Kofi DOnkO was a blacksmith and farmer, as well as an important healer, intellectual, spiritual leader, settler of disputes, and custodian of shared values for his Ghanaian community. In Our Own Way in This Part of the World Kwasi Konadu centers DOnkO's life story and experiences in a communography of DOnkO's community and nation from the late nineteenth century through the end of the twentieth, which were shaped by historical forces from colonial Ghana's cocoa boom to decolonization and political and religious parochialism. Although DOnkO touched the lives of thousands of citizens and patients, neither he nor they appear in national or international archives covering the region. Yet his memory persists in his intellectual and healing legacy, and the story of his community offers a non-national, decolonized example of social organization structured around spiritual forces that serves as a powerful reminder of the importance for scholars to take their cues from the lived experiences and ideas of the people they study.

About the Author
Kwasi Konadu is John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Chair in Africana and Latin American Studies at Colgate University and the author and editor of several books, including The Ghana Reader: History, Culture, Politics, also published by Duke University Press, and Transatlantic Africa, 1440-1888.

Reviews
"Konadu refers to his work as a 'communography' and offers a portrait of the community of which Kofi DOnkO was a hub. This approach creates a deeply grounded history... [in which] he tries to present the world as DOnkO might have seen it, offering a refreshing perspective. This innovative study is recommended for advanced undergraduates and graduate students." -- G. Mann * Choice *
"A compelling history of people and their community in twentieth century Ghana. Konadu has gathered an impressive archive, based on which he succeeds to capture societal changes and dynamics in their lived refractions and complexities. ... Konadu makes an important contribution to an everyday and social history of twentieth century Ghana." -- Benedikt Pontzen * African Studies Quarterly *
"Kwasi Konadu's Our Own Way in This Part of the World...provides us with a powerful model for thinking within and thus beyond the boundaries of the nation-state, viewing the past through the lens of extraordinary individuals and communities. We all have lessons to learn here." -- Jennifer Hart * American Historical Review *
"By revealing Donko's story, Konadu has accomplished something innovative, a book worth reading for anyone who wants to challenge themselves to rethink the field of African Studies." -- Jonathan Roberts * Journal of African History *



Book Information
ISBN 9781478004783
Author Kwasi Konadu
Format Paperback
Page Count 328
Imprint Duke University Press
Publisher Duke University Press
Weight(grams) 476g