Document #1065781
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
In a 9 February 1995 telephone interview, a
history professor who specializes in African history and religions
at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, stated that
Bajina (Bajyina) is not a religion with a membership. However,
Bajina is a child born after a childless couple has consulted a
deity (ibid.). The professor said that a needy couple does not have
to be a member of that deity. According to the professor, the
inability of a couple to have children may be attributed to
infertility or infant mortality. In either case, a couple may seek
the intervention of the deity and the resulting birth, if any, is
called Bajyina. Literally translated, the Bajyina is a child who
will "end the infertility or the series of deaths" (ibid.).
The professor said that a belief in Bajina
does not conflict with traditional African religions, although
religions such as Islam and Christianity, may not accept the
cosmology that underlies Bajina (ibid.). For example, the Jehovah's
Witness faith, which does not accept belief systems other than its
own, may not tolerate anything to do with Bajina (ibid.). According
to the James Madison University professor, a member of the
Jehovah's Witness faith who believes in or practises Bajina may be
asked to leave the church (ibid.).
Telephone interviews were held on 9
February 1995 with three other oral sources, including a professor
of history at Harvard University in Boston, a representative of the
Ghana Refugee Union of Quebec in Montreal and a representative of
the National Council of Ghanaian-Canadians (NCGC) in Toronto.
Although the three sources agreed with the interpretation of
Bajyina as stated by the James Madison University professor and how
Bajina may be perceived by non-African religions in Ghana, they
also expanded the meaning of Bajyina.
The Harvard University professor, who
specializes in the social history of West Africa from 1800 to the
present, added another interpretation to Bajina (9 Feb. 1995). The
professor said that Bajina is also a fertility ritual that may be
performed by traditional healers or spiritualists, and added that
because other religions may perceive Bajina as an animist belief
form, they may not welcome believers into their midst. Although the
professor is not aware of information that links Jehovah's
Witnesses to conflicts with Bajina, he thought that Jehovah's
Witnesses and other non-African traditional religions might reject
Bajina as an un-Christian belief (ibid.).
The NCGC representative added a further
interpretation to Bajina (9 Feb. 1995). According to this source,
Bajina is also the name given to the newly born child of a family
that has been experiencing infertility or a high rate of infant
mortality. In order to increase fertility and/or prevent these
deaths, an affected couple may visit a deity and to ask for
protection (ibid.). The NCGC representative said that in case of a
birth and after consulting the deity, the child may be named
Bajina. In this respect Bajina literally means "this person has
come to stay" and will "stand in the way of the deaths" experienced
by the couple (ibid.)
The NCGC representative said that
youngsters named Bajina can be identified by their unique hair
style, which is never cut, combed or washed, in homage to the deity
that ensured the child's birth and survival. According to the
representative, the hair can be cut, combed or washed only after a
visit to the deity (ibid.). The same source explained that this
visit will "release" the child and the parents from any obligations
agreed to by the parents before the child's birth (ibid.). The NCGC
representative said that the "untouched" hair style may be worn for
three to 10 years (ibid.).
This response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
The Ghana Refugee Union of Quebec,
Montreal. 9 February 1995. Telephone interview with
representative.
National Council of Ghanaian-Canadians
(NCGC), Toronto. 9 February 1995. Telephone interview with
representative.
Professor of history specializing in the
social history of West Africa (1800 to the present), Department of
History, Harvard University, Boston. 9 February 1995. Telephone
interview.
Professor of history and comparative
religions specializing in African history and religions, James
Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va. 9 February 1995. Telephone
interview.