20 weird facts only exist in Ghana Ghana a gem of the African continent is a country rich in culture with some strange facts from having only one natural lake to being home to the richest gold and diamond reserves in the world to customs like trosi slave practices that are abhorrent or welcoming the new year with cries let's explore the 20 weirdest and most interesting facts about the West African nation of Ghana together number 20 trosi slave custom in Ghana trosi or Shrine slavery is a practice of offering virgin girls to serve priests or chiefs in
Ghana it's a price paid by families for crimes like theft murder at cets believe that only by sacrificing a virgin girl from their family to the deities can their sins be cleansed avoiding the punishment of mysterious curses this practice is applied in at least 12 shrines in Ghana with a total of about 10,000 victims of shrine slavery while there are some variations in different places all trois endures similar suffering some girls are offered to the shrine when they are as young as 2 years old and by their first menstruation they become full-fledged Shrine slaves with
an official recognition ceremony after which the priest gains the right to have sexual relations with the victim whenever he desires when a trosi dies the relatives have to handle the funeral and burial themselves and in many cases they have to offer another virgin girl from their family to replace the deceased trosi some Shrine slave women in some Ganan shrines are now in their fifth generation of rosis still silently serving and sacrificing their bodies to pay for some mistake or sin their family committed any trosi Court trying to escape faces the most brutal beatings in their
life what do you think about this bizarre custom in Ghana leave a comment to share your thoughts number 19 a Shanti tribe using gold on the body to attract a spouse located in southern Ghana the Ashanti tribe is renowned for its wealth this is prominently displayed through the chunks of gold adorning their bodies for the Ashanti marriage is of utmost importance therefore men and women of this tribe seek spouses based on the amount of gold the other person wears on their body the more gold one wears the more it signifies that they have a huge
Fortune this also means they are highly reliable and respected to partner with men in the Ashanti tribe can have multiple wives however divorce is almost unheard of if divorce does happen both the Grooms and Brides families have a responsibility to reconcile this Rel relationship the Ashanti believes this is a deed against the spiritual world and will try not to do anything that would upset the Divine Spirits especially every time the tribal Chief goes out for a stroll it's a spectacle similar to ancient Emperors traveling with a large Entourage in attendant along with 70 wives and
concubines what do you think about the Ashanti tribe leave a comment to let me know your thoughts number 18 Gans are highly superstitious Ghana has many strange and fascinating superstitions for example many Gans believe that you should never cut your fingernails at night this is because Spirits can use their fingernails overnight to perform malicious acts against you moreover in Ghana there is a town called paga in Northern Ghana bordering Burkina Faso in paga there is a sacred Pond full of crocodiles according to Folklore they hold the souls of the deceased residents of the town in
Ghana it is often believed that if you spend a week sealed in a coffin your luck will change for example you will become wealthy and extremely lucky when you come out in Ghana there is also a forest where many locals recount that it is the home of dwarves with their feet facing backward if you go into the forest at night the dwarves will kidnap you and keep you there for many months what do you think about these beliefs in Ghana try commenting below about these strange truths number 17 Museum of slavery and freedom in Ghana
the Museum of slavery and freedom in Ghana will be built in Cape Coast the former capital of Ghana and the earliest Trading Post of Europe in subsaharan Africa this Museum will also be the first Museum in Africa it will provide for the preservation of documents materials explanations and education about the transatlantic slave trade and the struggle for Liberation from colonialism in African countries once completed this $200 million project will be one of the most important cultural organizations and resources in Africa supporting the eradication of all forms of modern slavery and human trafficking world-renowned Gan architect
David AJ is the Chief Architect for this project the museum is scheduled to open in 2026 so anyone traveling to Ghana can visit number 16 Acra is the second most expensive city in Africa Akra the capital of Ghana is where the government headquarters are located and is also the center of all 16 regions of the country recently the population of Acra has increased due to the demand for better living conditions and closer access to the the social cultural and employment opportunities that the city provides unfortunately the influx of migrants to the capital has led to
overwhelming socioeconomic problems such as unemployment housing shortages inadequate healthc care infrastructure pollution and natural disasters among others in October 2021 in a survey by numbeo Acra was ranked as the second most expensive city in Africa also having the highest real estate prices the good news is that a cra's growth indicates an abundant labor force to continue the country's development number 15 welcoming the new year with cries Ghana is a country full of peculiarities because during the New Year ghans don't celebrate indoors instead they stay in self-made houses constructed from Palm leaves Gans believe that if
a family encountered Misfortune in the previous year they must cry loudly on the first day of the year conversely if they had good luck in the previous year shouts of Joy will be heard when you come to Ghana for the new year you will find it quite noisy with the predominant sounds being cries this is because in the past year every family felt they experienced some Misfortune and moreover crying is believed to bring more luck Ganan still have New Year celebrations but in some coastal areas of Ghana like OSU and craite playing music is not
allowed gayans believe that playing music on New Year's Day will anger the sea goddess mahim and lead to disasters the music band lasts until May so consider traveling to Ghana during these days on New Year's Day Gans eat fried rooster and a salad consisting of spinach tuna boiled eggs onions and tomatoes it is strictly forbidden to use the left hand to shake hands or pass objects to others if you don't want to incur the wrath of ganai what do you think about Ghana's culture clearly celebrating the new year should be a joyful occasion while this
country is full of sadness in the New Year it's quite ironic isn't it number 14 the country with only one natural lake Ghana has only one natural lake lake bosam this lake was formed from a meteorite impact crater over a million years ago locals believe the lake to be sacred as they believe that when they die their souls come here to bid farewell to the deity AIA located about 30 km southeast of Kumasi the capital of Ashanti Lake bam is a popular recreational area there are around 30 Villages near the crater lake with a total
population of about 70,000 people the most famous village where tourists often settle is a Bono number 13 Ghana's enormous gold and diamond reserves if you didn't know Ghana is home to Abundant gold and diamonds it ranks second in Africa for gold reserves and fourth in the world for Diamond reserves additionally Ghana is rich in oil iron ore and raar and rare manganese ore in 2020 alone Ghana produced 1387 tons of gold surpassing even South Africa with its advantageous position and vast mineral reserves Ghana easily trades gold at low prices gold is so abundant in Ghana
that they say you can find gold in every river here according to researchers gold mines in Ghana have been operational for over 500 years yet based on current mineral reserves ghans estimate they can mine for another 700 years in 2016 alone Ghana exported 2.39 billion USD worth of gold according to the oec gold accounts for 49% of Ghana's total export Revenue have you grasped the immense scale of Ghana's gold exports number 12 home to the world's largest artificial Lake due to the absence of natural lakes Ghana resorts to artificial Lakes to support its population the
country boasts the world's largest artificial lake lake volter spanning over 320 Square mil nearly 830 Square km Lake Volta the world's largest artificial lake was formed by the akosombo dam on the Volta river which became operational in 1966 it Powers a massive hydroelectric plant the dam was built near a large Valley behind it water is stored in the Valley of the main river and its tributaries forming a vast reservoir of 8,484 KM with a lake circumference of 7,250 KM lake vter is quite shallow and in some places you can even see submerged forests the total
water volume here is 148 cubic km number 11 the birthplace of artistic coffins if you've been to Ghana you might encounter elaborate wood carved sculptures of fish or giant airplanes being carried along small streets by some men you might be surprised to learn that these intricately carved works are not just artworks but coffins Gans create these artistic coffins to bid farewell to the deceit and send them to the afterlife the designs of these coffins are based on the deceased's preferences and lifestyle for many Gans they believe that after death the deceased will have a new
life in another world and will continue their profession from their previous life therefore people choose to bury the deceased in beautifully crafted coffins symbolizing their profession so that the Departed can be remembered for who they were coffins in Ghana were not simple box-shaped from cameras sneakers Marine creatures Lions cats Cars airplanes you name it these highly skilled Carpenters can make it each coffin sold abroad ranges from 5,000 USD to 15,000 USD while in Ghana it's about 1,000 USD what do you think about these unique coffins here feel free to share your thoughts with me number
10 the place of gruesome dishes this place is home to extremely gruesome dishes challenging visitors who come here let's delve into some of the dishes in Ghana first is the Palm weevil Lavi also known as grub in Ghana which is a delicacy in some regions Gans enjoy frying grilling and stewing Palm weavil larae these larae are sold dried in some local markets next locals here also consume the feces of the grass cutter this is a large rodent species in Africa Travelers find it hard to believe that Gans can turn the feces of this rodent into
a dish while it might sound horrifying The Taste isn't as bad as one might think grass gutters unlike other rodent speak species feed only on selected plants and herbs their feces after digestion ferment what's excreted in the form of feces is collected by Gans soaked in water and used in soup often eaten with futu grass gutter fees are regarded as a seasoning moreover the grass gutter or cane rat is a delicacy in some Ganan regions sometimes even more expensive than chicken lizards are also considered a delicacy in some Ganan regions whether smoked or cooked the
taste of this reptile is highly regarded equally gruesome is the bat bats are highly valued animals in many areas of Ghana people even opt for bat meat instead of chicken lastly there is a plethora of insects caught and sold in Ghana particularly people hear love a type of flying ants that come out in swarms at night after Heavy Rain believe to taste delicious they are attracted to light and fall into the water after which locals collect and fry them have you tried any of these dishes here or dare to try any in this list feel
free to comment and let me know your thoughts number nine rich and delicious Cuisine aside from the gruesome dishes mentioned above Ghana also boasts delicious and enticing Cuisine that attracts visitors to the country some delicious dishes I recommend you try when visiting here include Banu and tilapia Banu is a staple food of Gans easy to prepare by mixing cornmeal and cassava dough together adding water to your desired consistency Banu and grilled tilapia is a favorite dish of ghans almost every traveler wants to try this traditional dish in addition Kaya stew is a favorite dish of
ghans this dish is very nutritious made from boiled cocam leaves mixed with salted fish served with eggs sweet potatoes bananas and boiled butter boiled bananas are considered the sole of the dish next is kowell which is seen as a snack or side dish all over the capital A CRA its flavor is immediately loved by newcomers it is made from fried bananas soaked in a sauce of chili ginger ginger garlic with a spicy salty t taste it is one of the most popular dishes in Ghana furthermore Ghana has red red a traditional gayan dish made from
a type of Bean in West Africa palm oil and tomatoes the recipe is most flavorful when combined with fried plantains this hearty stew is nutritious and suitable for everyone Ito or also called OTA is a traditional gayan dish it often uses yams or sometimes bananas mashed eaten with various ingredients like eggs it is delicious and nutritious these dishes look completely different from the gruesome ones above don't they would you like to try any of these here feel free to comment on your thoughts number eight the homeland of the fastest backward runner in the world Ghana
is the homeland of the fastest backward runner in the world fer adobo holds the world record for the fastest 100 met backward run in just 12.7 seconds since 1984 moreover he is also a skilled speed juggler with the ability to kick a ball in the air as many times as possible within a short period adobo has won the Guinness World Record for Speed juggling and in 19999 he set his first record of the Lowel shootout in Tucson Arizona by hitting the ball 136 times in 30 seconds and 262 times in a minute number seven surprising
coincidence in the name John it is often joke that people named John in Ghana might have a favorable start on the political ladder the surprising coincidence is that all the presidents elected and appointed since 1992 in this country have been named John for example John drumman mahama is a Ganan politician who served as the president of Ghana from July 24th 2012 to January 7th 2017 prior to him was John Kofi aikam kufu who served as president of Ghana from January 7th 2001 to January 7th 2009 however currently Ghana's president is no longer named John but
rather Nana akufo ado number six the pan Festival in Ghana for people from Africa pan is a familiar term this Festival takes place in July August and is usually held biennially in the country of Ghana the festival was first held in 1992 with the idea of promoting and strengthening solidarity among African countries there are countless exciting and colorful activities such as theater poetry dance music performances drums and most notably the procession of tribal Chiefs and their wies they are paraded onto the stage amid the cheers of Gans and the Deep African drums before the opening
day Ganan prepare for this festival for a long time performances colorful costumes for the festival are carefully prepared after the ritual part usually the festival part is very Lively and unique loved by tourists around the world black dancers with hot agile bodies dancing in the Indigenous dance and the most majestic drummers in the country will synchronize creating a wonderful Festival atmosphere like no mother number five the main language in Ghana two of the most popular languages are the twi language of the Ashanti people used in the Southern and Central regions and the dagbani language of
the Dumba people which is more commonly used in the northern regions the Ganan language is mainly maintained through oral transmission currently modern ghans communicate across language barriers by using English as a unifying tool about half of the country speaks English and it is one of the official languages of the country although the country is surrounded by french-speaking countries Ivory Coast Burkina Faso and Togo no country Border in Ghana speaks English number four matal inity culture in Ghana the aan tribe of Ghana currently has the most prevalent matrilineality Society in Africa with inheritance based on patriarchal
culture however men still hold the main positions of power in this Society for for example while both the king and his sisters will inherit Royal status and wealth from their mother the king will sit on the throne however the one ascending to the throne is not the son of the king but rather the son of the King's sister number three Ghana is the world's second largest Coco producer according to statistics Ghana is one of the largest Coco producers in the world second only to coat D ofo Coco is Ghana's main agricultural export commodity accounting for
about 25 5% of the country's total export Revenue the cocoa industry is the backbone of Ghana's economy providing employment for 800,000 farmers and other workers in Cocoa processing transportation and trading Ganan Coco is known for its high quality and distinctive flavor produced by small holder cocoa Farmers on small Family Farms Coco are not exported abroad is sold in domestic markets to be processed into finished products and chocolate confectionary products Ghana's main cocoa importing partners are the United States Canada the the Netherlands the United Kingdom Germany Belgium France Spain Japan Thailand China India Brazil and South
Africa number two Ghana has a rich cultural tradition Ghana is the homeland of many diverse ethnic groups each with unique customs and cultural traditions for example Ganan music is known for its Lively rhythms percussion and vibrant vocals from high life to hiplife gospel to reggae Gan dance is characterized by color costumes energetic movements and symbolic gestures reflecting the values and beliefs of the community Ganan art is also renowned for its bold and vibrant colors depicting themes of everyday life nature and spirituality Additionally the dance AP oronto is a traditional gayan dance consisting of coordinated hand
and foot movements the aono dance tells a colorful story it introduces the world to mysterious fragments of Youth experiences in Ghana it can also be seen as a reenactment of Youth experience while honoring shared life and happiness do you know any dances or songs from Ghana feel free to comment and share below number one independence from Colonial rule did you know that Ghana was the first subsaharan African country to gain independence from Colonial rule in history Ghana was a British colony until it gained independence on March 6th 1957 led by Ghana's first president quamen Kuma
Ghana's independent is a significant milestone in African history inspiring other African countries to struggle for independence from Colonial Powers this event marked the birth of a new era in Africa characterized by the spirit of Freedom hope and dignity so we have explored the 20 most interesting facts about the country of Ghana what do you think about the facts I shared above about Ghana or have you visited this country and found anything interesting remember to comment and share your thoughts with me thank you for watching our video don't forget to like share and subscribe to stay
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