Posted by Chester Morton / Sunday, 21 May 2017 / No comments
The importance of leather making to the pre-colonial economy of Ghana
THE IMPORTANCE OF LEATHER MAKING TO THE ECONOMY OF PRE-COLONIAL
Introduction
In the Savannah regions of pre-colonial Ghana, there were two
major occupations the people engaged in, which were, animal rearing and farming. As part
of the animal husbandry engaged in, the hide of the animals was processed into
leather for various uses.
The first step was to slaughter the animals and to skillfully
remove the skin which served as the main raw material for the local leather
industry. After the skin was scrapped off of all fur to obtain the leather, it
was tanned, after which the leather was ready to be used.
IMPORTANCE OF LEATHER
Production of leather products
The leather industry was important because it provided
foot-wears, bags and other items for local use. The leather was also used to
produce casings for amulets, which the traditional people believed brought them
protection from spiritual harm.
As a source of employment
The production of leather products was a source of employment
for the pre-colonial people of Ghana. The raw leather was sold to producers of
leather products and those who turned the tanned leather into items of beauty
and essence, sold the items in return for money. In short, they earned money
from their activities.
Emergence of leather merchants
Another clear importance of the pre-colonial leather industry
was that there were people who did not really produce leather or make any items
of leather, but who also benefited from the leather industry. These were the
merchants of leather. They traded in the hides, the tanned leather and the
items that were produced from the leather. They took the items from the areas of
production to areas where they were needed, moving from one local market to
another.
Contribution to social life
One of the main recreational activities of the pre-colonial
Ghanaian was drumming and dancing. The various traditional drums were made from
leather and these drums were used during recreational and cultural events. They
were used at funerals, naming ceremonies, marriage ceremonies and many others.
In fact, no societies in pre-colonial Ghana existed without a drum. Leather was
part of the components that were used make those drums and that made leather very important in their lives.
Religious importance
Leather also constituted an integral aspect of the religion
of the inhabitants of pre-colonial Ghana. Leather was used in the production of
amulets for the people. The people believed that if they had those amulets on
them, they were protected from harm. The amulets were placed in the leather
casing before they were worn on their bodies, especially around their waist or neck.
SAMPLE QUESTION
1. a. Describe the process of producing leather in
pre-colonial Ghana.
b. Outline five
ways in which the leather industry was important to pre-colonial Ghana.
