Missionsfrau Rosine Widmann: gold coast (Ghana) encounters. Nineteenth century ethnographical observations

Abstract

Missionsfrau [en] as a concept defines the dialectic of the white male dominance in the colonial agenda and the status of their female counterparts in this process of change. Yet, in this specific historical situation, and more importantly within the Gold Coast context, the literature gives very little attention to the Missionsfrau for implementing change, let alone the larger body of writings that documents their observations and discourse of the colonial encounter. Drawing from the diary of the German Missionsfrau Rosine Widmann (1826-1908) who lived and worked in the British Settlement on the Gold Coast (West Africa) in the nineteenth century, this article rather than exploring Widmann in terms of the embracing category of cultural change, examines her literary construction of racialized bodies during her encounter with the locals. The analysis shall show that Widmann's diary is not only a means of following the discursive construction of black bodies on the Gold Coast but also a means of finding explanation for her experiences.

IFE PsychologIA Vol. 14(2) 2006: 70-99