Description
Book SynopsisKwasi Konadu centers the life of Ghanaian healer, spiritual leader, and farmer Kofi D?nk? (19131995) to tell the biography of his community and how they navigated the changes from the late nineteenth century through the end of the twentieth.
Trade Review"Konadu refers to his work as a 'communography' and offers a portrait of the community of which Kofi Dᴐnkᴐ was a hub. This approach creates a deeply grounded history... [in which] he tries to present the world as Dᴐnkᴐ might have seen it, offering a refreshing perspective. This innovative study is recommended for advanced undergraduates and graduate students." -- G. Mann * Choice *
"A compelling history of people and their community in twentieth century Ghana. Konadu has gathered an impressive archive, based on which he succeeds to capture societal changes and dynamics in their lived refractions and complexities. ... Konadu makes an important contribution to an everyday and social history of twentieth century Ghana." -- Benedikt Pontzen * African Studies Quarterly *
“Kwasi Konadu’s
Our Own Way in This Part of the World...provides us with a powerful model for thinking within and thus beyond the boundaries of the nation-state, viewing the past through the lens of extraordinary individuals and communities. We all have lessons to learn here.” -- Jennifer Hart * American Historical Review *
“By revealing Dɔnkɔ’s story, Konadu has accomplished something innovative, a book worth reading for anyone who wants to challenge themselves to rethink the field of African Studies.” -- Jonathan Roberts * Journal of African History *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
1. Libation: Matters Connected with Our Culture 17
2. Homelands: In Search of Past Events 44
3. Tools of the Trade: I was a Blacksmith . . . Before I Became [a Healer] 73
4. Medicine, Marriage, and Politics: Assist this State to have Progress 107
5. Independences: Never Mingled Himself in Local Politics 137
6. Anthropologies of Medicine and Africa: When the Whiteman First Came 166
7. Uncertain Moments and Memory: Our Ancestral Spirits, Come and Have Drink 195
Epilogue 228
Notes 239
Bibliography 287
Notes 307
