‘THE CHIEFS, ELDERS, AND PEOPLE HAVE FOR MANY YEARS SUFFERED UNTOLD HARDSHIPS’: PROTESTS BY COALITIONS OF THE EXCLUDED IN BRITISH NORTHERN TOGOLAND, UN TRUSTEESHIP TERRITORY, 1950–7

This article examines the use of tradition by minority groups whose territorial incorporation into British Northern Togoland under UN trusteeship was marked by political exclusion. This contrasts with the more typical pattern of productive and inclusive relations developing between chiefs and the ad...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of African history 2014-11, Vol.55 (3), p.423-444
Main Author: Stacey, Paul
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
20th century
Africa
African history
Boundaries
British Empire
British Northern Togoland
Chiefs
Coalitions
Colonial government
Colonial history
Colonialism
Colonies & territories
Councils
Demonstrations & protests
Elderly
Ghana
History and Marginalization in a Colonial Setting
Indigenous Populations
International cooperation
Local government
Minority & ethnic groups
Minority Groups
Native peoples
Native rights
Political protests
Politics
Power
Race relations
Rights
Territories
Traditional culture
Trust administration
Trusteeship
United Kingdom
United Nations
Voting
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:This article examines the use of tradition by minority groups whose territorial incorporation into British Northern Togoland under UN trusteeship was marked by political exclusion. This contrasts with the more typical pattern of productive and inclusive relations developing between chiefs and the administering authority within the boundaries of what was to become Ghana. In East Gonja, marginalized groups produced their own chiefs while simultaneously appealing to the UN Trusteeship Council to protect their native rights. The article contributes to studies on the limits of the ‘invention of tradition’ by showing the influence of external structures on African agency and organization. As the minority groups sought UN support on the basis of their native status, the colonial power affirmed alternative versions of tradition that were perceived locally as illegitimate and thereby rendered ineffective.
ISSN:0021-8537
1469-5138
DOI:10.1017/S0021853714000358