Posted by Chester Morton / Thursday 18 May 2017 / No comments
The importance of the sheanut tree in the economy of pre-colonial Ghana
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SHEA-NUT TREE IN THE ECONOMY OF PRE-COLONIAL GHANA
Introduction
The sheanut tree is botanically
called Vitellana paradoxa. It comes from the Sapotaceae family and is a food
plant that is common in Africa. It produces its first fruit when it is about
ten to fifteen years old. By the time it starts bearing fruit at full capacity,
it is between twenty and thirty years. It is capable of bearing fruits for about
two hundred years. The shea-nut tree was very important to the pre-colonial
Ghanaian economy in many ways.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SHEA-NUT TREE
It served as food
The sheanut tree served as a
source of food for the people. Shea butter was extracted from the nuts and used
as oil to prepare food. The by-product, which was obtained after the oil has
been extracted, was fried and served as a dessert or eaten as snack.
Used for cosmetics purposes
The sheanut tree also played an
important role in the cosmetics needs of both men and women in pre-colonial
Ghana. In the north of Ghana, where the tree grows predominantly, the weather is
always very harsh during certain parts of the year. This weather condition
could cause the bodies of the inhabitants to crack, especially, the lips.
However, the application of the sheanut butter to the affected part of the body,
prevented this cracking from happening or reduced the negative effect of the
harsh weather. The women also used it as a beautification agent.
For the construction of building
The sheanut tree was instrumental
in the building of strong houses in pre-colonial Ghana. The sheabutter,
extracted from the nut, is carefully mixed with clay to make it stronger and
this employed in the building of pre-colonial houses in Ghana.
Source of energy
The sheanut tree was important as
a source of energy for the pre-colonial people. The dry branches that fall off
the trees were picked up and used as fuel wood to cook meals or used in the
production of sheabutter. Also, sometimes, the branches of the tree are pruned
and left to dry and these were also used as fuel wood.
As a source of medicine
The roots of the sheanut trees
were employed as medicine to cure diseases. The barks of the trees and their
leaves are also used as medicine to heal ailments. The shea butter, an extract
from the nut was used as a base in the production of medication and this was
smeared on the affected parts of the body. The butter was used to treat boil.
It was also used as massaging cream for people who suffer from dislocated joints.
In some cases, it was used to massage fractures and reset the broken bones.
A source of employment
The women in the northern parts
of pre-colonial Ghana, used to go into the wild to pick the nuts and these were
directly sold to processors or they were processed by the pickers themselves.
The people who extract the butter from the nuts sold their products to other
traders who took the butter to the south and to other parts of the country. In
short, the sheanut tree was a source of employment to the pre-colonial
Ghanaian.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
1. Discuss the importance of any
two of the following plants in pre-colonial economy of Ghana:
a. Sheanut tree
b. Kola nut tree
c. Oil-palm tree
