God will help you: Sadaka gifting in Northern Ghana

Abstract

In Northern Ghana, sadaka is a form of ritualized gifting that is cloaked in anonymity and secrecy, making it extremely difficult to recognize even as it is taking place. The idea of sadaka, or obligatory almsgiving, undoubtedly arrived in northern Ghana with Muslim traders during medieval times, but today it is a syncretic practice that blends traditional and Muslim beliefs. In keeping with the original idea of sadaka, the recipients of sadaka gifts are generally the most vulnerable members of society, but unlike the Islamic practice, sadaka in northern Ghana is primarily undertaken by individuals seeking an immediate, and often material solution to their problems. The materials offered as sadaka gifts are primarily small amounts of food, kola, or money-mundane items that are readily available in the market and the household. The gifts are given anonymously, often by a third party. Consequently, although a sadaka gift is materialized the moment it exchanges hands, it is meant to be invisible to all but the people involved in the transaction and meant to be consumed and therefore to leave no lasting trace. Despite its invisibility, sadaka is an essential part of daily life in Northern Ghana. It is the primary way in which people alleviate the stress of things that are out of their control, and it channels food and other goods toward children and other vulnerable members of society.