Representation of Children and Parents in Proverbs among the Nzema of Ghana

This study explored how the Nzema people of Southern Ghana perceive children and parents through the lens of proverbs. Drawing on qualitative data sourced through observations and semi-structured interviews, complemented by secondary sources, a sample of twenty-one proverbs relating to children and parents were purposively extracted and examined. The analysis revealed that certain creatures such as fowl, hawk, grasshopper, ant, and crab were metaphorically used to portray children and parents, reflecting Nzema cultural conceptions of their identities and sociocultural roles. Findings indicated that mothers demonstrate maximum love and strive to maintain crucial bonds with their children even when fathers are unconcerned, while children are culturally expected to honour and respect their fathers. The study concluded that the messages conveyed in the selected proverbs can foster positive child-parent relationships and enhance social harmony, supporting Sharifian’s notion of cultural conceptualisations.