The Conception of Matter among the Indigenous Talensi People of Ghana

Abstract

The way indigenous people conceive the physical world and the way they relate with it can provide insight into their conceptions of nature of matter.  This study sought to provide insight into the conceptions of the nature matter among indigenous Talensis of northern Ghana. A survey was conducted using an interview schedule on 51 indigenous adults selected across Taleng-teng (the land of the Talensis) in the Upper East Region of northern Ghana. The common believes they hold about matter were identified and recorded. The analysis showed that indigenous Talensis refer to matter as ‘bom’. They believe ‘bom’ has mass, volume, weight, and sentience or consciousness. What they refer to as ‘bom-biil’ (seed of ‘bom’) is synonymous to the molecule, while they view ‘duomiri’ as the basic constituent of ‘bom’. Indigenous Talensis view ‘duomiri’ as not visible. They have no concept equivalent to the atom. They believe that matter could exist tangibly (like stone) or intangibly like energy. The indigenous Talensis believe that energy is another state of matter. Multicultural education could be promoted if similar studies in other indigenous are conducted and the findings preserved. Pupils from indigenous communities are likely to be bringing into the science classroom preconceived indigenous scientific believes. If science teachers in such indigenous communities are aware of some of these believes, they would employ the appropriate pedagogy to help them unlearn any preconceived ‘misconceptions’, and to learn the true concepts.

Keywords: conception, matter, indigenous, substance, knowledge, ethnographic.

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/13-21-11

Publication date:June 30^th 2022