| Summary: | The Western missionaries’ attitude towards Asante indigenous belief systems created
the impression that Christianity was unable to live side by side with Asante indigenous knowledge systems. The missionaries ended up creating tension between the
Christian faith and the pre-missionary cultural values. The indigenous knowledge
systems that informed the world views of the people were not considered an integral
part of the available resources for the shaping of the Asante Christian worldview.
The Salem communities, for example, were set up to facilitate the disconnection of
the new converts from their cultural past. This study is about the available pre-missionary Asante indigenous knowledge systems that Robert Sutherland Rattray after
thorough studies published and made available to facilitate all aspects of the Asante
life especially interpretation and transmission of the Christian faith. With a critical
examination of the various major works of Robert Rattray and observation of Asante
cultural and Christian activities, the study identified some specific areas that the Asante indigenous knowledge systems have lived side by side with the Christian faith.
The study concludes with a call for respect, pride and intentional exploration into the
indigenous knowledge systems to serve the Asante and other Akan Christian needs.
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