The Significance of the Black Stool as an Educational Resource in Akan Traditional Patterns of Learning

Abstract

The Black Stool has been considered by Western missionaries and missionary established churches mainly as a sacred object and religious material for rituals without much attention to its educational significance. The Western missionaries introduced Christian education and schooling pattern of learning to the Akan societies. The introduction of Western and Christian education came with Bibles, Hymn Books, Liturgy books and other educational materials. Even though the Akan had their own forms of learning, the indigenous educational resources did not attract the consideration of the missionaries. The missionary legacy of not recognizing the indigenous educational materials such as the Black Stool has remained with Christian education in Akan churches and other educational patterns. The study is an examination of the educational dimensions of the Black Stool and its significance for moral and leadership formation. Using both primary and secondary sources to examine the role of the Black Stool in moral education and leadership formation, the study points out the fact that the Black Stool is capable of providing even education in Christian history and calls for the need for re-thinking Akan Christian history to reflect significant intellectual weight embedded in the Black Stool. The study has established that the Akan Black Stool that over the years has been considered mainly from its sacred and religious dimensions has educational dimensions that equally must attract intellectual attention. The study identifies the traditional pattern of learning as a discipline that must attract intellectual attention. Moreover, there is a need for a paradigm shift on the perception of the Black Stool. A paradigm shift on the perception of indigenous educational resources will position the Black Stool as a relevant educational resource for a traditional pattern of learning. The study calls for a need for re-thinking of Akan Christian history to retrieve Christian information and history that have been embedded in indigenous resources like the Black Stool. Keywords: Akan, Black Stool, Traditional Patterns of Learning, Christianity, Educational Resources.