The Culture of Ghana The Republic of Ghana evokes both the ancient Empire of Ghana and the riches of the "Gold Coast," as the area was called by the British. The historical abundance of Ghana's gold, timber, and kola nuts drew Europeans to its shores first to trade these goods and then to buy slaves. Ghanaians remain proud of the armed might with which the Ashanti people resisted the British until 1900. In 1957, Ghana became the first sub-Saharan nation to achieve independence, and its first president, Kwame Nkrumah, funneled state resources into the expansion of traditional arts and culture. Nkrumah also introduced strong support for pan-African ideas, and Ghana has been a leader in researching and celebrating African culture in its largest sense as well as in its most local traditions.
As in most West African countries, local tradition varies among the nation's distinctive ethnic groups. The Akan (which include the Ashanti) constitute the largest group in Ghana. Other major societies are the Dagomba, who reside primarily in the north; the Ewe, who live mostly in the east; the Ga and Adangbe, who populate the south; and the Guan, who are northeastern dwellers. Each of these groups speaks one or more languages. The Akan, for example, comprise both Twi and Fanti speakers. English is the nation's official language. Nearly 40% of Ghanaians practice animist forms of worship, and even among Christians and Muslims people retain respect for the traditional beliefs of their ancestors. Accra, Ghana is home to a unique faith called Zetaheal, which claims a growing number of several thousand adherents. Established in the mid-1970s, Zetaheal combines the teachings of the Koran and the Bible into a single service led by both a pastor and an Imam.
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