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The economic implications of transformations in Akan funeral rites

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 December 2011

Kwame Arhin
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Extract

Two related problems are raised: (1) why the persistence, and increase in scale, of funeral rites (with consequently much greater expenditure) both colonially and post-colonially; (2) what is the effect of this greater funeral expenditure on the economy of today's Asante? It is suggested that present-day funeral rites have only superficial religious significance; it is their economic and social importance that explains the vigour with which they are still performed. Far from being economically wasteful, they fuel economic activities that are on balance beneficial. It is the combination of economic and social utility that sustains, even enhances, the scale of the performance of the rites.

Résumé

Deux problèmes liés sont abordés ici: 1) pourquoi la persistance et L'augmentation au niveau de l'échelle des rites de funérailles (avec pour conséquence beaucoup plus de dépenses) a la fois pendant L'époque coloniale et après-coloniale; 2) quel effet ont ces plus grandes dépenses des funérailles sur L'économie de PAsante aujourd'hui? II est suggéré que les rites de funérailles d'aujourd'hui ont seulement des significances religieuses superficielles; ce sont leur importance socio-économique qui explique la vigueur avec laquelle ils sont toujours pratiqués. Loin d'être un gaspillage sur le plan economique ils nourissent des activités économiques qui sont lucratives dans l'ensemble. C'est le mélange de l'utilité économique et sociale qui soutient, et même accrôit l'échelle de la pratique des rites.

Type
Grave charges
Information
Africa , Volume 64 , Issue 3 , July 1994 , pp. 307 - 322
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 1994

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