The Gola live in villages that are scattered throughout the forests of the area. They live in round huts that have mud walls and thatched roofs. Family ties are strong and all of the family members work together to cultivate and harvest their crops. The men's duties include clearing the fields and cultivating the land. One of the boys' responsibilities is to guard the crops by chasing birds and animals away from the fields.
Women harvest the crops, and the girls winnow the rice.
For a majority of the Gola, life revolves around farming. It is no wonder, then, that their main ceremonies and initiation rites are associated with agriculture. No one is permitted to harvest his crops until the offerings of the first fruits to the gods are carried out. Yearly yam and groundnut harvests are also celebrated. The elder prays while holding the skull of an ancestor.