A Drummer’s Testament
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Volume III

In Our Living

Economic and family customs within the stages of life, from childhood through householding, marriage, and old age.

27 chapters

Part 1 · ECONOMIC LIFE

  1. III-1Farming in DagbonThe origins of farming in Dagbon; farming and the family; the sweetness of farming work; market-day farming and group farming
  2. III-2How Dagbamba Sow Their Yam FarmsHow Dagbamba farm yams; other crops: corn, sorghum, millet, beans; crop rotation and agricultural technology; farming rituals and sacrifices; uses of yams
  3. III-3The Work of Guinea CornStaple foods: uses of guinea corn (sorghum), millet, corn, beans; pito (local beer); ritual use, drinking habits
  4. III-4Rice FarmingRice: origins of rice farming; uses of rice; problems of intensive agriculture; credit facilities and debt patterns; emergent stratification patterns; wage labor in the villages
  5. III-5Groundnuts, Shea Butter, Kpalgu, and AnimalsHow Dagbamba farm groundnuts; the preparation and uses of shea butter and kpalgu (local seasoning); raising animals
  6. III-6Markets in DagbonThe traditional market system; the daalana; chiefs and markets; schedule of markets; benefits of markets; festival markets; the contemporary market system
  7. III-7Modern Work and Agricultural DevelopmentModern trends in work patterns; the Dagbamba resistance to education and “white man's work”; guide to development of the region; water and dam maintenance; commercial and traditional agriculture; sources of local labor, sources of local decision-making; bullock farming and group farming

Part 2 · FAMILY

  1. III-8Family and LineageTerminology of the family in Dagbon; the differences of family, line or door, and tribe; the importance of knowing the family and the role of women and drummers; relationship of the lines of chiefs and commoners; how chieftaincy doors die
  2. III-9How a Family SeparatesHow families separate through marriage of different lines, through mixing of chieftaincy and commoner lines, and through inter-tribal mingling
  3. III-10What Has Strength in Dagbamba FamiliesFamily and togetherness; benefits of a large family; how families extend; sharing children in the family; bonds of children from one mother

Part 3 · CHILDREN

  1. III-11The Benefits of ChildrenWhy Dagbamba value children; role of children in the family; Dagbamba resistance to family planning; how children help their parents
  2. III-12How a Child is Given BirthPregnancy and mid-wifery; bathing a newborn child; naming a child; the suuna ceremony; the child in the mother's family house; how a child grows in infancy; differences between Muslims and non-Muslims
  3. III-13Special Problems of ChildrenDifficulties of children; children and bad spirits; twins, orphans, relation to mother's house
  4. III-14How Children Live When They Are YoungHow children live with their parents; eating; friends and peer groups; games and dances of children; how children are trained; formal education: Arabic and English schools; vocational training
  5. III-15How Girls Grow Up in the VillagesGirls' work in the villages: grinding, sheanuts, harvesting; household training; festival markets; early courtship patterns
  6. III-16How Boys Grow Up in the VillagesBoys' work in the villages: farming, gathering food for domestic animals; festival markets: working for one another; relationship to father for support of courtship

Part 4 · HOUSEHOLDING

  1. III-17How Dagbamba MarryWays of getting a wife; the age at which Dagbamba marry; responsibilities toward in-laws; how traditional Dagbamba marry; how Muslims marry; how chiefs marry; the life of chiefs' wives
  2. III-18The Life of BachelorsProblems of being a bachelor; why Dagbamba don't respect bachelors; how bachelors live; women who don't have husbands
  3. III-19Why Dagbamba Marry Many WivesReasons why Dagbamba marry many wives; the hierarchy of wives; rooms and cooking; how the chiefs live with their wives
  4. III-20How Dagbamba Feed Their FamiliesHow Dagbamba householders feed their wives and children; types of commoners; rotation of cooking among the wives; how chiefs' wives gather foodstuffs; financial contributions of husband and wives
  5. III-21How a Husband and Wife Love One AnotherWhat a husband does for his wife; what a wife does for her husband
  6. III-22The Work Women Do in a House and How They Help One AnotherTypes of work women do in the house; the character of Dagbamba women; how women help each other
  7. III-23Sex and Rivalry in a HouseSexual patterns in the household; jealousy among wives; the use of medicine against each other; how a husband should live with wives who quarrel
  8. III-24How a Husband and Wife SeparateHow Dagbamba divorce; causes of divorce; examples of three divorces

Part 5 · OLD AGE

  1. III-25WidowsCustoms regarding the remarriage of widows; chiefs' widows: public bathing and beating; passing through the broken wall
  2. III-26The Life of Old PeopleOld age and respect; status of old people; responsibilities of old age; the family head; how old people live; types of old age; lives of three old people compared and contrasted

Part 6 · CONCLUSION

  1. III-27Alhaji Ibrahim's Reflections on the WorkThe history of Alhaji Ibrahim's relationship with John; problems of the work; why Alhaji Ibrahim did the work; how he feels about it; final instructions to John