Topic: 2025-Safeguarding and Promoting Traditional Sports and Games
Country: Ghana
Delegate Name: Priya Mahabir
In the rich culture of traditional sports and games in Ghana, it is one of the most important and integral parts of Ghana’s culture. Between the games of Adukor, which is a form of football, and Kokou, which is a form of volleyball but can also be a form of handball and baseball, it has been passed down through generations, serving as a means of socialization, entertainment, and skill-building. It was deeply rooted in the tradition and the history of the Akan people. Traditional sports and games incorporate a unifying feeling such as teamwork, perseverance, respect, development of social skills, and character.
Tocatì is a shared program for the safeguarding of traditional sports and games. Ghana uses Tocati to increase access to public spaces, improve education, and raise awareness of cultural heritage. By using Tocati they have sports take place on the streets, mostly near touristy and highly urbanized areas, to bring more awareness to them so more people can play them. Having the sports being held on the streets was also for every to feel more included and for people to feel more equal. Placed on the streets so people can be more mindful of the culture and the heritage that these sports come from. SportDrive, a non-governmental organization, focuses mainly on standardizing and recognizing traditional games. Trying to promote positive social change and empower communities; they focused mostly on Ghana because of the unique games they had cherished. Both Tocati and SportDrive, promoted all their favorite game to bring more attention to them: express the cultural heritage, promote intercultural dialogue, provide an alternative to unethical sports practices, and help build sustainable and ethical sports and cultural practices.
Rapid urbanization has affected Ghana terribly: including congestion, unregulated urban expansion, limited access to services and affordable quality housing, and institutions unable to cope with the rapid transition. “Currently 51.9% of Ghana’s population lives in urban areas, and it is estimated that it will reach 72.3% by 2050” (Un-Habitat). All of which has happened within a few years. Also affecting Ghana was the shift in cultural practice, which was a decline in their active participation due to increased exposure to Westernized activities. Westernized activities are games, entertainment, and other activities that are associated with the Western world. They strive to revitalize these games to preserve cultural heritage, promote community bonding, and educate younger generations about Ghanaian traditions through initiatives like incorporating them into educational settings and celebrating them during cultural festivals. The Western influence is making children in Ghana less likely to play their own cultural sports because of the publicity around international sports. Because of the publicity around, mostly, American and European sports, it’s increasing a loss of culture. Actively declining their traditional games because the youth are attracted to things more popular and the older not actively passing on their traditional games. However, schools have tried to preserve the games by incorporating them into their P.E. classes and teaching them more about their cultural heritage. Also using community events to include these traditional games. They try to revive their culture, but they can’t compete with the popularity of social media from around the world.
