In today’s story, you will be intrigued reading this story from an African village that forbids women from giving birth in the village. Not just that, you will learn about the challenges brought about by this ancient tradition and how the people plan to navigate through this ancient tradition and superstition.
Let’s begin…
In the heart of Ghana’s Volta Region, tucked along the Accra-Aflao road, lies a small village called Mafi Dove. At first glance, it may look like any other rural community in West Africa. The villagers are mostly peasant farmers, and life appears to move at a slow, steady pace. But beneath the surface of this peaceful settlement lies a story that has puzzled outsiders for generations.
This is the story of a village where childbirth, animal rearing, and even burying the dead are all considered taboos. A place where deep-rooted traditions control the daily lives of its people and where modern practices continue to clash with ancient beliefs.
According to elders in Mafi Dove, the history of these unusual customs dates back centuries. Oral tradition has it that the village was founded by a man named Gbesi Akiti. He was a hunter, and it was during one of his expeditions that he stumbled upon the land that would later become Mafi Dove. It is said that while he was surveying the land, a mysterious voice from the sky spoke to him. The message was clear: the land was holy and sacred. If he wanted to settle there, he and his descendants had to obey three divine rules. No one must give birth on the land. No one must rear animals. No one must be buried there.
This warning was taken seriously. From that moment onward, the residents of Mafi Dove made sure to follow the rules passed down by their ancestors. The land was deemed spiritually clean, and any form of blood, whether from childbirth, death, or animal waste, was believed to bring spiritual contamination.
In the early years of the village, these rules didn’t seem too difficult to follow. With low population numbers and traditional birthing practices already relying on midwives from neighboring towns, expectant mothers simply went to nearby communities to give birth. Similarly, people who passed away were taken to cemeteries in other towns for burial. As for animal rearing, livestock was only brought in during special occasions, like funerals or festivals, and immediately slaughtered.
But as the village population grew and Ghana modernized, following these rules became harder. Women in Mafi Dove found it increasingly difficult to travel in late pregnancy. With limited transport and bad roads, being forced to leave home weeks before delivery became a painful reality. Some women had to walk long distances or be rushed on motorbikes or cars while in labor, risking both their lives and the lives of their babies.
Yet despite these hardships, the villagers remained loyal to tradition. The fear of divine punishment or giving birth to a child with abnormalities kept the rules alive. Village elders insist that the taboos are the reason Mafi Dove has remained peaceful, claiming that there has never been a record of bloodshed, major crime, or spiritual unrest in the community.
An elder once told reporters, “Wherever there is evil, there is no development. Because of these taboos, we have lived in peace for generations. We are proud of our customs.”
Still, not everyone in the village agrees. Younger generations, especially women, have begun questioning the validity of these rules. Many argue that customs that endanger lives should be revisited. One such voice is that of Hannah Kosinah, a local woman who publicly appealed to the village chief to scrap the taboo against childbirth in the community. She pointed out that similar towns in Ghana with such customs had moved past them to reflect the changing times.
Despite growing calls for change, the village elders remained firm. They believed that lifting the taboos could bring spiritual consequences. But the pressure was mounting.
In response to public outcry and media attention, the Ghanaian government and development agencies began to pay attention to the village’s unique challenges. The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection stepped in to support the women of Mafi Dove. Their goal was to find a middle ground between respecting tradition and protecting the health of mothers and babies.
After years of discussion and planning, a decision was made: a maternity clinic would be built, not in the center of the village, but on its outskirts. This location was seen as a compromise. Technically, it would still be outside the “holy land,” but close enough to offer timely care to expectant mothers.
Construction of the clinic took time and faced several setbacks, mostly due to lack of funding. For a while, the half-completed structure stood unused. But in 2018, with renewed support from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and funds from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the clinic was finally completed and officially opened.
The inauguration of the clinic marked a turning point for the people of Mafi Dove. For the first time, pregnant women could access maternal health care without having to cross rivers or travel long distances. The clinic began offering basic health services and delivery care to not only Mafi Dove residents but also to more than 6,400 people in surrounding towns across the Central, North, and South Tongu districts.
However, even with the clinic’s opening, challenges remained. The facility lacked enough medical equipment and supplies to operate at full capacity. Beds were limited, and basic tools like sterilizers, weighing scales, and stretchers were in short supply.
Realizing the urgent need, in 2019, the new Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Mrs. Cynthia Morrison, visited the clinic and donated medical equipment and supplies worth 48,000 Ghanaian cedis. The donated items included delivery beds, accessories, bowls, buckets, height-measuring tools, stethoscopes, wheelchairs, and a refrigerator for storing medications.
The donation helped stabilize clinic operations, and since its opening, it has recorded dozens of successful deliveries. While the deep-rooted taboo against childbirth on the land still technically stands, the existence of the clinic on the edge of the village has given women new hope. It represents a quiet shift—a way to honor tradition while embracing the needs of modern life.
Today, the village of Mafi Dove still doesn’t rear animals. It has no burial grounds, and residents continue to take their dead to other towns. But change is in the air. With each new generation, the conversation continues. Will the old taboos eventually fade? Or will they evolve into something new—something that honors both the past and the present?
Only time will tell. But one thing is certain: the story of Mafi Dove is no longer just about mystery or restriction. It is a story of adaptation, resilience, and the quiet struggle to find balance between ancient tradition and modern reality.
