WHAT IS THE HEAD USED FOR?

I have listened to the debate on the uses
of the head. The arguments raised by Kofi Bentil and the reaction by certain people including Prof. Quarm, the man whose book captured the traditional use of the head. I find one thing very surprising that a lot of people seem to think that it was absolutely wrong for Prof. Quarm to have captured that. Honestly, I bet to differ and I'll explain why.
If you were born and still live in Ridge, Accra or East Legon, for example, your arguments are likely to go against Prof. Quarm. In those areas, water flow through the tabs and twill be difficult to see people carrying water or load. One of the basic principles of teaching, is to teach from known to unknown, simple to complex. On the other hand, if you were born and still live in a typical village or excuse me to say a hinterland, you would of course appreciate the arguments that it is not wrong to say the use of the head is to carry loads. No one goes to the farm and put a load of cassava at the back. Science has taught us simple things and let me situate this into context. I ask the likes of Kofi Bentil, do we really use the head to think or we use the brain? If the answer is the latter, then those people should come again. If you go to the village where the natives do not have access to pipe borne water flowing through their tabs, obviously those people would not carry water, either for drinking or household chores, on their shoulders.
Let us put language in context in our daily discourse. We can however argue that we use the head to think. Good! So if one learns something, how is it different from uploading it in the head? So in this case, there is still 'load' which is not different from the answer. We carry information which is technically, a load. This is abstract so some people refuse to understand that we are carrying load. Take this simple sentence: "Use your head." Does it mean think or it means a different thing? If the answer is the former, it does not mean it is the head that is used in this case. It is the brain which is being talked about here. Why do we decide to overlook certain things as Ghanaians.
I have heard people say we should teach our children the right thing. Good, I agree with them in principle. Who defines "right?" Very relative. Why is that we teach concrete nouns in lower primary and later in upper primary we teach abstract nouns? We still learn nouns even in the University. You still get people in the University defining noun traditionally as the "name of a person, animal, place or a thing." Would you say those people didn't use their heads? They are not wrong though but it the traditional definition of noun.
One can argue that abstract nouns are taught in lower primary, that is what Roland Ackland would say "We Teach them Wrong." People teach things at any level and when those kids memorise them and rattle, you think are exceptional students. They come to the universities and the difference is shown in lecture halls. There are exceptions though.
When it comes to the uses of the parts of the body, we must not lose sight of the cultural or traditional uses. That should be first and foremost. A child learns from the immediate environment before advancing further. It is no wonder some teachers would be giving examples in Liverpool and Manchester in Geography class when they themselves have not been there. This is a clear indication of route learning and unfortunately, that is what has characterised the Ghanaian Educational fabric.
What would you say to a child who would say the mouth is used for eating. Would you say he/she likes food? My point is that we should consider our cultural orientation before we make any arguments. I am prepared to meet whoever on any platform to debate on this matter. Someone should tell Mr. Kofi Bentil that I am prepared to meet him on any day. The impudence is too much. If you rattle the English language, it doesn't make you an English. Neither does it make you a repository of knowledge. We should understand that and stop being more Catholic than the Pope.
I would like to reiterate that there is nothing wrong with what Prof. Quarm wrote. He is correct and on any day, I'll vouch for him. Dear reader, you are at liberty to argue your point. I'm ready to meet you so that we have intellectual analysis on this chapter.
My name is KING MIDAS AMOATENG, Third Year AKAN student of KNUST. I love eating fufu and 'Energy Drink.' As and when the issues crop up, I will share my views. Email me on kingmidas.amoateng@gmail.com or call me on 0249633939.