Infinite Mind

Africa is a culture-rich continent composed of bountiful countries that one can surely explore and immerse themselves in. It is the second-largest continent and houses rich culture and offers beauty beyond imagination. In its western region, you will find Ghana. Officially known as the Republic of Ghana, it is comparatively small in land area and residents, it is considered one of the more thriving countries in the continent because of its natural resources. Home to 18 million residents, this nation within the continent of Africa offers its culture and history to the world. Ghana, formerly known as the “Gold Coast”, derives its name from its long history of trading gold. Ghana’s celebrated history dates back as far as 10,000 BCE and participated in great medieval trading until its demise in the 13th century. It later continued its heritage with direct trading with Europe in the 15th century. In the course of history, the trading focus shifted from the export of gold to the growing of cacao which continues today. More recently, the Republic of Ghana gained its independence from Britain with the help of Nationalist and Pan-African leader Kwame Nkrumah, which envisioned that the independence of the country of Ghana is significant not only to its own people, but to the entire continent. With this movement, several neighboring African countries, led by Ghana’s example, followed, and proclaimed their own independence within the succeeding years. Its economy, like the other African countries, is a combination of private and public partnerships. Before gaining its independence, the government’s key role was restricted mainly to the management of basic commodities, like water, electricity, public railroads, and postal services. The other main sectors like agriculture and commerce were almost entirely controlled by the private sector. Shortly after gaining independence, the government was able to expand its control over the economy with the help of the launching of state-owned operations aimed to control agriculture and industry. Ghana also boasts its tourism potential as it prides itself on diverse natural, historical, and cultural resources. In fact, the country’s tourism is a key economic driver that generates foreign exchange earnings, creates opportunities, as well stimulates another sectors of the economy. It is currently the fourth largest source of foreign exchange earnings estimated at 2.2 million USD in 2015 that overall contributes 4.8% to the country’s GDP. Ethnicity-wise, Ghana contains a great deal of diversification. Ghana may be said to find its roots in the broad group within the African family, but with great diversity. Akan’s top the list, with over 40% of the population. Other diverse groups such as EWE, Ga, Adangme, Guan, and Kyerepong are found in the south region. In the North, Gonja, Dagomba, and Mamprussi top the list. Notwithstanding the rich diversity among its people, there were serious ethnic implications when Ghana gained independence. While ethnic awareness and tolerance resonated within many areas country, it did not stop the eruption of violent clashes that resulted in fatalities. In the effort to curb the ethnic conflicts, the government adopted English as the official national language. With English as the national language, it is also rooted in the heritage of its previous colonial history. Ghanaians speak a unique Western African version of English involving their own variations. The population’s “mother tongue” includes over 60 dialects. Akan is the most widely used has acquired informal national language acceptance. Ga-Adangme and Ewe are also common. Hausa, which originates from Nigeria, is spoken as a trade language amongst the locals. A few Ghanaians are also proficient in French, thanks to its neighboring border countries. Ghanaians’ diet is comprised mainly of starchy staples partnered with soup and stews. Forest crops, like cassava, and cocoyam (commonly known as Taro) are commonly found in the south. Corn is also popular among the locals, especially among Ga. The country’s main dish is known as “fufu”. This dish is modofied to taste depending on what is used to make it, but overall, it has a slightly mild and sour taste and has been compared to both sweet potatoes and potatoes. Its subtle flavor makes it the perfect accompaniment for rich, bold African soups. The term “fufu” or “fufuo”, translates to “mash and mix” a soft and doughy food. In Ghana, different variations of this dish are made of boiled cassava and other tubers like plantain and or cocoyam (Taro). It is combined together and mixed in a locally made mortar (woduro) using a wooden pestle (woma). In between each grind of the pestle, the mixture is delicately handled and turned by hand, and water is added until it becomes slurry, sticky and soft. The resulting food is best partnered with soup or stew. Today, it features different variations from the neighboring countries. If you visit this country, Fufu is one thing of the long list you must try. You can also try a myriad of cuisines unique to Ghana. As root crops are staples there, their cuisine uses these as main ingredients. For foods made with rice, you might try Waakye – made from rice and beans with purple-brown color. This dish carries striking similarities to Indian rice and peas and is normally cooked and steamed in leaf, coconut, and beans. Omo Tuo (or rice balls) is sticky mashed rice, best partnered with viands, soups, and stews. Another popular Ghanaian dish is Jollof rice, which is a rice dish cooked in a stew, consisting of flavorful stock, tomatoes, spices, and meat cooked together. Adapted from the colonial period, this dish is typically eaten with the meat of your choice such as lamb, goat, or chicken, either roasted or grilled. Lastly, the Angwa moo that is also termed “oiled rice”. Unlike the typical fried rice that most of us are familiar with, in which you use cooked rice for frying, this one takes a different approach. This dish starts with sauteing the onion in the pan and adding water to give the rice a different aroma. The rice is then cooked in this concoction that gives it its distinction. Another variation of this dish includes other vegetables cooked together. Minced meat is often added to further the taste experience. You may also try other dishes made from beans, yams, and corn. On a typical Ghanaian table, side dishes are served with stew or soup. Instead of the typical soups being side dishes, here, soups are served as the main course.. Ghanaians take a refined approach to their soup and stew dishes, with the use of a wide variety of herbs and spices to give you an experience truly unique to this nation. Staple ingredients to their soup are palm nuts, peanuts, cocoyam, mushrooms, make up the main ingredients. Different meats like pork, lamb, smoked turkey, tripe, and dried snails are common superstars in a Ghanian soup as reliable sourc

Africa is a culture-rich continent

composed of bountiful countries that

one can surely explore and

immerse themselves in. It is

the second-largest continent and houses

rich culture and offers beauty

beyond imagination. In its western

region, you will find Ghana.

Officially known as the Republic

of Ghana, it is comparatively

small in land area and

residents, it is considered one

of the more thriving countries

in the continent because of

its natural resources. Home to

18 million residents, this nation

within the continent of Africa

offers its culture and history

to the world. Ghana, formerly

known as the “Gold Coast”,

derives its name from its

long history of trading gold.

Ghana’s celebrated history dates back

as far as 10,000 BCE

and participated in great medieval

trading until its demise in

the 13th century. It later

continued its heritage with direct

trading with Europe in the

15th century. In the course

of history, the trading focus

shifted from the export of

gold to the growing of

cacao which continues today. More

recently, the Republic of Ghana

gained its independence from Britain

with the help of Nationalist

and Pan-African leader Kwame Nkrumah,

which envisioned that the independence

of the country of Ghana

is significant not only to

its own people, but to

the entire continent. With this

movement, several neighboring African countries,

led by Ghana’s example, followed,

and proclaimed their own independence

within the succeeding years. Its

economy, like the other African

countries, is a combination of

private and public partnerships. Before

gaining its independence, the government’s

key role was restricted mainly

to the management of basic

commodities, like water, electricity, public

railroads, and postal services. The

other main sectors like agriculture

and commerce were almost entirely

controlled by the private sector.

Shortly after gaining independence, the

government was able to expand

its control over the economy

with the help of the

launching of state-owned operations aimed

to control agriculture and industry.

Ghana also boasts its tourism

potential as it prides itself

on diverse natural, historical, and

cultural resources. In fact, the

country’s tourism is a key

economic driver that generates foreign

exchange earnings, creates opportunities, as

well stimulates another sectors of

the economy. It is currently

the fourth largest source of

foreign exchange earnings estimated at

2.2 million USD in 2015

that overall contributes 4.8% to

the country’s GDP. Ethnicity-wise, Ghana

contains a great deal of

diversification. Ghana may be said

to find its roots in

the broad group within the

African family, but with great

diversity. Akan’s top the list,

with over 40% of the

population. Other diverse groups such

as EWE, Ga, Adangme, Guan,

and Kyerepong are found in

the south region. In the

North, Gonja, Dagomba, and Mamprussi

top the list. Notwithstanding the

rich diversity among its people,

there were serious ethnic implications

when Ghana gained independence. While

ethnic awareness and tolerance resonated

within many areas country, it

did not stop the eruption

of violent clashes that resulted

in fatalities. In the effort

to curb the ethnic conflicts,

the government adopted English as

the official national language. With

English as the national language,

it is also rooted in

the heritage of its previous

colonial history. Ghanaians speak a

unique Western African version of

English involving their own variations.

The population’s “mother tongue” includes

over 60 dialects. Akan is

the most widely used has

acquired informal national language acceptance.

Ga-Adangme and Ewe are also

common. Hausa, which originates from

Nigeria, is spoken as a

trade language amongst the locals.

A few Ghanaians are also

proficient in French, thanks to

its neighboring border countries. Ghanaians’

diet is comprised mainly of

starchy staples partnered with soup

and stews. Forest crops, like

cassava, and cocoyam (commonly known

as Taro) are commonly found

in the south. Corn is

also popular among the locals,

especially among Ga. The country’s

main dish is known as

“fufu”. This dish is modofied

to taste depending on what

is used to make it,

but overall, it has a

slightly mild and sour taste

and has been compared to

both sweet potatoes and potatoes.

Its subtle flavor makes it

the perfect accompaniment for rich,

bold African soups. The term

“fufu” or “fufuo”, translates to

“mash and mix” a soft

and doughy food. In Ghana,

different variations of this dish

are made of boiled cassava

and other tubers like plantain

and or cocoyam (Taro). It

is combined together and mixed

in a locally made mortar

(woduro) using a wooden pestle

(woma). In between each grind

of the pestle, the mixture

is delicately handled and turned

by hand, and water is

added until it becomes slurry,

sticky and soft. The resulting

food is best partnered with

soup or stew. Today, it

features different variations from the

neighboring countries. If you visit

this country, Fufu is one

thing of the long list

you must try. You can

also try a myriad of

cuisines unique to Ghana. As

root crops are staples there,

their cuisine uses these as

main ingredients. For foods made

with rice, you might try

Waakye – made from rice

and beans with purple-brown color.

This dish carries striking similarities

to Indian rice and peas

and is normally cooked and

steamed in leaf, coconut, and

beans. Omo Tuo (or rice

balls) is sticky mashed rice,

best partnered with viands, soups,

and stews. Another popular Ghanaian

dish is Jollof rice, which

is a rice dish cooked

in a stew, consisting of

flavorful stock, tomatoes, spices, and

meat cooked together. Adapted from

the colonial period, this dish

is typically eaten with the

meat of your choice such

as lamb, goat, or chicken,

either roasted or grilled. Lastly,

the Angwa moo that is

also termed “oiled rice”. Unlike

the typical fried rice that

most of us are familiar

with, in which you use

cooked rice for frying, this

one takes a different approach.

This dish starts with sauteing

the onion in the pan

and adding water to give

the rice a different aroma.

The rice is then cooked

in this concoction that gives

it its distinction. Another variation

of this dish includes other

vegetables cooked together. Minced meat

is often added to further

the taste experience. You may

also try other dishes made

from beans, yams, and corn.

On a typical Ghanaian table,

side dishes are served with

stew or soup. Instead of

the typical soups being side

dishes, here, soups are served

as the main course.. Ghanaians

take a refined approach to

their soup and stew dishes,

with the use of a

wide variety of herbs and

spices to give you an

experience truly unique to this

nation. Staple ingredients to their

soup are palm nuts, peanuts,

cocoyam, mushrooms, make up the

main ingredients. Different meats like

pork, lamb, smoked turkey, tripe,

and dried snails are common

superstars in a Ghanian soup

as reliable sourc