What's in a Drink? Class Struggle, Popular Culture and the Politics ofAkpeteshie(Local Gin) in Ghana, 1930–67

Abstract

This article examines the history of akpeteshie (local gin) in Ghana from its illicit origins and widespread distillation in the 1930s to about 1967, when the Convention People's Party – seen as the ‘champion’ of the akpeteshie industry – was overthrown. Akpeteshie distillation proliferated when temperance interests succeeded in pressuring the colonial government into raising tariffs on imported liquor in 1930, just before the onset of a world-wide depression. Urban and rural workers, unable to afford expensive imported gin, became the patrons of akpeteshie. For urban workers, akpeteshie came to underpin an emerging popular culture.Akpeteshie distillation threatened the colonial government's prior dependence on revenue from imported liquor, raised the specter of crime and disorder, compromised colonial concerns about urban space, exposed the weakness of colonial rule and eventually led the British government into the embarrassing diplomatic position of seeking an alteration of the Saint Germain Convention of 1919 that had banned commercial distillation of spirits in the African colonies.By the 1940s, akpeteshie had emerged as an important symbol of African grievances under colonial rule. It became entwined in nationalist politics from the 1940s, and its legalization was one of the first legislative acts passed by the independent Ghanaian government. But the overwhelming African support for akpeteshie as an indigenous drink aside, the drink conjured images of class and popular protest that divided Ghanaian society and would unnerve independent African governments. As a cheap drink, akpeteshie became associated with the working-class experience, reflecting the social inequities within Ghanaian society and the undelivered promises of the independence struggle.

The Prevalence of Alcohol Use among Road Users and Its Impact on Traffic Crash Severity in Ghana

“…These local liquors are unrecorded drinks with very high alcohol concentrations. Consumption of about 650 ml of these local liquors at one sitting have resulted in death of consumers (Akyeampong, 1996;Asare Buadu, 2013). This is probably why an overwhelming 64% of drivers who tested positive of alcohol exceeded the legal alcohol limit.…”

“…In fact, some farmers in Northern Ghana go to their farms with pito and use it for the dual purpose of "food" and "drink" to enable them to ease feelings of hunger and work until they return home late in the evening to take their meals. Nevertheless, with the commercialisation of local beer and the proliferation of factory made drinks in contemporary Ghana, there has been a paradigm shift with regard to the trends of alcohol consumption in the direction of increasing pattern of alcohol consumption in Ghana (Akyeampong, 1995(Akyeampong, , 1996(Akyeampong, , 1998Lentz, 1999;Luginaah & Dakubo, 2003) just as there has been in many other countries (Allamani et al, 2011). This has been attributed to the independence of the youth due to their migration to the urban centres and their engagement in wage earning activities (Akyeampong, 1995; see also Willis, 2006).…”

“…Un-distilled drinks from raffia and oil palm are called palm wine whilst drinks obtained from grains; mainly (millet and maize) are called pito. The alcoholic content by volume of some local drinks such as akpeteshie and their derivatives can be as high as 70% (Akyeampong, 1996). (Note: Akpeteshie is a local gin obtained from distilling palm wine or sugar pulp).…”

“…(Note: Akpeteshie is a local gin obtained from distilling palm wine or sugar pulp). Consuming of over 600 ml of this local gin at a sitting could be fatal (Akyeampong, 1996;Asare Buadu, 2013). Consequently, prior to independence, production, sale and consumption of akpeteshie was proscribed in Ghana due to the apparent deleterious effects associated with its consumption (Akyeampong, 1996).…”

“…"Bitters" are believed to be appetisers, aphrodisiacs and possess medicinal properties. Nicknames of the local gins and their derivative bitters such as "Kill me Quick", "Take me and Fly" and "V.C 10" suggest the potency and how quickly the drinks can make one drunk after consumption (Akyeampong, 1996). Unlike in the western world where people normally drink alcohol whilst having their meals, Ghanaians have developed the culture of drinking alcohol before having their meals.…”