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Ga

West Africa

The Ga people founded Accra, now Ghana’s capital, arriving in the region in the 16th century according to oral tradition and organizing themselves into six independent coastal towns. They speak a Kwa language closely related to, but not mutually intelligible with, that of their neighbors the Adangbe.

Did you know?

The Ga people's Homowo festival (literally 'hooting at hunger') commemorates a historic famine that ended in a bountiful harvest, and is marked with kpokpoi, a dish of ground corn and palm nut soup sprinkled on the ground to honor ancestors.

Proverbs (3)

Respect Truth Patience

When someone has done you a good turn, you do not turn your buttocks to express your appreciation.

Turning your back on someone is a sign of contempt, and no way to answer a kindness. The proverb says that gratitude is owed and must be sincere.

If you speak in respect of heaven, you must say something about the earth too.

Talk of heavenly things is incomplete if it ignores life on the ground. Whatever you say about the spiritual should also answer to everyday, practical realities.

It is by doing it bit by bit and softly that the housefly ate the dog's ear.

A housefly can't take on a dog's ear all at once. Small, quiet, repeated effort, unimpressive at any single moment, gets done what force couldn't.

Names (22)

All Ga names ›

First names

Given to a girl born on Thursday, in the Ga day-name system (a distinct tradition from, but related to, the Akan and Ewe day-name systems).

Given to a girl born on Tuesday, in the Ga day-name system.

Given to a girl born on Friday, in the Ga day-name system.

Given to a child whose mother died.

Given to a girl born on Monday, in the Ga day-name system.

Given to a girl born on Sunday, in the Ga day-name system.

Given to a girl born on Wednesday, in the Ga day-name system.

An alternative name for a twin girl.

Given to a twin girl. In a boy-and-girl pair she is Akweley and her brother is Oko; two twin girls are Akweley and Akuorkor.

Given to a girl born on Saturday, in the Ga day-name system.

Given to a child whose father died before the naming ceremony. The name is explained as "did not meet the father to receive joy".

Given to the firstborn daughter.

Given to a boy born on Tuesday, in the Ga day-name system.

Given to a boy born on Friday, in the Ga day-name system.

Given to a boy born on Monday, in the Ga day-name system (a distinct tradition from, but related to, the Akan and Ewe day-name systems).

Given to a boy born on Wednesday, in the Ga day-name system.

Given to a boy born on Saturday, in the Ga day-name system.

Given to a boy born on Thursday, in the Ga day-name system.

Given to a boy born on Sunday, in the Ga day-name system.

Given to a twin boy — in a boy-girl pair, paired with Akweley.

Given to the child born immediately after a set of twins.

Given to the firstborn son. One of the most common Ga family names, carried on from this birth-order origin.

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