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The Dagaaba people are an ethnic group located north of the convergence of Ghana, Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire. They speak the Dagaare language, a Gur language made up of the related Northern Dagaare dialects, Southern Dagaare dialects and a number of sub dialects. In northern dialects, both the language and the people are referred to as Dagara. They are related to the Birifor people and the Dagaare Diola. The language is collectively known as Dagaare, and historically some non-natives have taken this as the name of the people. One historian, describing the former usage of "Dagarti" to refer to this community by colonials, writes: "The name 'Dagarti' appears to have been coined by the first Europeans to visit the region, from the vernacular root dagaa. Correctly 'Dagari' is the name of the language, 'Dagaaba' or 'Dagara' that of the people, and 'Dagaw' or 'Dagawie' that of the land."
Tamale is the capital city of the Northern Region of Ghana. It is Ghana's third largest city, with a population of 950,000. The city has been ranked as the fastest-growing city in West Africa. It is located 600 km (370 mi) north of Accra.
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The Dagombas or Dagbamba are an ethnic group of Ghana, and Togo. They number more than 3.1 million people. The term Dagbamba is originally extended to refer to other related peoples who were unified by Naa Gbewaa including the Mamprusi and Nanumba. The Dagomba country is called Dagbon and they speak Dagbanli language. Dagbanli is the most spoken language of northern Ghana and second most widely spoken local language of Ghana. Dagbanli belongs to the Mabia (Mole-Dagbani) subgroup of the Gur languages, a large group of related languages in West Africa. The Dagomba practises both patrilineal and matrilineal systems of inheritance.
Osei Tutu II is the 16th Asantehene, enstooled on 26 April 1999. By name, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is in direct succession to the 17th-century founder of the Ashanti Empire, Otumfuo Osei Tutu I. He is also the Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is the Grand Patron of the Grand Lodge of Ghana and the Sword Bearer of the United Grand Lodge of England.
The Northern Region is one of the sixteen regions of Ghana. It is located in the north of the country, and it is the second largest of the sixteen regions. Until its split, it covered an area of 70,384 square kilometres, or 31 percent of Ghana's area. In December 2018, the Savannah Region and North East Region were created from it. The Northern Region is divided into 14 districts. The region's capital is Tamale, Ghana's third largest city.
The Ghanaian Smock or Tani is a fabric worn by both women and men in Ghana. It is the most popular traditional attire in the country. The fabric is called Tani in Dagbani, while the male and female wear are respectively called Bin'gmaa and Bin'mangli. The smock is formally worn with a hat (zipligu), footwear (muɣri), and a trouser (kurugu).
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Founders' Day is a national public holiday observed to commemorate the contributions of all the people, notably the "Big Six" who led the struggle for Ghana's independence. The Founder's Day was formerly called "Founder's Day" with the letter "S" appearing after an apostrophe and it was celebrated to earmark the achievements of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Kwame Nkrumah was the first President of Ghana and a member of the "Big Six". He was born on 21 September, hence, the "Founder's" Day celebration on 21 September in each year in honour of his participation in the Ghanaian movement for independence from British colonial rule. Other members of the "Big Six" were Edward Akufo-Addo, Joseph Boakye Danquah, Emmanuel Obetsebi-Lamptey, William Ofori Atta, and Ebenezer Ako-Adjei. There were several thoughts and realizations of the leaders of the Present President Akufo Addo's regime that other members of the "Big Six" who were part of the struggles for Ghana's independence must be honour as part of the celebration.
The Kingdom of Dagbon (Dagbaŋ) is the oldest and one of the most organised traditional kingdoms in Ghana founded by the Dagomba people (Dagbamba) in the 15th century. During its rise, it comprised, at various points, the Northern, Upper West, Upper East, Savannah Region and North East regions of present-day Ghana. It also covered portions of Burkina Faso, North East Ivory Coast and North West Togo. Since Ghana's independence in 1957, the Kingdom just like all of Ghana's kingdoms and ethnic states has assumed a traditional, customary role.
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Bukali II, known as Gariba II, is the current Yaa Naa, traditional ruler of the Kingdom of Dagbon in Ghana.
The Yaa Naa is the king of Dagbon, the country of the Dagomba people. The current Yaa Naa is Gariba II. All lands in the Kingdom of Dagbon are issued in the name of the Yaa Naa. The lion is the totemic symbol of the Yaa Naa. Several tribes are resident within the kingdom. This includes the Konkomba, Bimoba, Chekosi, Basaari, Chamba, Gurusi and Zantansi. The tribes within Dagbon maintains a cordial and respectful relationships, each having a role in traditional affairs. The Gurmas are the Gonje players at the Gbewaa Palace. The Kingship is rotated among two royal houses: The House of Abudu and the House of Andani. Every Yaa Naa traces their lineage to Naa Gbewaa and Tohazhie. Due to intermarriage, Yaa Naas often have heritage from many of the tribes within the Kingdom, not just Dagomba.
The Kuga Naa is an elder in the court of the Yaa Naa, in the Kingdom of Dagbon in northern Ghana, and head of a four-member committee that constitute the kingmakers of Dagbon. The current Kuga Naa is Abdulai Adam II. The Kingmakers of Dagbon are the ultimate custodians of the Dagbon constitution, with the Kuga Naa acting as the mouthpiece for the oracle that chooses a new Yaa Naa. The other Kingmakers are Tugurinam and Gomli; who are also courtiers at the Gbewaa Palace, and Gushei Naa; the chief of Gushegu. The first Kuɣu Naa was Naa Sitobu’s younger brother. After him, unlike the other courtiers, this office has been hereditary.
The chieftaincy institution in Ghana is a system that structures and regulates the activity of local chieftains in the Ghanaian society and state.
Gundonaa Hajia Samata Abudu is the Paramount woman Chief of the Dagbon traditional area in the Northern Region of Ghana. All women Chiefs in that area are subordinate to her. She heads the Gundogu skin, the female equivalent of the Yendi skin, which is headed by the Yaa-Naa. The Gundonaa is the only Chief, be it male or female, who is able to veto the Yaa-Naa's word. She is assisted in her duties by the Kpatunaa, a female Chief of the Kpatuya clan.
HRH Ife Bell Tipaɣya is the current Zosimli Naa of the Kingdom of Dagbon. She was enskinned on Monday, Jul 5, 2021. She succeeds HRH Dr. Susan J. Herlin, who held the position from 1995 to 2014.
References
- ↑ "2-23: Tindanas". www.adrummerstestament.com. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
- ↑ "State and Non-State Actors in Land Appropriation: Colonial Land Policy and the Role of the Tindana in Northern Ghana" (PDF).
- ↑ Imam, Haruna Abdallah (2012-07-10). Tradition and Religion in Africa: Exploring the Changing Roles of the Tindana in Dagbon. LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing. ISBN 978-3-659-17810-8.
- 1 2 Abdulai, Ibrahim Abu; Enu-Kwesi, Francis; Agyenim Boateng, Joseph (2022-02-01). "Landowners' willingness to supply agricultural land for conversion into urban uses in peri-urban Ghana". Local Environment. 27 (2): 145–159. doi:10.1080/13549839.2021.2002288. ISSN 1354-9839. S2CID 244497820.
- ↑ Kendie, Stephen B.; Guri, Bernard Y. (2013-10-24). "Indigenous institutions and contemporary development in Ghana: Potentials and challenges". www.un-ilibrary.org. Retrieved 2023-12-13.