Ghanaian herbalist Naa Adjeley Kwei (Tsofanye) provides an introduction to the philosophy, culture and plant medicine of the GaDangme people of Ghana.

Ghanaian herbal medicine is as complex and as diverse as the people within the country. There are over 80 languages and 70 ethnic groups. Each group has unique practices that reflect their belief system — with a particular focus on the relationship between God, the environment and how we can maintain and fulfil our purpose in this world. 

I am from the GaDangme people of Ghana, an ethnic group that is made up of both the Ga and the Dangme people and who speak the Ga and Dangme languages. This article will focus on the integrated healing practices that shape the Ga people in particular. As the foundation, it is important that we note the integrated approach that we take. The culture and traditions are very much shaped by our belief systems, belief systems whose purpose is to keep us in alignment. Creation is very much a part of who we are and we don’t consider ourselves separate from it. It is the spirit that links all things together and is also reflected in our medicine. So, for example, spiritual medicine is not separate from the physical medicine.

The etymology of particular words also reflects this interconnectedness. So for example the Ga word for medicine is in fact Tsofa (Tso — Tree, Fa — Root). The Ga word for the colour ‘green’ translates as leaf, and when we announce someone has passed away, one of the ways we do so is by saying “they went to pluck a leaf and did not return”. 

The foundation of medicine is understanding the person and how to keep that person in balance. In Ga, a person is made up of and influenced by several elements. Failure to keep these in balance results in sickness. Sickness doesn’t just refer to an ailment but also the person’s inability to fulfil their purpose — many sicknesses start off this way before manifesting in the physical. An elder may notice this first when recognising need for treatment. By treating the spiritual or mental, you will hopefully not reach the physical.

You will find that in much of our culture, our focus is prevention. Our traditions that the world may observe as forms of entertainment, are in fact designed to help keep us in balance as individuals and as a collective.  Once the sickness is present there are a number of places we go to, including traditional herbalists, priestesses and orthodox doctors.

In Ga thought, a person has the following:

• Gbomotso: The person tree — this is the physical body
• Kla: Spirit/ energy usually associated with the day you were born
• Susuma: The soul self — this is the part that knows why you are really here, lots of the overstimulation in this world makes it harder to hear and connect with this part of yourself and the kla. As a practitioner, if you are able to understand your susuma clearly, you may also be able to communicate with other people’s susuma to help you reach a diagnosis.
• Gbeshi: The negative side of us that we keep at ‘at the back’. If it moves to the front then you will be engaging in behaviours that are not conducive to optimum health, community living or achieving your purpose. One can argue that a lot of what is happening in this world is as a result of the actions of those whose Gbeshi is at the front.

The importance of diet

Food is very important in our culture and even dictates our calendar. The harvest of our main grain, millet, defines our New Year and in Dangme tradition in particular it is common to have a millet communion (pictured) during this period. In Ga tradition we also have foods that we only eat during the new year period called Kpoikpoi (fermented cornmeal often eaten with palm nut soup), so the concept of food having its season is not new to us. We still very much eat according to what is in season.

I also noticed that during ceremonies marking particular transitions (e.g. naming/ puberty) there was also a change in diet. This is one of the few times I saw people go back to eating the traditional foods and ingredients of their ancestors, foods that are rarely eaten on a daily basis. It was during this time that I learned that modern foods like jollof rice and fried rice were considered junk foods in our culture. 

You will also notice that many villages still maintain the traditional ideas relating to diet (although this is slowly changing) — e.g. eating three times a day and snacks in between was not our norm. Usually it was twice a day (late morning and evening) and then if you did snack it was fruit that was freshly picked. The heavy emphasis on meat is also not something you would have historically found in traditional villages. Meat was something that was eaten on occasions meaning our diet was very much plant based. This is however changing with ‘globalisation’ and the demonization of our cultural methods of eating. 

We also have a great emphasis on bitters so we have not bred the bitterness out of our diet, but would regularly seek it out, especially when unwell. In fact, bitter drinks sell very well in Ghana.

Herbs traditionally used for medicine

Here is a selection of some of the herbs we would use for healing.

Nyanyara (Momordica charantia) 

In Ga culture, this plant is used for spiritual purification. It is commonly worn during various ceremonial occasions to uphold the ceremony’s power and purity. You’ll hardly find a Ga tradition where Momordica charantia isn’t involved in some manner.

Medicinally, Nyanyara leaf exhibits antibacterial and antiviral properties, with research showing its effectiveness against Sstaphylococcus aureus. It also has antioxidant activity.

Nyanyara was once used as part of a protocol to stop the spread of smallpox in the town of Nungua Ghana. You’ll find that in many treatments, one will be asked to have a cleansing bath first, – often with Nyanyara (1). 

Ofobi okpebi (Phyllanthus niruri)

This plant is a common Ghanaian weed, and I was introduced to it by my Grandma. It was night time (first picture) and she said “the plant is sleeping, you don’t pick the plant at this time”. She went on to explain how this plant will open up in the morning and that early morning is the best time to pick plants —- after you have asked the plants permission, of course.

This plant is traditionally used to treat fever, by making tea or using it for baths with research showing it to have anti-inflammatory effects as effective as ibuprofen in studies (2).

Taami (Synsepalum dulcificum)

In the Ga language, one way we express love is by saying “I love you like Taami”. Now, what is unique about this plant is that once you eat the berry, – everything you eat afterwards tastes sweet (for about 30 minutes, – or more if you eat more than a few berries). This plant is great in helping treat diabetes and has been found to have blood sugar regulating effects. The constituent that gives this taste is called ‘miraculin’ by the west (3).

Atagme (Cyperus esculentus)

Now this is very tasty and is often made in the form of a milk drink. It is very nutritious with lots of fibre and is often chewed as a snack, but don’t chew too much as it is used as an aphrodisiac, and a very effective one at that (4).

Taakotsa (A variety of plants Acacia kamerunensis and Garcinia afzelli)

Now we use a variety of ‘sponges’ to clean our teeth and Acacia kamerunensis and Garcinia afzelli are two types. We chew this throughout the day and the antimicrobial substances in the sponge will mix with the saliva and help with our oral hygiene. We also use various tree barks for bathing in general including bathing the dead in traditional funeral rights (5).

Cassia alata

We use this for skin rashes, skin infections. So, you can make a tea to use as a wash or you can grind the leaves and mix with black soap, which you will then bathe with (6). It’s also used as a laxative in the form of a tea, but has also been traditionally used in this way for the treatment of typhoid and malaria. 

Our medicine is very rich and hopefully I have introduced you to my amazing culture.