciful and just (Mbiti, 1975; Gyekye, 1996).
Again, Akans believe that divinities are nature spirits which inhabit created things like
plants, animals, water bodies, stones, etc. They believe that these divinities can protect
them, grant them fertility, success in life, etc. when they worship them. They again believe
that when they wrong these divinities, the divinities can harm them. Also the Akan believes
that death is a metamorphosis and that the family on earth has a spiritual counterpart.
Nketia (1955 as cited in Angmor, 1996) states that; It is believed that there is a world of
the dead built on much the same pattern as that of this world and that when aperson dies, he
goes to his Ancestors. There are beliefs in the visitations of the dead, in invisible
participation of the dead in the life of this world and in the continuaton of ties of kinship
and kinship after death.

Evaluation of Some Akan Literary Texts.

This section of the paper deals with an evaluation of some literary texts and how
they reflect the Akans conception of the Supreme Being, divinities and spirits. The first
text to be evaluated is ]bfo Ba Ampoma by L. D. Apraku. The second text consists of
four proverbs, and one myth. These literary texts are created by Akans and the place of
religion and beliefs in the social consciousness are exposed in these texts. Religious beliefs
of Akans can also be found in the oral traditions such as their folktales myths, legends,

horn, drum, proverbs etc. this section deals with the religious beliefs of Akans found in
their proverbs. Four proverbs are evaluated in this paper.

Aprakus }bofo] Ba Ampomah

}bofo Ba Ampomah which is the title of the book is the name of only daughter
of }b]mm]fo Dade in the text. ]b]mm]fo Dade is a great hunter who hunts for the chief in
the village. He unfortunately kills a breast feeding lioness of which the lion, husband of the
lioness, tries to seek revenge on ]b]mm]fo Dade and his only daughter. The lion has powers
and so turns into a human being and visits Ampomah when her father goes for hunting. The
human lion asks Ampomah to name the various animals her father has killed. Ampomah
names all expect for the lioness because she suspects the stranger will harm her if she does
so. Ampomah tells her father when he returns from hunting, the next time the human lion
comes to visit again. Ampomah tells him all the animals her father has killed including the
lioness. This angers the human and he turns back into a lion, ready to devour Ampomah
when ]b]mm] Dade shoots him. Both ]b]mm]fo Dade and Ampomah take ill after the
incident but unfortunately, ]b]mm]fo dies, Kabu

human lion on which the deity,

Atetenkorona, rides. Because the lion is a friend of the deity, Atentenkorona, it has spiritual
powers and could turn into a human. It turns into a human and hunts Ampomah the only
surviving daughter of Obommofo Dade. Obommofo Dade finds out it is the lion which has
turned into a human and is hunting Ampomah so he kills it. Unfortunately, Obommofo
Dade dies as a result of his encounter with the human-lion leaving only Ampomah behind.
The surviving son of the lion seeks revenge on Obommofo Dade by deceiving Ampomah

10

and taking her to the forest to kill her. Ampomah is fortunately saved by Osabene Kofi
whom she has been betrothed to.
Apraku portrays the religious beliefs of Akans that surround hunting in bofo Ba
Ampomah. He used literary devices such as themes, personification, which is making lions
talk; proverbs and others to reveal the cultural background of Akans.
In bofo Ba Ampomah, we get to know that Akans believe that animals have spirits
which can cause hunters to be poor no matter how great these hunters are. This is seen
page 6 of the literary text;
S[nea te no, abmmfo taa y[ ahiafo a wn nsam nni biribi titiriw bi.
S[ mmoa a wokum wn nno sesa na [y[ wn saa o , s[ [y[ nkrabea o, obi
nnim. [wom s[ bmmfo Dade y[ naswuma yiye s[[ de, nanso odi hia.
This literally means that, As it normally happens, most hunters are poor. One does not
know whether it is the spirits of the animals they kill or it is their fate. It is true that }
bommfo Dade is a great hunter but he is poor. This reveals that Akan attribute the poverty
of hunters to spirits of the animals they have killed. Not only poverty is attributed to the
spirits of the dead animals, but also any evil that befalls a hunter is attributed to the spirits
of the dead animals. Hunters being aware of this also have developed mechanisms to fight
the spirits of dead animals so that they will not cause harm to the hunters. This is also
revealed when bommfo Dade kills a lioness and there is some rituals performed for him
by his fellow hunters. bmmofo Dade ne ne mf[fo avmmfo abenfo k wura no nu
kfaa aboa no baa fie beguaa no. Woyiyii ne ho nne[ma a ehia k]maa ]hene. [no akyi no
sosii abfo s[nea [bey[ na aboa k[se[ yi sesa any[ [bmmfo Dade bne bi. This literally
means, ]b]mm]fo Dade and his fellow hunters went to the forest for the lioness he had

11

killed. After they had dressed it, they took the important parts of to the chief. After that,
they performed a ritual for ]b]mm]fo Dade so that the spirit of the animal will not harm
him.
Again Nketia reveals Akans belief that parts of big and dangerous animals such as
can be used for medicine to cure diseases as well as used to prevent other malevolent spirits
from harming a person. For this reason many people when they heard bmmfo Dade had
killed a lion travelled from far places to come and purchase the parts of the lion for
medicine. This is seen in page 11,
bmmfo Dade nyaa aboa yi ho mfaso pii. Nnipa a wrep[ seb ho
nne[ma aky[ nnuru, de akuru suman b[bora ha. Oyi a ose, mep[ ne dua
ak]y[ me suman so bodua. Oyi a, ose mep[ nabwer[wkakraa bi ak]kyew
b]t]; obiako se ]p[ ne nwi aky[ ayera aduru. Ebinom mpo de, esiane
mmerewa anases[mhuhuw akyidi bebrebe nti, s[be o, tafraky[aboa no bin
mpo na w]t] de koguaree de bi fraa nku srae. Wose wode guare sra a, wo
koko y[ duru s[ aboa no de ara p[ na wunsuro hwee: w[no nka mfuaw,
abayifo biara b] ne ho mmusu to wo aduru a, nt[mp ara na atew afa no so
ama waka nano as[m.
This literally means that ]b]mm]fo Dade had many benefits from this animal. The number
of people who needed parts of the lion for medicines and for juju were more hundred. One
said, I wanted the tail for my juju. Another said, I want its nails for my juju. One said s/he
wanted it fair to use it for a medicine that can cause one to vanish. Some, because of fables,
even went to the extent of buying it faeces for bathing and also mixed it with pomade for

12

their bodies; apart from being strong, any witch who attempts to harm you will confess
his/her deeds.
Another belief about animals among Akans which is revealed in the book, is the belief that
spirits reside in the forests and these spirits can enter into animals or plants.
Onipa seb] no gyee no so bio s[: Nokwa, won ne y[ d[, nanso [y[ me as[m
b[n? Wunim s[ [y[e a ]seb], mitumi dan nip? Magya na ]kyer[[me. Wuram
mmao binom w]h] a w]aben s[ owusiw. [ne s[ wuram a y[te yi, [ny[ y[n nko
na y[ten a mmom abosom ne asosomma pii ka y[n ho. ]bosom anaa
aosomma bi tumi fa wuram aboa bi adamfo tena no so no, ne ho ant] lyima
biara, efis[ s[ as[m bi to no saa a, [ka no bi. S[ ]bosom bi tea boa bi so na ]
k]t] afiri mu anaa ]b]mm]fo bi tow no kum no a, ]bosom no nso wu bi tumi
ano abr[ ase na nak]mfo ne nakyidifo nyinaa agyigya; wonhu w]n ani so
nte w]n asom bio. Efi d[n so? ]bosom no aw; aboa a ]te no so, k] ba no ahyia
akwan hyia awu, enti ]no nso awu bi. Eyi nti abosom nne abosomma fa
mmoa nnamfo saa a, [nde w]hw[ w]n so yiye na abew anaa asiane bi
ansiane w]n. Enti w]ma mmoa o be yiye. Nea abosom no y[ ne s[ wokuru
sumanw] mmoa no yam. Ses[kwa bi ]b]mm]fo bi kum saa mmoa y mu bi an
ohu ayadufuaw yi bi a, [nde ]k] ho abisa nam so kuru suman ma [dan ]
sosom a w]k]m ano.
This also literally means The human lion responded again: Of a truth, you have a
sweet voice, but how does that concern me? Do you know how a lion can turn into a
human being? My father taught me. Some animals in this forest are very powerful. This is
because, in this forest we dont live alone, many deities and children of the deities live with

13

us. A deity or a child of a deity can befriend an animal and ride on it for its round. If a deity
or a child of a deity befriends an animal, s/he protects the animal very well when riding on
it because if the animal dies, the deity also dies. A deity can be very famous and powerful
for some time; however, that deity can cease to be famous and powerful, losing its
followers.
This reflects the Akans belief that deities empower animals that they use. Again if
the animals that these deities are harmed, the deities also are harmed.
Again, we find out Akans belief in ancestors and their ability to help their living
counterparts. This belief is seen when the spirit of the dead father of Ampomah, ]bommofo
Dade revealed himself to }sabene Kofi and instructed him to go to the forest to save
Ampomah.
Mpanyin taa ka s[, onipa wu a, wawu de, nanso ]w] h]. Da a ]b]fo] Ba
Ampomah Ahwene[ ne Kabu sii mu k]e n anadwo k]nk]n a ]sabene Kofi ada
hate no, ]patuw b]] pitiri nyanee. ]da h] redwinnwen ne tirim no, pr[ko [, ]
dan no pon no buei. ]da h] saa no, ade bi y[[ nwaa y[n dan no mu begyinaa ]
dan no mu. ]b]] mm]den biara s[ ]b[penten ne ho as]re nanso ]kwa.
Anky[ na ade no twiw b[n no p[[ de nne br[oo bi a [popo kasae nyaa b]] no
sobo s[ ]de nade pa bi agyaw no na ad[n nti na wanhw[ so yiye. Decode no
hamee, twiw ]sabene anim yiye no ]hy[[ no s[, akok] b]n kokkurokoo a, ]
mm] ntoa mpoma kodiawuo nsim nk] ]dumkyer[ aso[e. Decode no ano sii p[
no, egyinaa h] konin kakra na afei [dan ne ho nwaa bio fii adi. ]sabene b]]
mm]den s]re tenaa ase dwen ne tirim komm ma [ky[e, na ose; So ny[ ]
b]mm]fo Dade na wabeye ne ho adi akyer[ me yi?

14

This also literally means The elders have a saying that, if a person dies, though s/he is
dead, he is still around. During the night of the day Ampomah travelled with Kabu (the
human-lion), when ]sabene Kofi had slept deeply, he woke up suddenly. Whiles he was
thinking, the door open. Something subtly entered the room and stood by its side. He tried
to sit up but he could not. It wan not long when the thing with a slow shivering voice spoke
to him. The thing rebuked him for neglecting the precious gift it left with him. After the
rebuke, he told him to load his gun the following morning and go to ]dumkyer[ (the forest
in which Kabu held Ampomah hostage). When the thing had finished speaking, it stood
there silently for a while and left. ]sabene then sat up and thought about the message for a
while and then said, Is it not ]b]mm]fo Dade who has revealed himself to me? this
clearly shows that among Akans ancestors or spirits of the dead are able to reveal
themselves to them, rebuke or praise them when we do something bad or wrong, and also
to give them instructions or advice them in their lives.

Proverbs
Proverbs entail both verbal artistry and cultural meaning. Proverbs are models of
compressed or forceful language. According to Nketia, (1958, p. 21), proverbs are not
only a body of short statements built up over the years and which reflect the thought and
insight of Ghanaians into problems of life, but also a technique of verbal expression, which
is greatly appreciated by the Akan. The Akan language has beautiful proverbs which
cover all aspects of their life. Kaplan (2002) explains that the nature of proverbs allows
them to be interpreted again and again, across time and in different situations. He said they
are interesting because they not only tap into universal themes in the human condition,

15

such as the physiological system of the human life cycle, but they also vary in ways that
appear to reflect specific cultural differences. In the home and in other community settings
alike, proverbs are used to pass on rich cultural traditions, to transmit folklore, and to
communicate expected codes of behaviour. Proverbs are drawn from careful observations
of social events, the lives of people and animals. Some are also drawn from experiences in
occupations such as farming, fishing, hunting, and weaving. We have proverbs that talk
about family and human relations, good and evil, poverty and riches, joy and sorrow. Akan
proverbs are a reflection of the philosophy of the Akan. Proverbs are used to pass on rich
cultural traditions.
God pounds the one-armed persons fufu for him.
Fufu is a local Akan meal whose preparation requires the use of two hands, not one.
The real meaning of this maxim, as of the next, is that God mercifully satisfies the needs of
people, helping them in pursuits that may otherwise appear impossible and hopeless. Thus
God care for his people.
Because God does not like evil, he gave each person a name.
God, it is believed, executes justice at the appropriate time and provide due recompense.
Gods sense of justice is best expressed in the Akan maxim. The kind of evil referred to in
the maxim is moral evil, those wrongful things such as stealing, lying or killing, committed
by one human individual against another. A name identifies a specific person and
distinguishes him or her fromal others, so that wrongful acts by that person the blame and
sanctions that go with them may not be tagged onto another person. It is only fair that
people be held responsible for their own actions. And, it part of Gods moral nature to see
to it that justice and fairness are pursued or carried out in human societies.

16

The belief that the soul of a person survives bodily death is expressed in the Akan maxim;;
When a person dies, he is not dead.
This implies that there is something in a human being that continues to exist in
another world called the world of spirits. Akans believe that the soul is and immaterial part
of the human being that survives death and that humans, in an after life, will give an
account to God for their lives in this world. The soul of the human person is held to
immortal.
If you want to say something to God say it to the wind.
The wind is everywhere, blows in all directions; and, even though it is intangible,
its effects are felt everywhere. In the same way, God is everywhere. This image of God
makes him accessible to human beings, who can establish some relation with him./ this,
daily acts of prayer, offerings, and sacrifices, are presented to him. His nearness to humans
forms the basis for content expressions of dependence made at the start of any undertaking.

Myths
As in moth cultures, myths in Akan attempt to explain what they experiences or
perceived in the visible world but had no empirical knowledge of. Such explanations have
become narratives or sayings which passed down through generations. The origin of the
world, of human life and of death is some of the universal mythical subjects (Angmor,
1996). The popular Akan myth concerning why God is far from man would be evaluated
here.
Long, long ago, God lived near to men. \his abode was the sky, which was
then very near. There was an old woman who used to pound fufu in a

17

wooden mortar with a long wooden pestle. Whenever she did so, the pestle
hit the abode of God, which was the sky. So one day God said, Because of
what you have been doing to me, I am taking myself far away where men
cannot reach me. So he went up till men could no longer reach him. Where
upon the old woman instructed her children to collect all the mortars they
cloud find and pile them one on top of the other. They did so and at last they
need only one mortar to add to the pile, to make it reach up to God. But they
could not find another mortar. The old woman said to her children, take the
mortar from the bottom an put is on the top. The children accordingly
removed the mortar form the bottom, but as they did so, all the other mortars
rolled and fell to the ground, killing many people.
This myth reveals Akans belief that God is beyond the reach of human language,
description and the human mind, however must it tries, cannot fully comprehend the nature
and ways of God. It also reveals that beyond God nothing else, or no one else is: beyond
God there is nothing greater. The myth teaches humans to humble themselves before the
incomprehensible and supreme God and seek ultimately to depend on him. Akan believe
God dwells far away in the heavens beyond the reach of human beings.

Conclusion
From discussion above, it can be concluded that there is a very close relationship
between literature and culture. In fact, the two are closely interrelated. Literature is
influenced by and influences culture. Literature is influenced by culture because the literary
artist, specifically, the Akan literary artist is a social being who in lives in a community and

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therefore is influenced by the worldview, philosophy, religion, customs, etc, found in

his/her culture. It is from his society, that he takes his resources and then uses them to
create literature. The literary artist takes content, language, style and form of literature from
his culture. Thus his culture and that of his people influences and shapes literature that he
creates. Again literature shapes or influences the culture of a people because, the language
the artist uses in creating literature is a powerful tool used to view and understand the
worldview and philosophy of a particular society. Therefore the language carries the culture
of the artist, especially the Akan artist. Even if, the artist does not use his native language,
he as a social being, has a role in promoting or reflecting his culture. Thus literature
reflects, shapes or influences culture. Therefore literature is used as a mirror to reflect
cultural practices and also it is used as a lens to view and understand the social practices
and day-to-day activities of the Akan people.

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