Nairobi — In some parts of Ghana if a parent commits an offence he need not face the consequences. He has the option of sending his pre-teen daughter to special shrine where she is to serve for the rest of her life and atone for the sins of her parents or relatives.
In Ghana a combination of two mutually exclusive words has created one of the most barbaric traditions: child slavery. The word "Trokosi" is a combination of two Ewe (one of Ghana's major languages) words, "tro" and "kosi". "Tro" means deity and "kosi" is a slave. 'Trokosi' therefore means slave of a deity.
It is a tradition that involves young girls being offered by their parents to traditional priests in the faith that such an action will atone the sins committed by the parents or their relatives.
The 'Trokosi' system is one of the most ancient practices still found among the Ewes and its origin is shrouded in mystery. However, according to oral tradition supported by 'Trokosi' priests and elders, its origins can be traced to the practice of paying deities for services rendered.
A 'Trokosi', in its commonest and most humiliating form, is a virgin, who is yet to have her first period and given to society to atone the sin or offence committed by a relative. She thus becomes a slave of the deity, though euphemistically she is called the deity's wife. She remains in the shrine, serving the priest and the functionaries of the partner of the priest. In some cases even after her death, another girl from the family has to replace her in the shrine.
'Trokosis' as described, are found in the Tongu area of the Volta region and a slightly different practice known as the "fiasidi" system is found. Fiasidi literally means prospective wife of a chief or deity. A virgin preserved for the deity under this system is not normally kept in the shrine. She lives with her parents but cannot marry or have sex without the permission of the shrine. The penalties resulting from violation of her virginity serve as a deterrent to unscrupulous suitors.
Her parents and family are expected to protect her so as to preserve her virginity until her marriage. As such, unlike her counterpart in Tongu and Ada, the Fiasidi is highly respected but feared by prospective suitors. In some places they are addressed as 'mama" or queen mother, a term of respect and honours also applied to queen mothers and wives of chiefs.
Who becomes "Trokosi"? A family becomes liable to provide 'Trokosi' for a deity when a member commits an offence which has been reported to the deity. The family may not have been aware of the offence until disaster strikes among its members: sudden death, motor accident and other misfortunes. Under such circumstances the only remedy is to submit to the shrine involved and meet their conditions for cessation of the misfortunes.
In addition to other expenses, a girl has to be offered to serve the god in question. A girl can also be sent to the shrine for such a purpose if her parents or other relations had promised to make such an offer for any service rendered by the god.
Others become 'trokosis' because they were born with the help of the god. Most 'Trokosi' in the latter category are not meant to live in the shrine. Though under normal circumstances only girls are made to serve as 'Trokosi' in the shrines, in rare cases boys are offered.
A recent survey shows that there are at least 39 active 'trokosi' shrines in the Volta and Dangme areas: 18 in the Tongu North (Adidome), eight in the Tongu South (Sogakope), five in Ketu, three in Keta, two in Dangme West and one in Akatsi district. In all there are over 1,000 'Trokosis'. The largest concentration of shrines is in Tongu where the most heinous crimes against the Trokosi are committed. Clients for the shrines extend beyond Tongu District, the Volta region and even Ghana.
The Kosi coming into confinement are expected to bring along their own items for personal use.
These include clothes, gray baft/calico, cooking utensils, buckets, combs and sleeping mats. Life in the shrine commences with the ritual of committal performed by the priest and other functionaries of the shrine.
The aim of this ritual is to induct the Kosi into the shrine and administer to her concoctions which would make her a faithful and dedicated devotee and prevent her from running away. Sanctions against such an action are meticulously enumerated to her and her parents.
As a mark of identification her hair is shaved. Her new cloth is grey-baft or calico with raffia leaf around her neck. She is also expected to observe a number of rituals. For instance she is forbidden to wear shoes and clothes other than those prescribed by her 'Trokosi' status. There are also a number of taboos including eating some common species of fish. In addition they are forbidden to have sex outside the shrine.
Life in the shrine is a hard one as it is full of taboos, restrictions and injunctions. Apart from the domestic chores she has to perform the 'Trokosi' works for the priest without any form of remuneration whatsoever. She cannot leave the shrine even for the farm without permission. Only rarely is she allowed to visit her family for a few days. Some are not even given the opportunity to visit home. Sex except with the priests is a complete taboo. Even those allowed to marry such as those not n confinement, can do so with the permission of the priest who also determines the bride price. But the high outlay of the rituals involved and the prohibitive bride price coupled with the priest's claim to the 'Trokosi' sexual services even for those not in confinement, often deter prospective suitors.
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Needless to add that, children of the 'Trokosi' fathered by the priests and other functionaries in the shrine are not catered for, let alone sent to school. Frequent punishment is a normal experience of the 'Trokosi' in the shrine. Common forms of punishment are denial to food and whipping with atam, (a whip made with the dried male penis of cattle or horse). Those who can afford it are sometimes allowed to offer imported goods in lieu of the above mentioned punishment.
Offences attracting punishment include: refusal of sex, quarrelling with other 'Torsos', insulting others, refusal or inability to run errands, leaving for market or farm without permission, running away to parents, disrespect to the elderly, refusal or inability to go to farm, eating farm produce without permission and coming back late from an errand.
Other offenses include entering a prohibited room with footwear by mistake, waking up late and going to farm late. In these cases guilt is determined summarily by the priests and elders of the shrine.
It is as a result of such circumstances that the country's National Population Council and the University of Ghana have commissioned a renowned anthropologist to investigate. The findings are far from being presented but they could provide detailed background in eliminating one of the most barbaric practices against the girl child.
AFRICANEWS News & Views on Africa from Africa Koinonia Media Centre, P.O. Box 8034, Nairobi, Kenya email: amani@iol.it
