Basic 8 · Ghanaian Language · Puberty Rites

Comparing Puberty Rites, Modifying Language and Reading for Supporting Points

In this topic you will compare puberty rites in your culture with those of other cultures in Ghana, modify your language when narrating activities to different listeners, and read to identify supporting points in a text.

By the end of these notes you should be able to:

Compare and contrast puberty rites of different Ghanaian cultures
Modify language to suit the listener when narrating
Identify supporting points in texts on familiar and unfamiliar topics

What you already know

Processes of puberty rites
Tones and reading for main ideas

Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.

Lesson 1

Strand: Customs & Institutions
Sub-strand: Puberty Rites
Indicator: B8.1.1.1.2 – Compare and contrast the processes involved in performing puberty rites in their culture to other cultures of Ghana

Introduction

Ghana has many ethnic groups, and each has its own customs. Comparing puberty rites helps us to respect our differences and to see what we share.

1. Comparing Rites

Puberty rites in some Ghanaian groups

Feature	Bragoro (Akan)	Dipo (Krobo)	Otufo (Ga-Adangbe, some communities)
who	a girl after her first menstruation	groups of girls of about the same age	groups of girls
timing	when menstruation begins	set time, around March or April	during the customary season
leader	queen mother and older women	priestess and older women	older women and priestesses
main activities	bathing, shaving, egg ritual, teaching	shaving, ritual bathing, sacred stone, beads, Klama dance	seclusion, teaching, fine dressing, public display
public celebration	family and community gifts	big public dance	public outing in rich cloth and beads

2. Similarities

All mark the passage from childhood into adulthood.
All are led by older, respected women.
All involve cleansing, teaching and celebration.
All teach marriage, hygiene, respect and responsibility.
All strengthen family and community ties.

Young Ghanaian women in traditional beads and cloth

Figure 1: Traditional beads Make a chart comparing two puberty rites.

3. Differences

The rites differ in timing, place and details. Bragoro is held for one girl when she reaches puberty, while Dipo is held for many girls at a set time of the year. The ritual objects also differ: Bragoro has the boiled egg and white stool, while Dipo has the sacred stone and particular beads. Some ethnic groups have no formal rite at all; instead, mothers and aunts guide girls privately.

4. Respecting Differences

When discussing the customs of others, avoid words such as "backward" or "strange". Ask questions respectfully and try to understand the meaning behind each practice. At the same time, we can discuss honestly which practices protect young people and which may need to change. Ghana's strength lies in its many cultures living side by side.

New words

compare: To show how things are alike.
contrast: To show how things are different.
seclusion: Keeping someone apart for a period.
ethnic group: People who share a culture and origin.

Summary

Puberty rites differ in timing, leaders and rituals across Ghanaian cultures.
All share the aims of cleansing, teaching and celebrating adulthood.
Customs of others should be discussed with respect.

Class activity: Comparison Chart

Choose two puberty rites.
Make a chart of their similarities and differences.
Present it respectfully to the class.

You need: Printed photographs of local puberty rites, Traditional cloth sample, Beads

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

1. Dipo is held…
- A. for groups of girls at a set time
- B. for boys only
- C. once in a century
- D. only in Accra
Show answer
Answer: for groups of girls at a set timeKrobo.
2. Which is a shared aim of puberty rites?
- A. preparing young people for adulthood
- B. winning prizes
- C. selling beads
- D. learning English
Show answer
Answer: preparing young people for adulthoodCommon aim.
3. Some ethnic groups have no formal puberty rite.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TruePrivate guidance.
4. To show how things are different is to ______.
Show answer
Answer: contrastDifferences.
5. State three similarities between Bragoro and Dipo.
Show answer
Answer: Both mark adulthood, are led by older women and include teaching.Any three.
6. Why should we avoid words such as "backward" for other cultures?
Show answer
Answer: They show disrespect, and each custom has meaning for its people.Respect.

Lesson 2

Strand: Listening & Speaking
Sub-strand: Conversation
Indicator: B8.2.1.1.1 – Develop and modify their language in narrating some selected daily activities

Introduction

You tell the story of your day differently to your grandmother, your teacher and your best friend. Modifying your language means choosing words to suit the listener.

1. What Changes?

Modifying a narrative

Feature	To an elder	To a friend
greeting	a respectful greeting with a title	a casual greeting
vocabulary	polite, careful words	everyday words, some slang
sentences	complete sentences	short sentences
proverbs	may be used	rarely used
gestures	calm, respectful	relaxed

2. Narrating the Same Event

Imagine you went to the market and lost your money. To your grandmother, you would greet her first, explain politely and say you are sorry. To your friend, you might start at once: "Chale, you won't believe what happened today!" The facts are the same, but the words, tone and order change. Your Ghanaian language has special ways of showing such respect, including titles and polite phrases.

A girl talking with her grandmother

Figure 2: Speaking with an elder Write the same event for an elder and for a friend.

3. Sequencing Events

Whoever the listener is, a narrative must be in order. In Twi, time words such as "deɛ ɛdi kan" (first), "afei" (then), "ɛno akyi" (after that) and "awieɛ koraa" (finally) help to arrange events. Use past-tense forms correctly, such as "mekɔɔ" (I went) with the long vowel.

4. Practising Tones in Narration

Tones make speech sound natural. Reading a passage aloud to an elder and asking for corrections is a good way to improve. Avoid speaking your language with an English rhythm. Listening to Ghanaian-language news on radio or television helps you to hear correct tones.

New words

modify: To change something to suit a purpose.
sequence: The order of events.
title: A respectful word such as Nana or Agya.
natural speech: Speech that sounds like a native speaker.

Summary

Modify vocabulary, sentences and tone according to the listener.
The same event can be told formally to elders and informally to friends.
Use time words, correct past forms and tones when narrating.

Class activity: Two Listeners

Tell your partner about your day as if to an elder.
Tell it again as if to a friend.
Discuss what changed in your language.

You need: Printed photographs of familiar Ghanaian settings, Printed dialogue cards, Locally made puppets

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

1. "Afei" in Twi means…
- A. then
- B. today
- C. because
- D. never
Show answer
Answer: thenSequence.
2. When speaking to an elder, you should use…
- A. titles and polite words
- B. slang
- C. shouting
- D. nicknames
Show answer
Answer: titles and polite wordsRespect.
3. The facts of a story can stay the same while the language changes.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueModify.
4. To change something to suit a purpose is to ______ it.
Show answer
Answer: modifyAdapt.
5. State three ways language changes between an elder and a friend.
Show answer
Answer: Greetings, vocabulary and sentence length (or use of proverbs, gestures).Any three.
6. Why is greeting an elder before telling your story important?
Show answer
Answer: It shows respect, which is a key value in Ghanaian communication.Respect.

Lesson 3

Strand: Reading
Sub-strand: Reading
Indicator: B8.3.1.1.1 – Understand the main ideas and supporting points in a range of extended texts on familiar and unfamiliar topics

Introduction

Main ideas tell you what a text is about. Supporting points give the details that make the idea clear and believable.

1. Kinds of Supporting Points

Types of support

Type	Example
facts	Malaria is spread by mosquitoes.
examples	such as cassava, yam and plantain
reasons	because it brings rain
descriptions	the river is wide and brown
quotations	as the elders say...

2. Reading Passage (translated from a Ghanaian-language text)

"Traditional herbal medicine is still important in many Ghanaian communities. Herbalists use leaves, roots and bark to treat illnesses such as malaria, stomach pain and skin diseases. For many villagers, it is cheaper and closer than a hospital. Knowledge of these plants has been passed from parents to children for many generations.

However, herbal medicine also has dangers. Some medicines have not been tested, and the correct dose is often not known. A sick person who stays too long with an unqualified healer may become worse. For this reason, the Ghana government has a Traditional and Alternative Medicine Directorate and registers herbal products through the Food and Drugs Authority."

Medicinal leaves, roots and bark displayed for sale

Figure 3: Herbal medicine List the supporting points of each paragraph.

3. Identifying Supporting Points

Passage analysis

Main idea	Supporting points
herbal medicine is important	leaves, roots and bark treat illnesses; cheaper and closer than hospitals; knowledge is passed down
herbal medicine has dangers	untested medicines; unknown doses; delay in treatment; government regulation

4. Familiar and Unfamiliar Topics

This passage may be familiar if your family uses herbs. For unfamiliar topics, use what you know, look at key words such as "however" and "for this reason", and do not give up at the first hard word. Practice with many kinds of texts builds your confidence.

New words

supporting point: A detail that explains a main idea.
herbalist: A person who treats illness with plants.
dose: The amount of medicine to be taken.
signal word: A word such as "however" that shows a link between ideas.

Summary

Supporting points include facts, examples, reasons, descriptions and quotations.
They explain and prove the main idea of a paragraph.
Signal words such as "however" help readers to follow ideas.

Class activity: Support Finder

Read a passage in your Ghanaian language.
Underline the main idea and number the supporting points.
Classify each point as a fact, example or reason.

You need: Ghanaian-language storybook, Printed main-idea cards, Exercise books, Pencils

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

1. Herbalists use…
- A. leaves, roots and bark
- B. machines
- C. plastics
- D. petrol
Show answer
Answer: leaves, roots and barkParagraph 1.
2. One danger of herbal medicine is that…
- A. the correct dose is often unknown
- B. it is too expensive
- C. it is too far
- D. it is illegal everywhere
Show answer
Answer: the correct dose is often unknownParagraph 2.
3. Herbal knowledge is passed from parents to children.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueParagraph 1.
4. The amount of medicine to be taken is the ______.
Show answer
Answer: doseAmount.
5. State two reasons why villagers use herbal medicine.
Show answer
Answer: It is cheaper and closer than a hospital.Paragraph 1.
6. Why does the government register herbal products?
Show answer
Answer: To check their safety, because some are untested and could harm people.Inference.

Homework

Compare a puberty rite in your community with one from another group in five sentences.
Find a passage in your reader and list its supporting points.