Crossing and Living Cultures

It is interesting to note that before the war, the British preferred to recruit men from the northern region of Ghana because they were reputed to be stronger, more hard working, and more obedient than those of the other tribes - in particular, the Ashantis. This is because people from the northern region have a patrilineal system. Therefore, from a young age they went to farms with their fathers and helped them with the back-breaking jobs. This made them very strong. Being with men they got shouted at a lot, so they took more easily to life in the army. Also coming from a poorer part of the country they were motivated not to rock the boat.

On the other hand, from a young age, Ashantis spent more time with their womenfolk who were gentler. Ashanti recruits, therefore, resented being shouted at for seemingly no apparent reason. Often they shouted right back at the NCO or officer, thus earning them a reputation for insubordination. Another bone of contention was the work. Ashantis felt work such as cleaning toilets, kitchens, and other menial tasks was beneath them. They were used to seeing northerners and other domestic migrants doing such work. So they sometimes refused to do such work and, hence, their reputation for being lazy.

Interestingly, many Europeans also feel the same way about doing such work, which is done mainly by foreigners in Europe. However, when Europeans go into the army, they do not expect foreigners to do such jobs for them.

Thus, it took quite a while for it to sink into the heads of Ashantis that the army was an enclosed community and that they had to do everything themselves. Once they understood, they took to life in the army, and today many Ashantis are serving in the army.

Despite these problems, Ashantis are very good warriors. After all, they resisted the British in many battles and were the overlords of what later became known as Ghana.

Kwaku Afriyie, believing his chances of being recruited as an Ashanti was remote, gave himself the northern Ghanaian name of Mamadu Wangara. As the war progressed, the British in the Gold Coast instituted a draft for all young men eighteen and older. If he had waited a short while he would have been drafted under his own name. Kwaku Afriyie is said to have protested about the bad treatment that they, the African soldiers, were getting and was beaten badly and died as a result of his injuries in Burma. Like other dead Africans, his body, was not sent home.

It is interesting the tricks people got up to avoid the draft. My uncle, George Boateng, simply moved to our ancestral village and spent most of the time hiding in the farms. His mother, Nana, claimed he was dead. A colleague of his was not so lucky, but he outwitted the British authorities. He was asked to bring his stool for inspection. He asked his mother to prepare okra soup, which he ate. His stool looked unhealthily green and slimy. The British military medics had never seen anything like it before. He was therefore discharged as being unfit to serve. They claimed he was harbouring an unknown disease.