How Traditional Storytelling Preserves Ethnic Identity and Culture in The Face of Modernisation

Abstract

Traditional storytelling has long played a central role in preserving ethnic identity, cultural memory, and communal values in Ghana. However, the rapid forces of modernisation, including urbanisation, globalisation, technological advancement, and shifting linguistic practices, have raised concerns about the continuity and relevance of these oral traditions. This study examines how traditional storytelling persists, evolves, or declines in contemporary Ghanaian society, with a focus on intergenerational transmission and cultural identity formation. Guided by Cultural Memory Theory, Hybridity Theory, and Reception Theory, the research employs a qualitative, multiple-case study approach involving the Ashanti, Effutu, and Akuapim ethnic groups. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions with youth, and the analysis of audiovisual materials, including recorded storytelling sessions and digital media adaptations. Thematic analysis, supported by NVivo, was used to identify patterns in cultural transmission, adaptation, audience interpretation, and intergenerational engagement. The findings indicate that while modernisation presents challenges such as diminished intergenerational interactions and changes in language use, it also offers new opportunities for cultural preservation via digital storytelling, educational initiatives, and hybrid narrative forms. Nonetheless, the study highlights significant gaps in engagement among urban youth, concerns about authenticity in digital adaptations, and unequal power dynamics in the stories that are shared and valued. Overall, the research shows that traditional storytelling in Ghana is neither disappearing nor remaining static; instead, it is evolving within dynamic cultural spaces shaped by both continuity and change. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of how ethnic identity is negotiated in a modernising context and underscores the importance of culturally responsive strategies to sustain storytelling traditions across generations.