Drawing the Future: Children's Visual Imaginaries of Ocean Governance and Indigenous Knowledge in Coastal Ghana

• In Event: Children and Youth Section Open Call Paper Session

Abstract

The ocean remains an important source of food, identity, and livelihood for millions worldwide. In Ghana’s coastal communities, Indigenous Knowledge (IK) plays a vital role in sustaining marine resources and protecting ocean spaces. Despite growing global interest in preserving and transmitting IK, children’s perspectives on ocean governance remain largely underexplored. This study investigates how children in Axim, Western Ghana, visualize ocean governance with and without Indigenous Knowledge. Using an art-based participatory approach, fifteen children were sampled purposively to participate in a drawing workshop held from March 24-27, 2024. Each child responded to two prompts: how the ocean appears without IK, and how it appears when IK is applied. Brief interviews followed to interpret their artwork. The drawings revealed a deep awareness of Indigenous and cultural practices, including no-fishing days (Tuesday taboos), sacred groves, sea deities, communal beach clean-ups, and protection of marine species. Children’s representations emphasized IK as essential for maintaining ocean cleanliness, preventing pollution, and promoting sustainable fishing. The study argues that incorporating children’s voices in ocean governance enhances the intergenerational transmission of Indigenous Knowledge and contributes to the ecological sustainability of coastal Ghana’s marine landscapes.

Keywords: Children, coastal Ghana, indigenous knowledge, ocean governance, participatory visual methods

Authors

• Elvis Effah, Virginia Tech

• John Windie Ansah, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.

• Georgina Yaa Oduro, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.

• Ronald Osei Mensah, Takoradi Technical University, Takoradi, Ghana