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CONCEPTUAL ANALYSIS article
Front. Hum. Dyn.
Sec. Environment, Politics and Society
Volume 7 - 2025 |
doi: 10.3389/fhumd.2025.1456870
This article is part of the Research Topic Traditional Knowledge and Rural Livelihoods and Practices for Nature Conservation and Environmental Sustainability View all articles
Dynamic Resonance: Unpacking Ghanaian Traditional Knowledge through Proverbs for Modern Socio-Environmental Innovation
Provisionally accepted- 1 University of Education, Winneba, Winneba, Ghana
- 2 Mampong Technical College of Education, Mampong, Ghana
- 3 University of Ghana, Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana
Traditional knowledge reflects the essence of a community, embodying its truths and ancestral lineage. Preserving this knowledge is vital for maintaining identity and cultural roots. However, viewing it as the sole marker of ethnic ancestry overlooks other factors, such as genetics and the interplay of beliefs and practices. Beliefs and practices, shaped by cumulative wisdom, represent a dynamic core of traditional knowledge influenced by geography, experiences, cultural encounters, and resource availability. Tradition is not static but evolves with time, adapting to the needs of the era. Thus, it is essential to critically evaluate traditional knowledge within its temporal context to distinguish sustainable practices from those that may hinder progress. This paper examines select traditional knowledge embedded in proverbs from two Ghanaian ethnic cultures, Akan and Ewe, through the lens of 21st-century sustainable practices. The focus is to demonstrate that while some traditional knowledge endures, others align with modern skills like creativity, innovation, critical thinking, and collaboration-key to socio-environmental sustainability. The paper begins by appreciating Ghanaian traditional knowledge and its practical applications in daily life. It then presents a selection of proverbs with their interpretations, followed by a critical review guided by 21stcentury benchmarks with the aid of ChatGPT 4.0 and Gemini 1.5 pro language modelling Artificial Intelligence (AIs) after authentication of the selected proverbs by language experts who are also vested in Ghanaian proverbs. The analysis highlights the nuanced fabric of traditional knowledge, identifying some proverbs that remain relevant and adaptable for daily usage in educational and industrial organisations to elicit 21st-century competencies. The paper concludes with recommendations for scholarly contributions and educational initiatives grounded in traditional knowledge. These initiatives aim to foster sustainable, innovative practices that meet contemporary needs, bridging cultural heritage and modernity.
Keywords: 21st-century skills, Akan, competencies, Ewe, proverbs, Traditional knowledge
Received: 29 Jun 2024; Accepted: 06 Feb 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Quarshie and Menkah. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Benjamin Quarshie, University of Education, Winneba, Winneba, Ghana
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