Gbis have come very far - from the days of their

ancestors in Notse and the mass exodus that

brought them to their current locations in

Ghana.

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The Gbi community today is very much a part of

a globalized world.

 

Gbi's values and priorities aren't any

different from those of any modern world's:

Education, economic equity and freedom,

gender equality, religious freedom, access to 

healthcare, free speech and so on. 

 

Gbis pursue education and to high levels. They

are professionals of all kinds - in both the formal and informal sectors.

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The community has far advanced from the era where education of male children was prioritized over females'. Girl-child education in the Gbi community today is as valued as the boy's; and women are increasingly pursuing careers in what used to be male dominated fields. They are lawyers and journalists; they are politicians and heads of institutions; they are engineers and scientists. You can find them in every sector.

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It is virtually unheard of in Gbi today for people who aren't educated to be enstooled or installed as traditional leaders. Not too long ago, the emphasis still rested on things like physical attributes and family traits. 

 

The informal sector remains the backbone of Gbi community's economy. Market

women, farmers, petty traders and small scale businesses provide employment

for many community members who otherwise would be jobless in an increasingly

economic competitive society. 

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Just a few decades ago, Gbis who lived outside of Gbiland in big towns and cities

were few, compared to those who never relocated. Even fewer people traveled or 

lived abroad. To say a huge percentage of Gbis now live outside of Gbiland and

only come home on occasions is an understatement: Gbiland itself has changed

so much so that those who live there no longer need to look up to big cities and

towns to be current with national and global issues and trends. Gbis can be

found all over the world, many of them citizens of foreign countries - naturalized

and natural-born.

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A trend that has become all too common among Gbis is marriage outside of Gbi.

This accounts for a steadily rising percentage of Gbi citizens who come from

mixed backgrounds and Gbi children who neither understand or speak the Gbi dialect.

 

Regardless of location or background, Gbis maintain allegiance to Gbiland. Even those born in foreign countries do so. It is very common to see Gbis who have lived and worked abroad for decades return to live in Gbiland upon retirement. 

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Antoinette Herrmann-Condobrey

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