The making of pognaa (woman chief) in the Waala Traditional Political System: Implications for women’s involvement in community governance

Abstract

This study examines the complexities surrounding the position of the pognaa (Woman Chief) within Ghana’s patrilineal Waala traditional  political system. Employing sociocultural discourse study and Foucault's notion of discourse and power, the study investigates situated  social practices and power dynamics constructing the identity and position of pognaa, in Dorimon and Wechiau Traditional Areas. The  study reveals that the construction of pognaa’s identity and position within the patrilineal society embeds power struggle and resistance,  and that the making of pognaa or pognamine is neither an innovation nor an imposition of Ghana’s bureaucratic governance institutions.  It is a cultural practice underpinned in patrilineal societies of Ghana’s Upper West Region. Also, the criteria for selecting a  pognaa, unlike the chief, is unclear, ambiguous and fraught with practices of coexisting traditional and bureaucratic power structures,  and the pognaa or Pognamine do not play any strategic role in traditional power structures. The study contributes to a nuanced  understanding of the challenges and opportunities regarding women's leadership roles within patrilineal societies, and contemporary transformations. Highlighting the interplay of power, gender roles, and cultural discourses that shape the pognaa’s position, the study  offers valuable insights into women and leadership in Traditional community governing practices and development.