Asante Nkramo and Fantse Nkramo: Unravelling the Paradox of Islam and Matriliny in Ghana

Islamic laws of inheritance as detailed in the Qur’an and the traditions of the Prophet basically follow patrilineal patterns. It therefore appears that the Islamic ethos is built on patriliny. Yet Islam is more than spirituality. It is a culture and way of life. Islamic precepts dictate the lives of its adherents—social, political, religious and economic—but people are born into ethnic groups before they profess a religion. Ethnicities are defined by their cultures and vice versa. For the Asante and Fantse peoples, matriliny is arguably the most distinguishing feature of their culture. To be Asante or Fantse and also Muslim therefore presents a paradox; a ‘clash’ of cultures of a sort. How do people imbibe and live both matriliny and patriliny at the same time? This chapter is a study of inculturation. It uses inheritance as the point of departure to examine how Asante and Fantse Muslims in Ghana navigate the matriliny of their culture and the patriliny of Islam. The chapter concludes that the term ‘Asante/Fantse Nkramo’ is more than an identity marker. It is a classical study in how a people live a double-consciousness.