The Disappearing Ghanaian Storyteller: When Did We Stop Gathering to Listen?

There was a time when bedtime did not always mean going straight to sleep. For some Ghanaian children, it meant gathering around a grandmother, grandfather or another older relative who had a story to tell.

The storyteller did not need a television, a projector or an internet connection. Sometimes, all that was needed was a quiet evening, a group of curious children and a story that had been passed down through generations.

There were tales about clever animals, foolish kings, wicked neighbours, brave children and people whose decisions changed their lives. Some stories entertained. Others warned against greed, dishonesty, disrespect and selfishness.

Children listened, laughed, interrupted with questions and begged for another story when the first one ended.

Today, that familiar scene is less visible in many households. Children have access to cartoons, films, online videos, games and social media. Older relatives may live far away, while busy family schedules leave little time for extended storytelling.

But as entertainment changes, an important question remains: Are Ghanaian communities losing the tradition of telling stories that once helped children understand their world?

In many Ghanaian communities, storytelling was an informal way of teaching children about life.

A story about a dishonest person could explain why trust mattered. A tale about an arrogant character might show how pride could lead to trouble. Stories involving animals could reveal human weaknesses without directly accusing anyone.

The storyteller could use humour to communicate a serious message, allowing children to learn while enjoying themselves.

Some stories also explained cultural beliefs, community practices and relationships between people. They helped children understand why certain behaviours were encouraged, and others discouraged.

The lessons were not always presented as direct instructions. Instead, children were expected to think about what the characters did and what happened as a result.

That process made storytelling a form of informal education.

Ananse: The trickster who taught through his mistakes

One of the most recognisable figures in Akan oral tradition is Ananse, the spider character known for cleverness, mischief and trickery.

In many stories, Ananse tries to outsmart others, gain something for himself or escape a difficult situation through cunning.

Sometimes his plans succeed. At other times, his greed or overconfidence creates problems.

The character is memorable because he is not a perfect hero. He can be intelligent and foolish, resourceful and selfish, entertaining and frustrating.

Through Ananse stories, listeners encounter questions about greed, wisdom, fairness, responsibility and the consequences of one’s actions.

Ananse stories have also travelled beyond Ghana and become part of wider African and Caribbean storytelling traditions.

Yet preserving these stories requires more than remembering the character’s name. The language, humour, performance style and different versions of the tales are also part of the heritage.

Every community had its own stories

Ghana’s storytelling traditions are not limited to Ananse.

Different communities have their own folktales, legends, historical narratives, praise traditions and stories associated with particular places or families.

Some stories explain the origin of a community. Others recount the actions of respected leaders, ancestors or extraordinary individuals.

There are stories about animals, rivers, forests, farming, marriage, friendship and conflict.

The details vary across cultures, and a story may have several versions depending on who tells it.

This diversity is important. Ghana’s oral heritage cannot be reduced to one character or one collection of tales.

When stories are documented, it is valuable to record the language in which they were told, the community they come from and the person sharing them.

Otherwise, a story may survive while the cultural context that gives it meaning is forgotten.

The decline of traditional storytelling cannot be blamed on one cause. Changes in family life, technology, language use and daily routines have all affected how stories are shared.

Television, smartphones and online platforms provide entertainment at any hour.

A child can watch a cartoon, listen to an audiobook or view a video without waiting for an older relative to become available.

Digital entertainment is not necessarily harmful. It can introduce children to literature, languages and different cultures.

The challenge is that traditional storytelling is interactive. The listener can ask questions, challenge a character’s behaviour or request that the storyteller repeat a favourite part.

A recorded video cannot always reproduce the personal connection created when an older relative tells a story from memory.

Work, school, commuting and other responsibilities can make it difficult for families to spend long periods together.

In some households, several generations no longer live under the same roof. Grandparents may reside in another town or village, making regular contact less frequent.

This does not mean families have stopped caring about their traditions. It means the opportunities to pass on certain practices may be fewer.

When storytelling is no longer part of an ordinary evening, it may be remembered mainly during festivals, cultural events or school activities.

Language can also influence whether traditional stories survive.

Some folktales rely on proverbs, wordplay, local expressions and cultural references that are difficult to translate fully into another language.

When a story is told in a language the listener does not understand well, its humour and deeper meaning may be lost.

Children who are not comfortable speaking the language of their parents or grandparents may struggle to follow long stories told in that language.

This does not mean stories should only be told in one language. They can be translated and explained. However, preserving the original language alongside translations helps retain expressions and meanings that might otherwise disappear.

Traditional storytellers carry knowledge that may never have been written down.

Some know several versions of a tale. Others remember the songs, sayings or responses that accompanied a performance.

If nobody records or learns from them, their knowledge may disappear when they are no longer able to tell the stories.

A written summary may preserve the plot but fail to capture the storyteller’s voice, gestures, timing and interaction with the audience.

That is why audio and video recordings, community archives and interviews with older people can be valuable.

What happens when the storyteller disappears?

When a traditional story is lost, the immediate effect may appear small. Children can still read books, watch films and learn from their teachers.

But the loss can be deeper than the disappearance of a single tale.

A story may contain expressions from a local language, references to a community’s history or lessons about relationships that have been discussed for generations.

It may also preserve an older way of understanding the environment, social responsibility or human behaviour.

When stories are no longer shared, children can lose an opportunity to learn about their cultural heritage directly from the people who know it.

The concern is not that every traditional story contains a lesson that must be followed today. Some stories reflect beliefs or social expectations that deserve critical examination.

Preservation does not mean accepting everything uncritically. It means keeping the stories available so that people can understand, discuss and interpret them.

Can schools bring storytelling back?

Schools could play an important role by giving oral storytelling a place alongside reading and writing.

Teachers could invite community elders, writers, linguists and storytellers to share stories with pupils.

Students could record folktales told by their parents or grandparents, write down different versions and discuss the lessons or questions raised by each story.

Cultural programmes could also include storytelling competitions in Ghanaian languages, encouraging young people to develop confidence in oral performance.

These activities could support language learning, listening skills, creativity and an appreciation of cultural diversity.

The goal should not be to turn every story into a rigid classroom lesson. Children should also have the freedom to enjoy the suspense, humour and imagination that make storytelling appealing.

Technology may have contributed to changes in storytelling, but it can also help preserve the tradition.

Content creators could produce short videos of Ghanaian folktales, with narrators telling stories in their original languages and providing subtitles.

Radio stations, podcasts and online publishers could develop storytelling programmes featuring older narrators and younger performers.

Libraries, cultural institutions and community organisations could build digital collections of stories, songs and oral histories.

Care is needed to ensure that the people and communities who share these stories are properly acknowledged. Where a story belongs to a particular cultural tradition, its origins should not be erased simply to make it more marketable.

With thoughtful documentation, a story once told to a handful of children could reach audiences far beyond the community where it originated.

One reason storytelling may be neglected is the belief that it requires someone who knows many traditional tales or has a special gift for narration.

But families can begin with simple steps.

Parents can ask grandparents to share stories from their childhood. They can tell children about how their community changed, how their parents grew up or how a family tradition began.

Children can also be encouraged to create their own stories inspired by what they hear.

The important thing is to create opportunities for conversation and imagination.

A story does not have to be perfect to be meaningful. Sometimes, the memory of sitting beside a grandparent and listening carefully becomes just as important as the story itself.

Not every old story should remain unchanged

As Ghanaian society changes, traditional stories may also need to be reconsidered.

Some tales contain stereotypes or reflect historical attitudes that modern audiences may question. Others may have different meanings in different communities.

These differences should be discussed rather than hidden.

Storytelling can be preserved while allowing new generations to ask questions, develop new versions and explore different interpretations.

That is how a living tradition remains relevant: it carries the past into the present without preventing people from thinking critically about it.

Ghana has made room for modern entertainment, digital learning and international culture. There is no need to reject those developments to preserve oral traditions.

But if children grow up knowing fictional characters from around the world while remaining unfamiliar with the stories their grandparents grew up hearing, it is worth asking what opportunities have been missed.

The answer is not to blame young people for preferring cartoons or accuse parents of abandoning their culture.

The more useful response is to create opportunities for stories to be heard again—in homes, schools, libraries, on radio and through digital platforms.

Older people should be encouraged to share their knowledge, while younger people should be given the tools to record and reinterpret it.

Because a story that is never told cannot be questioned, enjoyed or passed on.

And perhaps the greatest danger is not that Ghana’s traditional storytellers will stop speaking, but that the next generation will no longer gather to listen.