Indigenous Aesthetic Qualities Inherent in the Dagomba Bim’maŋli (Smock) in Northern Region of Ghana

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue IV, April 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186

Indigenous Aesthetic Qualities Inherent in the Dagomba Bim’maŋli (Smock) in Northern Region of Ghana

Mumuni Zakaria Fusheini.¹, Dr. Joe Adu-Agyem ², Asante Eric Appau ^3
1Tutor, Head of Department, Department of Vocational Skills, E.P College of Education-Bimbilla, N/R, Ghana.
²Senior Lecturer, Former HOD, Department of Educational Innovations for Science and Technology, Faculty of Art and Built Environment, KNUST, Ghana
³Senior Lecturer, Department of Educational Innovations in Science and Technology, Faculty of Art and Built Environment, KNUST, Ghana

Abstract—The Dagomba, who remains the biggest ethnic society noted for the use of the Bim’maŋli as their traditional wear, have also exhibited lack of knowledge on the indigenous aesthetics. The aim of this article is to identify the indigenous aesthetic qualities inherent in the Bim’maŋa among the Dagomba in Northern Region of Ghana. It also sought to examine how the indigenous aesthetic qualities characterize the various types of Bim’maŋa among the Dagomba ethnic society. This will go a long way to provide sanity in the Dagomba Bim’maŋli art and culture thereby helping to promote the cultural heritage of Ghana’s indigenous dresses as a whole. A population of Bim’maŋli weavers, sewers and traditional folk historians from five Bim’maŋli production communities among the Dagomba were used. Data was taken from a sample of 60 respondents comprising weavers, sewers and traditional folk historians. Through face to face interview and observations, the study gathered, simplified, scrutinized, edited, discussed and analyzed the data with the aid of narratives, descriptions, tables and figures. The study found out that the indigenous aesthetic qualities of any type of Bim’maŋli makes it useful or functional in the context of the Dagomba culture. Also, Bim’maŋli meant for prominent people such as chiefs and other traditional rulers have unique indigenous aesthetic qualities which differentiate them from the commoners’ Bim’maŋli. Conclusions drawn from the findings indicated that to purchase and wear a Bim’maŋli, it becomes necessary to consider the indigenous aesthetic qualities of the Bim’maŋli. This will help the users to choose Bim’maŋa that match their personalities as well as adding beauty to the wearer’s physical qualities.

Keywords: Aesthetics, Bim’maŋli, Bim’maŋa, Dagombas, Indigenous

Read More