Ghanaian British
Encyclopedia
Ghanaians in the United Kingdom (also Ghanaian British or British Ghanaian) is a term that refers to Ghana
ian immigrants to the United Kingdom
and their descendants. They are one of the largest Black African
groups in the country.
country to do so from the British), people from that region have been arriving and living in Britain since at least the mid–16th century. At that time there were many Africans living and working in London, free rather than enslaved people, some of whom were based at the royal court. Even Shakespeare, it is rumoured, sought the company of an African lady, Lucy Morgan.
In 1555 John Lok, a London merchant and Alderman
, brought five Africans from the town of Sharma
, in what is today Ghana, to London to be trained as interpreters in order to assist England’s trade with the western coast of Africa
. From that time onwards economic links were established between West Africa and England. At first, the English were most concerned with acquiring gold from the region that came to be known as the Gold Coast
. Pepper and other spices were also much in demand in Europe, and in 1562 John Hawkins
organised the first voyage to West Africa to acquire African captives. By the middle of the following century English traders and financiers had become increasingly concerned with trafficking in human cargo
from the Gold Coast. England’s relationship with West Africa would be largely determined by the trafficking of human flesh for the next two centuries.
The enslavement of Africans on the Gold Coast led to some of their being brought to England as enslaved personal servants. It is difficult to establish the place of origin and the number of people brought to London in this way because one of the characteristics of slavery was the renaming of those enslaved. Besides a number of Ghanaians' arriving in Britain during the 16th-18th centuries, a number of Britons went to the Gold Coast and married Ghanaian women. A number of Scots and Englishmen married Ghanaian women in local customary marriage ceremonies and had children who became successful, such as Gold Coast mulattos as James Bannerman
and Robert William Wallace Bruce. Most Scottish and English settlers left Gold Coast after it won independence. Thus many Ghanaians are of Scottish
and English
descent.
in general, from traditional Ghanaian music to hip-hop and grime
, the UK has produced many fine artists. The Ghana Music Awards UK began in 2002 with an aim to promote and award the best achieving Ghanaian British musicians. By the 1980s
, the UK was experiencing a boom in African music as Ghanaians and others moved there in large numbers, immediately they made their presence felt in the form of local gigs and carnivals, and to this day Ghanaians and other African groups prevail as the most successful ethnic groups in the UK R&B and rap scene. Rapper Dizzee Rascal
is a household name in the UK and US and has won numerous awards, Lethal Bizzle
, Tinchy Stryder
, Tempa T
, The Mitchell Brothers
and Sway DaSafo
have also received numerous nominations and awards (including the MOBO Awards
, Mercury Prize and BET Awards
). Another notable Ghanaian British musician who chose to stray away from the typical hip-hop scene is Rhian Benson
, who now lives in Los Angeles
and is noted for being a Singer-songwriter, composer, instrumentalist and record producer who performs mainly jazz
and soul music
.
The Official Ghana's Independence Day Event is one of London’s most successful and most-attended celebration of the African nation’s independence. The event was founded by Abrantee Boateng also known as DJ Abrantee
and business partners, Alordia and Edmond in 2000.
put the figure at 93,000 in 2009.
, Lambeth
, Newham
, Hackney
, Haringey
, Lewisham
, Croydon
, Merton
and Brent
. Specific districts of concentration include Dalston
, Brixton
and Mitcham
. Outside London, there are large populations in Manchester
and Liverpool
. One of the most important places for interaction and the purchasing of culturally appropriate food
stuffs is Queen's Market
, Upton Park.
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
ian immigrants to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and their descendants. They are one of the largest Black African
Black British
Black British is a term used to describe British people of Black African descent, especially those of Afro-Caribbean background. The term has been used from the 1950s to refer to Black people from former British colonies in the West Indies and Africa, who are residents of the United Kingdom and...
groups in the country.
Early
Although modern Ghana gained independence in 1957 (and was the first Black AfricanSub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa as a geographical term refers to the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara. A political definition of Sub-Saharan Africa, instead, covers all African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara...
country to do so from the British), people from that region have been arriving and living in Britain since at least the mid–16th century. At that time there were many Africans living and working in London, free rather than enslaved people, some of whom were based at the royal court. Even Shakespeare, it is rumoured, sought the company of an African lady, Lucy Morgan.
In 1555 John Lok, a London merchant and Alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
, brought five Africans from the town of Sharma
Sharma
Sharma Hindi शर्मा, Urdu شرمہ, ) is a name used in the Indian subcontinent mostly in Northern India as a surname or given name. As a noun in Sanskrit, Sharma has various positive connotations, such as "bliss", "happiness", "shelter", "laid back" and "protection."Sharma is a surname of brahmin...
, in what is today Ghana, to London to be trained as interpreters in order to assist England’s trade with the western coast of Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
. From that time onwards economic links were established between West Africa and England. At first, the English were most concerned with acquiring gold from the region that came to be known as the Gold Coast
Gold Coast (British colony)
The Gold Coast was a British colony on the Gulf of Guinea in west Africa that became the independent nation of Ghana in 1957.-Overview:The first Europeans to arrive at the coast were the Portuguese in 1471. They encountered a variety of African kingdoms, some of which controlled substantial...
. Pepper and other spices were also much in demand in Europe, and in 1562 John Hawkins
John Hawkins
Admiral Sir John Hawkins was an English shipbuilder, naval administrator and commander, merchant, navigator, and slave trader. As treasurer and controller of the Royal Navy, he rebuilt older ships and helped design the faster ships that withstood the Spanish Armada in 1588...
organised the first voyage to West Africa to acquire African captives. By the middle of the following century English traders and financiers had become increasingly concerned with trafficking in human cargo
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
from the Gold Coast. England’s relationship with West Africa would be largely determined by the trafficking of human flesh for the next two centuries.
The enslavement of Africans on the Gold Coast led to some of their being brought to England as enslaved personal servants. It is difficult to establish the place of origin and the number of people brought to London in this way because one of the characteristics of slavery was the renaming of those enslaved. Besides a number of Ghanaians' arriving in Britain during the 16th-18th centuries, a number of Britons went to the Gold Coast and married Ghanaian women. A number of Scots and Englishmen married Ghanaian women in local customary marriage ceremonies and had children who became successful, such as Gold Coast mulattos as James Bannerman
James Bannerman
James Bannerman was a Lieutenant and acting governor of the Gold Coast from December 4, 1850 to October 14, 1851.-Life:...
and Robert William Wallace Bruce. Most Scottish and English settlers left Gold Coast after it won independence. Thus many Ghanaians are of Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
and English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
descent.
Modern
By the 1980s and early 1990s, 10 to 20 per cent of Ghanaians were living outside Ghana, with many migrating to the UK from the 1960s onwards due to economic conditions in Ghana.Music
Ghanaian music and musicians have a strong influence on the overall Ghanaian British community as well as British musicBritish music
British music could refer to:* Music of the United Kingdom* English music* Irish music* Scottish music* Welsh music* Celtic music...
in general, from traditional Ghanaian music to hip-hop and grime
Grime (music)
Grime is a style of music that emerged from Bow, East London, England in the early 2000s, primarily as a development of UK garage, dancehall, and hip hop...
, the UK has produced many fine artists. The Ghana Music Awards UK began in 2002 with an aim to promote and award the best achieving Ghanaian British musicians. By the 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
, the UK was experiencing a boom in African music as Ghanaians and others moved there in large numbers, immediately they made their presence felt in the form of local gigs and carnivals, and to this day Ghanaians and other African groups prevail as the most successful ethnic groups in the UK R&B and rap scene. Rapper Dizzee Rascal
Dizzee Rascal
Dylan Kwabena Mills , better known by his stage name Dizzee Rascal, is a Ghanaian British rapper, songwriter and record producer. His music is a blend of garage, hip hop, grime, ragga, pop and electronic music, with eclectic samples and more exotic styles...
is a household name in the UK and US and has won numerous awards, Lethal Bizzle
Lethal Bizzle
Lethal Bizzle, also known as Lethal B , is a Ghanaian British rapper. His songs are known to satirise modern Gangsta rap; much of the humour comes from the adoption of hip-hop style and language...
, Tinchy Stryder
Tinchy Stryder
Kwasi Danquah III , better known by his pseudonyms Tinchy Stryder and Star In The Hood, is a Ghanaian British recording artist, music executive, A&R executive, and businessman...
, Tempa T
Tempa T
Tempa T born , also known as Tempz/T. is a Ghanaian British Grime MC originating from East london and member of underground Grime Crew "Slew Dem Crew". Tempz is particularly known for excitable nature, his angry lyrics, raw energy and muscles the hype that he creates with his tracks. He released a...
, The Mitchell Brothers
The Mitchell Brothers
The Mitchell Brothers are a Ghanaian British rap duo from London, England. They consist of cousins Owura Nyanin from Manor Park and Kofi Hanson from Stockwell...
and Sway DaSafo
Sway DaSafo
Derek Andrew Safo is a Ghanaian British musician who uses the stage names Sway DaSafo or Sway. He is signed to Akon's Konvict Muzik record label and he is also a producer, establishing DCypha Productions.-Childhood:...
have also received numerous nominations and awards (including the MOBO Awards
MOBO Awards
The Music of Black Origin Awards, established in 1995 by Kanya King MBE and Andy Ruffell, are held annually in the United Kingdom to recognise artists of any ethnicity or nationality performing black music....
, Mercury Prize and BET Awards
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
). Another notable Ghanaian British musician who chose to stray away from the typical hip-hop scene is Rhian Benson
Rhian Benson
Rhiannon Afua "Rhian" Benson is a Ghanaian soul and jazz singer, songwriter, and composer.-Early life:Benson was born in Accra, Ghana to a Welsh mother, who was a singer, and an Ashanti father, who was a guitarist, and she has a younger sister.She was raised in Ghana, India, where her family moved...
, who now lives in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and is noted for being a Singer-songwriter, composer, instrumentalist and record producer who performs mainly jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
.
Other
Miss Ghana UK is a beauty pageant that has been up and running since 1995, it aims to highlight Ghana's rich cultural heritage and how it contributes to an ever more multi-cultural UK society. Attendances per show have soared to over 3,000 and the competition is seen as one of the most important events in Ghanaian British calendar uniting Ghanaians across the UK. The most recent winner is 24 year old Nicola Sackey.The Official Ghana's Independence Day Event is one of London’s most successful and most-attended celebration of the African nation’s independence. The event was founded by Abrantee Boateng also known as DJ Abrantee
Abrantee Boateng
Abrantee Boateng, known professionally as "DJ Abrantee" is a Radio and TV Presenter, Club DJ and promoter, also the popular voice on the UK’s No.1 Urban Radio Station Choice FM. DJ Abrantee was born in Croydon, UK to Ghanaian parents where he grew up then moved to East London when he was 7 years...
and business partners, Alordia and Edmond in 2000.
Population
The 2001 UK Census recorded 56,112 Ghanaian-born people living in the UK. More recent estimates by the Office for National StatisticsOffice for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Overview :...
put the figure at 93,000 in 2009.
Distribution
Ghanaians in London can be especially found in the boroughs of SouthwarkLondon Borough of Southwark
The London Borough of Southwark is a London borough in south east London, England. It is directly south of the River Thames and the City of London, and forms part of Inner London.-History:...
, Lambeth
London Borough of Lambeth
The London Borough of Lambeth is a London borough in south London, England and forms part of Inner London. The local authority is Lambeth London Borough Council.-Origins:...
, Newham
London Borough of Newham
The London Borough of Newham is a London borough formed from the towns of West Ham and East Ham, within East London.It is situated east of the City of London, and is north of the River Thames. According to 2006 estimates, Newham has one of the highest ethnic minority populations of all the...
, Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
, Haringey
London Borough of Haringey
The London Borough of Haringey is a London borough, in North London, classified by some definitions as part of Inner London, and by others as part of Outer London. It was created in 1965 by the amalgamation of three former boroughs. It shares borders with six other London boroughs...
, Lewisham
London Borough of Lewisham
The London Borough of Lewisham is a London borough in south-east London, England and forms part of Inner London. The principal settlement of the borough is Lewisham...
, Croydon
London Borough of Croydon
The London Borough of Croydon is a London borough in South London, England and is part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the largest London borough by population. It is the southernmost borough of London. At its centre is the historic town of Croydon from which the borough takes its name...
, Merton
London Borough of Merton
The London Borough of Merton is a borough in southwest London, England.The borough was formed under the London Government Act in 1965 by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Mitcham, the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District, all formerly within Surrey...
and Brent
London Borough of Brent
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough had a total population of 2,022. This rose slowly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 5,646 in the middle of the century. When the railways arrived the rate of population growth increased...
. Specific districts of concentration include Dalston
Dalston
Dalston is a district of north-east London, England, located in the London Borough of Hackney. It is situated northeast of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
, Brixton
Brixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
and Mitcham
Mitcham
Mitcham is a district in the south west area of London, in the London Borough of Merton. A suburban area, Mitcham is located on the border of Inner London and Outer London. It is both residentially and financially developed, well served by Transport for London, and home to Mitcham Town Centre,...
. Outside London, there are large populations in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. One of the most important places for interaction and the purchasing of culturally appropriate food
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
stuffs is Queen's Market
Queens Road Market
Queen's Road Market, locally known as Queen's or Green Street Market, is an historic street market in the London Borough of Newham. It lies adjacent to Green Street and Upton Park tube station....
, Upton Park.
Economics
63.70% of recent Ghanaian immigrants to the UK of working age are employed (compared to 73.49% for British born people regardless of race or ethnic background). 17.19% of recent immigrants are low earners, which is pay less than £149.20 a week (compared to 21.08% for British-born people), and 3.13% are high earners, which is more than £750 per week (compared to 6.98% for British-born people). The percentages for settled immigrants are slightly different, 69.51% are employed, with 15.04% being low earners and 5.31% high earners.External links
- News about Ghanaian community in United Kingdom, from GhanaWeb