Accra, Jan. 27, GNA – Professor Kodzo Gavua, the Principal Investigator for a project dubbed “Imagining Ghanaian Futures”, says the boxing heritage of Ga-Mashie forms part of their culture and not only for recreational purposes.
He said this at the opening day of the Exhibition on Ga-Mashie Boxing Heritage held at the Ghana Science Museum in Accra.
According to Prof. Gavua, the nine-day exhibition seeks to provide additional information about the boxing heritage of the Ga-Mashie people through audio-visual means thereby clearing misconceptions of violent nature of the people from Ga-Mashie.
“The investigation about the boxing heritage of Ga-Mashie was to find out the factors which unites the people. We are working on this project to find alternative ways by which we can re-write our history. Much of the history that we were taught in our school do most often separate us rather than unite us.
“This exhibition is about the impact of boxing in the Ga-Mashie community beyond recreation and commerce. We know people have made money through boxing and serves as a means of entertainment but we see boxing as an aspect of Ga-Mashie.
“It brings the people together and grooming the younger people in living a disciplined life and above all is a source of harmony in the Ga-Mashie Community,” he said.
Mr. Samuel Korsah, Deputy Director of Research at the Ministry of Youth and Sports delivering a speech on behalf of the sector minister, Mr. Mustapha Ussif commended the project team for their efforts in enhancing the promotion of sports.
“We at the Ministry fully support every attempt by individuals, groups or institutions aimed at promoting and enhancing the development of sports in the country.
“Historically, boxing has a strong pre-eminence in Ga Mashie with Bukom, being the hub for the formation and training of high-ranking champions in the country.
“It is gratifying to state that boxing has contributed immensely to the socio-economic development of our country over the years,” he said.
Mr. Fritz Baffour, former Minister of Information and Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South who officially opened the Exhibition expressed his excitement towards the project which according to him unravels the true history of the people of Ga-Mashie.
Mr. Baffour, who hails from a boxing family having grown up in Korle-Gonnor, said boxing was not just a sport for the people of Ga-Mashie but was part of life in the area.
It is believed that the forefathers of Ga, used to fight/wrestle as a hobby with other communities. The wrestling-like fighting called “Asafo” had some cultural similarities with boxing which made it easy for them to adapt upon the introduction of professional boxing in the country by the colonialists in the 1890’s.
GNA