Ghana Life: Trees, Fairies and Mmoatia

The English philosopher and retired army officer, Major HC Charles, argued that all living things aspire to be human, drawn upward through the process of evolution rather than pushed from below by natural selection and the survival of the fittest. . Charles explained the phenomenon of fairies by saying that they were what was left over from the creation of a tree. In England, fairies are regarded, even by those who believe in them, as harmless, often benevolent creatures, who bring a small coin to children who have lost a milk tooth. But in Ghana the trees are more than twice the size of English trees, and fairies, called mmoatia, are far more powerful, believed and feared almost universally.

Charles’s theory is unlikely to become part of conventional wisdom, but it encompasses a logic that might be better understood in Africa than in Europe or America. The fetish religions of Ghana recognize that spirits are associated with streams, rocks, and trees. Compared to man, the tree manifests the phenomena of growth, strength and solidity, but what is left over is movement, rational mind and self-consciousness. Fairies are mostly invisible, perhaps incorporeal, but they manifest human intelligence and the power of rapid movement. These are exactly the qualities that are attributed to the Mmoatia.

Mmoatia are said to be forest creatures, less than 12 inches tall, black, red, or white in color, and with their feet pointing backwards. They are very active and able to move quickly and quietly over long distances. A Ghanaian on Facebook, calling himself the King of Mmoatia (Nana Mmoatia Hene), has adopted the name: OboaNipa, helps people, but most Ghanaians would not see mmoatia as helping human beings. On the contrary, the mmoatia are believed to steal palm food and wine and, what is more terrible, steal babies to produce more mmoatia.

The Mmoatia are said to carry out the orders of witches and fetish priests. In a case observed in Kumasi by the author, a man became speechless from working on the dabone, on the evil day, when work is prohibited. When communicating in writing, the victim claimed to be held captive by a tribe of Mmoatia that was at war with another tribe that was helping an evangelical or charismatic priest. This could imply that there are friendly as well as hostile mmoatia, but in the case in question, the friendly tribe could not help. The victim’s speech was restored only after he traveled to the place where the offense had been committed and made sacrifices to the local gods.

Mmoatia are very real to many people in Ghana, as they are associated with real events in their lives. They may not be familiar with Major Charles’s theory, but if they were, they might regret that the tropical climate breeds such large trees and such powerful and malevolent fairies.