Joy, Happiness, And Wellbeing: Integrating Cross-Cultural Research On African Diaspora Missiology in The USA
Author Name
Yaw Attah Edu-Bekoe
Author Address
Rev. Dr. Yaw Attah Edu-Bekoe
Trinity Theological Seminary
Legon
Keywords
Migration, African Diaspora
Abstract
God, the Ultimate Reality—in His grace and wisdom—is connecting different ethnicities in a phenomenal way. 21st century diaspora studies recognizes the reality that many people-groups are scattered and "are traversed globally"[1] through migration. The Akan people-group of Ghana is no exception. Prophetically, this may be God's ultimate wisdom of shifting the center of gravity of World Christianity back to Euro-America.
Contemporarily, the natural relationship between traditional and diaspora mission then, is not either/or but that of both/and; that is, not "mutually exclusive."[1] Some African scholars posit that "Africans are notoriously religious."[1] There is a very thin line between the sacred and the mundane in African societies; what constitutes secular and sacral are connected without any dichotomy.
Akan peoples-group as Africans are "adamantly religious."[1]Akans would migrate with their "religion like their skin"[1] or their passports and visas. Three social institutions which the Ghanaian diaspora develops in their host nations are the family, ethnic associations (EAs), and church planting. First, how are these social institutions offering joy, happiness, and well-being? Second, how does the strong/dynamic quest for money—the dollar power—affect the retention or otherwise of the Akan traditional and moral values in all generations? Third, how would the USA Ghanaian congregations, for instance, offer joy, happiness and wellness as the "healing balm of Gilead" in terms of the Akan cognitive values in mission operations.
Regarding cross-cultural perspectives: 1) Are certain biases tend to systematically yield poor migration decisions, either moving when one should not move or staying in place when one should move (of the millions of Africans dispersed in the USA)? 2) Are cross-cultural concepts like joy, happiness and well-being and related concepts like satisfaction, self-realization, meaning, or sacrifice found in all cultures, especially Africans in the USA diaspora? 3) Some cultures emphasize psychological states like enjoyment or happiness less than others. Do USA Akans value such things at all, or prioritize them only under certain conditions? Do we find differences vis-a-vis Western linear concepts or among different religions? 4) How do cultural and religious identities influence well-being and interventions for promoting it among diaspora Akans regarding socio-religious perspectives? Might religious perspectives on well-being be enhanced by bringing different spiritual traditions into conversation? Examples are Christian and African Traditional Religions (ATR) traditions. 5) How do people (Akans) think about God and good life? What do people care about and how do they think about good life? What concepts do people employ in thinking about good lives?
For African diaspora joy, happiness, and well-being in the USA research, the essential questions include: Why would the Akan peoples-group be scattered in the USA and what concepts do they employ in thinking about good lives? What drives ordinary Akans' judgments of well-being, joy, and happiness? What do Akans value both for well-being and for other reasons in the USA diaspora? With regard to values and priorities, how do we distinguish Akan peoples' values—what they ultimately care about like, joy, happiness or love—from other concerns (for example, practical priorities like money)? Can we distinguish the values that Akan individuals ta
Conference
International Conference on "Global Migration: Rethinking Skills, Knowledge and Culture"