Distilled Liquor and Consumption:A Social-Cultural History of a People

Socio-cultural changes in the pattern of development of a group of people often occur when there is an introduction of foreign cultures. The annexation of Gold Coast brought the Asante empire under British rule, and from the beginning of the twentieth century, Gold Coast witnessed a total transformation of the economy from its subsistence nature to a cash economy. Economic changes associated with diversification and rapid expansion of Gold Coast export mitigated for a demand in labor force. However, the research focused on the people of Kumasi and using the Winick theory of alcohol dependency, sort to unveil the socio-cultural changes that occurred within the period under review. Furthermore, with the use of qualitative narrative, interviews, secondary and primary data, the research was undertaken and findings revealed some changes in customs, values, and lifestyle of individuals in the community. It further indicated the role played by colonial influence and administration's reliance on imported alcohol coupled with the introduction of a new kind of local gin (akpeteshie).