Blood ritual

An indigenous approach to peacemaking among the Bimoba people of northern Ghana

Bibliographic Data

ID21741652
AuthorsMathias Awonnatey Ateng (0000-0003-0181-6936, University for Development Studies, corresponding author), Abukari Nuhu (Peace Corps), A Agoswin Musah (0000-0002-8317-1088, University of Education, Winneba)
Year2022
Volume40
Issue2
Pages231-247
Publication date2022-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueConflict Resolution Quarterly (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1536-5581 • E-ISSN: 1541-1508
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/crq.21362
OpenAlexW4304890460
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited21

This study examined blood ritual as an indigenous peacemaking strategy among the Bimoba people of northern Ghana. Descriptive qualitative research methods were used together with in‐depth face‐to‐face interviews with eight elders of the community. The audio‐recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed with NVivo 12 software. The findings reveal that the blood ritual approach is participatory, focuses on re‐establishing relationships and emanates from the culture of the Bimoba people. It also involves the use of rituals and seeks the interest of the entire Bimoba community. The study concludes that the strategy shares commonalities with several indigenous peacemaking approaches in Africa and has the potential of facilitating sustainable resolutions of communal conflicts such as the Bimoba chieftaincy conflict. However, similar to other approaches, the blood ritual does not ensure gender equality in peacebuilding as the role of women is reduced to simply being observers. A major limitation of this study is its reliance on only the perspectives of the elders of the community without recourse to the voices of people who appear before the ritual processes, to appreciate how they feel about the blood ritual with respect to their hope and expectation when they appear before the process for solace and solution. Also, the voice of young people, women and other vulnerable groups are not reflected in the blood ritual approach

Citizen journalism · Ethnography · Indigenous · Participant observation · Participatory action research · Peacemaking · Political science · Qualitative research · Social science · Sociology · Anthropology · Gender Studies · Law · Migration, Health and Trauma · Peacebuilding and International Security · Political Conflict and Governance · Ecology

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