Bolgatanga
Encyclopedia
Bolgatanga, colloquially known as Bolga, is the capital of both the Bolgatanga Municipal District
and the Upper East Region
of Ghana
, and has a population of about 72,000. Bolga is the major town between Tamale
, 161 km (about 100 miles) to the south, and the border with Burkina Faso.
The Upper East Region is bounded by the Republic of Burkina Faso
, 32 km (about 20 miles) to the north of Bolga, the Upper West Region
65 km (40.4 mi) to the west at the Sisili River, and the Republic of Togo
, about 100 km (about 60 miles) to the east of the city. Bolga lies in the Red Volta River Valley (which serves as a major migration route of elephants), with the White Volta
River and the cliffs of the Gambaga Escarpment
to the south of the city forming the southern boundary of the region.
The Hon. David Apasera (PNC) is the Parliamentary Representative for the Bolgatanga Municipal District (as of 2006).
, converging with the Sahelian route from Mali
via Burkina Faso, near Bolgatanga. Along the route, handicrafts—especially straw baskets, hats and fans, as well as leather
goods, metal jewellery
and indigenous
attires called "Fugu" -- were exchanged for kola nuts and salt
. Although present long before on a smaller scale, in the mid-19th century, Samori ibn Lafiya Toure of the Wassoulou Empire
, and the Zarma leader of the Mossi state of Gurunsi, Babatu
, had drafted many Hausa
-Fulani, Dagomba
and Gurunsi
mercenaries in the area to capture slaves from local villages in the Upper East region for their own financial profit. Both Toure and Babatu's capture is celebrated by the people of Bolgatanga with the annual Feok festival in the neighboring town of Sandema.
The Upper East Region, where Bolgatanga lies, is part of what used to be known as the Upper Region. Between 1902 and 1960 the Northern Territory was a British protectorate; it was separated into the Northern and Upper Region on July 1, 1960. The Upper Region was apportioned into Upper East and Upper West Region
in 1983 during the PNDC rule.
The major ethnic groups in Upper East fall under the broad categories of Mole-Dagbon
(74.5%), Grusi (8.5%), Mandé-Busanga
(6.2%) and Gurma
(3.2%). Among the Mole-Dagbon, the major sub-groupings are the Namnam (30.5%), Kusasi (22.6%), Nankani- Gurense (9.2%) and Builsa (7.6%). The major languages of the region are Gurene
(Frafra
), Kasina
, Nankani, Buile, Kusal, Mampruli and Bisa.
Bolgatanga is the major city of the Gurene people (also called Gurunsi
). When early Europeans arrived in Bolga, the villagers welcomed them warmly. They greeted the Europeans with the words Ya Farafara, words of lament in the native tongue. These Europeans, who could not understand nor speak Gurene decided to name the people of the region by the word "Frafra". Thus the people of Bolga became known as the Frafra
people.
Today, Bolga is known as the craft
s centre of northern Ghana, with a large central market
. Apart from items found elsewhere in Ghana, the so-called "Bolga hats" are made and sold there. Bolgatanga and its surrounding villages also comprise the largest producers of leather works, straw baskets and smock
s in the country. The artists sell their works at the Bolgatanga Market, which is open every third day.
There is also a museum
in the town which houses objects of historical importance of the region.
further west in Mali
and Guinea
, and the remnant Gurunsi state of the Mossi Kingdoms
.
The Samapiid festival is a thanks-giving festival celebrated by the Kusaasi people in December.
The Golob festival is celebrated by the Talensi people of Tongo in March to mark the beginning of the sowing
season.
During the months of August to December every year, the following festivals are celebrated:
Gingana (Drums) - a post-harvest dance by the Namoosi people resident at Tongo Central, Yameriga and Sheaga who are believed to have originally come from the Mamprussi traditional area in the present-day northern region
of Ghana. The people who celebrate this festival are from the royal house for the Tongo-Raan (The Tongo Chief).
The Da'aga festival is celebrted by the villages of Baare (the home-village of a former Educationist, E.K Daraan), Yameriga, Sheaga, Yaagzore, Biung, Gbeega, Kpatia, Kantia and other villages in the Talensi sub-district. The Talensi area contituency is part of the Talensi-Nabdam district, the Honourable John Tia Akolgu of the NDC has been the MP for the area since 1992. The Constituency or sub-district comprises villages with chiefs that all owe allegiance to the Tongo-Raana. The headquarters of the Talensi- Nabdam district is Tongo and is also the Roman Catholic Parish Centre of the district. We have had two DCE's since the Talensi-Nabdam district was formed; first was Mr Tibil Bisnaab ( from 2004 to 2008) and Ms Vivian Anafo, whose reign started in 2009. These political figures take very great interest in all the festivals of the district. During these times, they have the opportunity to meet some of their constituents who live outside the district or even outside the country and come home for these festivals. For instance, Mr David Moore Kabzot Tembil (a Physics and Mathematics educator) who hails from the district, but works in Botswana could make time to visit the home- village around these periods, not only for family re-unions but the reunion among teaming school mates, class mates, friends and relatives. Getting connected at these festivals and recalling issues down the memory -lane make life refreshing at these festivals. Some People who are Traditional believers consider these festivals are spiritual renewal sessions. For majority who are Christians it is a period of merry -making.
The celebrations of the festivals naturally come with a lot of traditional drumming, singing and dancing. Some dances are the preserve of males and others for females only. For instance "Sankpigi" is the preserve of females, where women sing, take turns dance and perform bumps. The Yongo dance is done by men with motivation from praise- singing women, During the " Daa'ga " festival men usually perform "Yongo" dance at the Baare market by dancers from" Baare village "itself and "Yaagzooure". Transport is available at Bolgatanga market area to ferry teaming crowds to Baare to enjoy the festivities that come with the Yongo dance. These gatherings register higher rates of courtship and marriages than normal market days. About 4 cycles of the dancing and feasting usher in another festival celebrated by Talensis called Bo'araam. During " Boaram ", which literally, " pito for the gods " Goats, sheep, guinea fowls are slaughtered as sacrifices and feasting. There is merry-making, feasting on the traditional beer and meat after the offerings to the ancestral gods have been made. The villages that celebrate are Gbeogo
, Wakii, Gorog, Shia, Tengzug and Gbezug. Yendore etc.
The Tenglebigre" festival is celebrated by the people of Sekoti, Duusi, Gare
, Gbane, Datoko, Kulpeliga, Shea-Tindongo, Kpale
, Zoog and Nyogbare. The festival is celebrated by four to five villages in the Nabdam contstituency and majority in the Talensi constituency. Many well- meaning inhabitants take these festivals seriously and make plans for home-visits during the period. Dr Albert Tenga whose home village is Duusi, would usually take leave from his duty as a lecturer at GIMPA and travel home to Duusi, to celebrate the festival of Tennglebigre- This is a time for reunion with old folks in the village.A time for the village chief of Duusi- Mr Lincoln Kambey to welcome and give thanks to the Almighty God in a Christian way even with a traditional festival. The veteran politician Honourable John Tia Akolgu, the MP for Talensi constituency comes from the Village of Duusi.
Some time past, there use to also be grand 'Yongo" dance at the Duusi Tindana house, comparable in grand style to the "Yongo" dances in Sekoti and Baare. Presently festivities at Tenlebigre and other festivals seem to be going down with time, perhaps because of its closeness to the big Christmas season, and most likely because of Christianity. These festivals without doubt go along the old tradition of making sacrifices to the ancestors and gods of the land and households. With Christianity in the up-swing, most of the traditional practises are completely taken out of the festivals. Thus when Mr Robert Babanvo of (VRA, Tamale) or Mr George Gbinniya of AESC and Professor Bomber Tanzubil, Rector at the Bolgatanga Politchnic go to their home villages for "Boaram" in Wakkii, Gbeogo and Yendore respectively, the traditional slaughter of goats and sheep is minimally applicable. In the same vein when Mr Cletus Ngaaso or Dr Abraham Berinyu also travel to their villages of Duusi and Datuku respectively for the annual Tenglebigre festival they do so to with the hope of meeting the youngters and school children. Their presence in the villages at these festivals is enough to inspire the young ones to take education seriously. Dr Abraham Berinyu is the dean of the Wa campus of the University of Development Studies ( UDS) Mr Cletus Ngaaso is a lecturer at University of Education, Winneba. Village Development projects are mooted these festivals by Community Development committees such such as the "Rock union" of Tongo and the Nabdam Youth Association.
Around the month of December another dance festival call Wamma is held in the Talensi- nabdam district. It is so called because of a dance that goes with drumming of big calabashes inverted onto the ground and drummed hard, mostly by women. (In the Gurine dialect, a Calabash is called "Wan", the plural of "Wan" is "Wamma"). This festival is celebrated by the people of Winkogo, Balungu (the home village of veteran and business woman, Mariam Abagna-Khaldi) and Pusom-Namongo. At these festivals students of the Bolgatanga Secondary School (BIG BOSS), have free entertainment from Winkogo dancers. These dances take the students up to the end of year exams before they break for Christmas.
All these festivals are traditionally the preserve of the people of the Talensi-Nabdam district with a district headquarters at Tongo. The Tongo Catholic Mission has an array of Catholic Mission schools (Primary and JSS) aided by Government but managed by a Catholic appointed Area manager in Tongo.
s, painted with decorative motifs in striking colors. A beautiful example of traditional paintings is found in the village of Sumbrungu, eight kilometers from Bolgatanga on the way going to Paga.
formations, the Tengzug area evolved as the sacred
centre of the Talensis people, an ethnic group in Northern Ghana. The Tengzug Shrine is located in the Tongo hills and is believed to grant luck and prosperity to all those who visit it.
Other festivals include the BUGUM FESTIVAL OF THE BONGO PEOPLE.The major festival of the people of ZUARUNGU AND BOLGATANGA is NDAAKOYA which is a harvest festival just like the SAMAMPID.
, who was influenced by Le Corbusier
. Bond lived in Ghana for four years in the 1960s, escaping racism in the United States. The Bolgatanga library was his first major project while working for the national construction company. The design features perforated walls and an "umbrella" shaped roof, so the structure remains cool and well ventilated.
, home to the sacred crocodile
ponds. These are purportedly the "friendliest" crocodiles in Ghana, and it is said that the souls of the royal family
reside in them. The crocodiles roam freely throughout the ponds and it is unthinkable that anyone should harm them.
Bolgatanga Municipal District
-Demographics:The inhabitants of the district belong predominantly to different peoples of Northern Ghana. The town of Bolgatanga, however, has a cosmopolitan character...
and the Upper East Region
Upper East Region
The Upper East Region is the smallest of 10 administrative regions in Ghana, occupying a total land surface of 8,842 square kilometers or 2.7 per cent of the total land area of Ghana. In terms of population, it is the ninth most populated region with a population of 920,089 in 2000, accounting for...
of Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, and has a population of about 72,000. Bolga is the major town between Tamale
Tamale, Ghana
Tamale with a population of 360,579 , is the capital of the Northern Region of Ghana and the Tamale Metropolitan District with which it is coterminous Area. The city is located 600 km north of Accra...
, 161 km (about 100 miles) to the south, and the border with Burkina Faso.
The Upper East Region is bounded by the Republic of Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
, 32 km (about 20 miles) to the north of Bolga, the Upper West Region
Upper West Region
The Upper West Region of Ghana is located in the northwestern corner of the country and is bordered by Burkina Faso to the north. The capital and largest city is Wa. Other towns include Nandom, Daffiema, Jirapa, Kaleo, Nadowli, Lawra and Tumu....
65 km (40.4 mi) to the west at the Sisili River, and the Republic of Togo
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
, about 100 km (about 60 miles) to the east of the city. Bolga lies in the Red Volta River Valley (which serves as a major migration route of elephants), with the White Volta
White Volta
The White Volta, also known as the Nakambe River, is the headstream of the Volta River in West Africa. It originates in Burkina Faso and it flows into Lake Volta in Ghana. Its main tributaries are the Black Volta and the Red Volta....
River and the cliffs of the Gambaga Escarpment
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
to the south of the city forming the southern boundary of the region.
The Hon. David Apasera (PNC) is the Parliamentary Representative for the Bolgatanga Municipal District (as of 2006).
History of Bolgatanga
Historically Bolgatanga was situated at the southern terminus of the ancient Trans-Saharan trade route. The eastern route traveled through Northern NigeriaNigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, converging with the Sahelian route from Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
via Burkina Faso, near Bolgatanga. Along the route, handicrafts—especially straw baskets, hats and fans, as well as leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
goods, metal jewellery
Jewellery
Jewellery or jewelry is a form of personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.With some exceptions, such as medical alert bracelets or military dog tags, jewellery normally differs from other items of personal adornment in that it has no other purpose than to...
and indigenous
Indigenous peoples of Africa
The indigenous people of Africa are those people of Africa whose way of life, attachment or claims to particular lands, and social and political standing in relation to other more dominant groups have resulted in their substantial marginalisation within modern African states The indigenous people...
attires called "Fugu" -- were exchanged for kola nuts and salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
. Although present long before on a smaller scale, in the mid-19th century, Samori ibn Lafiya Toure of the Wassoulou Empire
Wassoulou Empire
The Wassoulou Empire, sometimes referred to as the Mandinka Empire, was a short-lived empire of West Africa built from the conquests of Dyula ruler Samori Ture and destroyed by the French colonial army....
, and the Zarma leader of the Mossi state of Gurunsi, Babatu
Babatu
Babatu is a 1976 Nigerien film directed by Jean Rouch. It was entered into the 1976 Cannes Film Festival....
, had drafted many Hausa
Hausa people
The Hausa are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. They are a Sahelian people chiefly located in northern Nigeria and southeastern Niger, but having significant numbers living in regions of Cameroon, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Chad and Sudan...
-Fulani, Dagomba
Dagomba
The Dagomba are an ethnic group of Northern Ghana. They inhabit the sparse savanna region below the sahelian belt, known as the Sudan. They speak the Dagbani language which belongs to the More-Dagbani sub-group of Gur languages...
and Gurunsi
Gurunsi
The Gurunsi are a set of ethnic groups inhabiting northern Ghana and southern Burkina Faso.-Pre-Colonial History and Origins:Oral traditions of the Gurunsi hold that they originated from the western Sudan near Lake Chad. While it is unknown when the migration occurred, it is believed that the...
mercenaries in the area to capture slaves from local villages in the Upper East region for their own financial profit. Both Toure and Babatu's capture is celebrated by the people of Bolgatanga with the annual Feok festival in the neighboring town of Sandema.
The Upper East Region, where Bolgatanga lies, is part of what used to be known as the Upper Region. Between 1902 and 1960 the Northern Territory was a British protectorate; it was separated into the Northern and Upper Region on July 1, 1960. The Upper Region was apportioned into Upper East and Upper West Region
Upper West Region
The Upper West Region of Ghana is located in the northwestern corner of the country and is bordered by Burkina Faso to the north. The capital and largest city is Wa. Other towns include Nandom, Daffiema, Jirapa, Kaleo, Nadowli, Lawra and Tumu....
in 1983 during the PNDC rule.
Life in Bolgatanga
Dagomba
The Dagomba are an ethnic group of Northern Ghana. They inhabit the sparse savanna region below the sahelian belt, known as the Sudan. They speak the Dagbani language which belongs to the More-Dagbani sub-group of Gur languages...
(74.5%), Grusi (8.5%), Mandé-Busanga
Mandé
Mandé or Manden is a large group of related ethnic groups in West Africa who speak any of the many Mande languages spread throughout the region. Various Mandé groups are found in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Chad, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger,...
(6.2%) and Gurma
Gurma
Gourma redirects here. For the Burkina Faso province, see Gourma Province.Gurma is an ethnic group living mainly in Burkina Faso, around Fada N'Gourma, and also in northern areas of Togo and Benin, as well as southwestern Niger...
(3.2%). Among the Mole-Dagbon, the major sub-groupings are the Namnam (30.5%), Kusasi (22.6%), Nankani- Gurense (9.2%) and Builsa (7.6%). The major languages of the region are Gurene
Gurene
Frafra or Farefare, also known as Gurenɛ, is the language of the Frafra people of northern Ghana, particularly the Upper East Region, and southern Burkina Faso...
(Frafra
Frafra
Frafra is a colonialist term given to a subset of Gurunsi peoples living in northern Ghana and their language. The larger group of Gurunsi peoples inhabit both southern Burkina Faso and northern Ghana...
), Kasina
Kasina
In Buddhism, kasiṇa refers to a class of basic visual objects of meditation. There are ten kasiṇa mentioned in the Pali Tipitaka:# earth ,# water ,# air, wind ,...
, Nankani, Buile, Kusal, Mampruli and Bisa.
Bolgatanga is the major city of the Gurene people (also called Gurunsi
Gurunsi
The Gurunsi are a set of ethnic groups inhabiting northern Ghana and southern Burkina Faso.-Pre-Colonial History and Origins:Oral traditions of the Gurunsi hold that they originated from the western Sudan near Lake Chad. While it is unknown when the migration occurred, it is believed that the...
). When early Europeans arrived in Bolga, the villagers welcomed them warmly. They greeted the Europeans with the words Ya Farafara, words of lament in the native tongue. These Europeans, who could not understand nor speak Gurene decided to name the people of the region by the word "Frafra". Thus the people of Bolga became known as the Frafra
Frafra
Frafra is a colonialist term given to a subset of Gurunsi peoples living in northern Ghana and their language. The larger group of Gurunsi peoples inhabit both southern Burkina Faso and northern Ghana...
people.
Today, Bolga is known as the craft
Craft
A craft is a branch of a profession that requires some particular kind of skilled work. In historical sense, particularly as pertinent to the Medieval history and earlier, the term is usually applied towards people occupied in small-scale production of goods.-Development from the past until...
s centre of northern Ghana, with a large central market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
. Apart from items found elsewhere in Ghana, the so-called "Bolga hats" are made and sold there. Bolgatanga and its surrounding villages also comprise the largest producers of leather works, straw baskets and smock
Smock
Smock may refer to one of the following:* Smock-frock, a coatlike outer garment, often worn to protect the clothes* Smocking, an embroidery technique in which the fabric is gathered with thread or embroidery floss, then embroidered with decorative stitches to hold the gathers in place*Chemise, a...
s in the country. The artists sell their works at the Bolgatanga Market, which is open every third day.
There is also a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
in the town which houses objects of historical importance of the region.
Major festivals in the region
The Sandema Festival, a war dance festival celebrated by the Builsa people, in December, marks the end of the slave trade in northern Ghana, and the capture of Samory Toure and Baba Ato (known in this region as Babatu). Both Toure and Ato had heavily ravaged the local area to capture and sell local people to the Trans-Saharan slave trade, in order to financially support the Wassoulou EmpireWassoulou Empire
The Wassoulou Empire, sometimes referred to as the Mandinka Empire, was a short-lived empire of West Africa built from the conquests of Dyula ruler Samori Ture and destroyed by the French colonial army....
further west in Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
and Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
, and the remnant Gurunsi state of the Mossi Kingdoms
Mossi Kingdoms
The Mossi Kingdoms, sometimes mistakenly referred to as the Mossi Empire, were a trio of powerful states in modern-day Burkina Faso. Each state possessed similar customs and government, but were ruled independently of each other...
.
The Samapiid festival is a thanks-giving festival celebrated by the Kusaasi people in December.
The Golob festival is celebrated by the Talensi people of Tongo in March to mark the beginning of the sowing
Sowing
Sowing is the process of planting seeds.-Plants which are usually sown:Among the major field crops, oats, wheat, and rye are sowed, grasses and legumes are seeded, and maize and soybeans are planted...
season.
During the months of August to December every year, the following festivals are celebrated:
Gingana (Drums) - a post-harvest dance by the Namoosi people resident at Tongo Central, Yameriga and Sheaga who are believed to have originally come from the Mamprussi traditional area in the present-day northern region
Northern Region
Northern Region may refer to:*Northern Region, Ghana*Northern Region, Eastern Cape, South Africa*Northern Region, Malawi*Northern Region, Manitoba, Canada, a region situated on the Canadian Shield including Manitoba's Hudson Bay coastline...
of Ghana. The people who celebrate this festival are from the royal house for the Tongo-Raan (The Tongo Chief).
The Da'aga festival is celebrted by the villages of Baare (the home-village of a former Educationist, E.K Daraan), Yameriga, Sheaga, Yaagzore, Biung, Gbeega, Kpatia, Kantia and other villages in the Talensi sub-district. The Talensi area contituency is part of the Talensi-Nabdam district, the Honourable John Tia Akolgu of the NDC has been the MP for the area since 1992. The Constituency or sub-district comprises villages with chiefs that all owe allegiance to the Tongo-Raana. The headquarters of the Talensi- Nabdam district is Tongo and is also the Roman Catholic Parish Centre of the district. We have had two DCE's since the Talensi-Nabdam district was formed; first was Mr Tibil Bisnaab ( from 2004 to 2008) and Ms Vivian Anafo, whose reign started in 2009. These political figures take very great interest in all the festivals of the district. During these times, they have the opportunity to meet some of their constituents who live outside the district or even outside the country and come home for these festivals. For instance, Mr David Moore Kabzot Tembil (a Physics and Mathematics educator) who hails from the district, but works in Botswana could make time to visit the home- village around these periods, not only for family re-unions but the reunion among teaming school mates, class mates, friends and relatives. Getting connected at these festivals and recalling issues down the memory -lane make life refreshing at these festivals. Some People who are Traditional believers consider these festivals are spiritual renewal sessions. For majority who are Christians it is a period of merry -making.
The celebrations of the festivals naturally come with a lot of traditional drumming, singing and dancing. Some dances are the preserve of males and others for females only. For instance "Sankpigi" is the preserve of females, where women sing, take turns dance and perform bumps. The Yongo dance is done by men with motivation from praise- singing women, During the " Daa'ga " festival men usually perform "Yongo" dance at the Baare market by dancers from" Baare village "itself and "Yaagzooure". Transport is available at Bolgatanga market area to ferry teaming crowds to Baare to enjoy the festivities that come with the Yongo dance. These gatherings register higher rates of courtship and marriages than normal market days. About 4 cycles of the dancing and feasting usher in another festival celebrated by Talensis called Bo'araam. During " Boaram ", which literally, " pito for the gods " Goats, sheep, guinea fowls are slaughtered as sacrifices and feasting. There is merry-making, feasting on the traditional beer and meat after the offerings to the ancestral gods have been made. The villages that celebrate are Gbeogo
Gbeogo
Gbeogo is a village in northern Ghana. It is situated to the south-east of Bolgatanga, in the Tallensi Traditional Area. Gbeogo is populated by the Tallensi people, and consists mainly of mud-built dwellings. The village is home to a deaf school and has been host to American Peace Corps Volunteers...
, Wakii, Gorog, Shia, Tengzug and Gbezug. Yendore etc.
The Tenglebigre" festival is celebrated by the people of Sekoti, Duusi, Gare
Garé
- External links :*...
, Gbane, Datoko, Kulpeliga, Shea-Tindongo, Kpale
Kpale
Kpale is a village in the Bassar Prefecture in the Kara Region of north-western Togo.-External links:**...
, Zoog and Nyogbare. The festival is celebrated by four to five villages in the Nabdam contstituency and majority in the Talensi constituency. Many well- meaning inhabitants take these festivals seriously and make plans for home-visits during the period. Dr Albert Tenga whose home village is Duusi, would usually take leave from his duty as a lecturer at GIMPA and travel home to Duusi, to celebrate the festival of Tennglebigre- This is a time for reunion with old folks in the village.A time for the village chief of Duusi- Mr Lincoln Kambey to welcome and give thanks to the Almighty God in a Christian way even with a traditional festival. The veteran politician Honourable John Tia Akolgu, the MP for Talensi constituency comes from the Village of Duusi.
Some time past, there use to also be grand 'Yongo" dance at the Duusi Tindana house, comparable in grand style to the "Yongo" dances in Sekoti and Baare. Presently festivities at Tenlebigre and other festivals seem to be going down with time, perhaps because of its closeness to the big Christmas season, and most likely because of Christianity. These festivals without doubt go along the old tradition of making sacrifices to the ancestors and gods of the land and households. With Christianity in the up-swing, most of the traditional practises are completely taken out of the festivals. Thus when Mr Robert Babanvo of (VRA, Tamale) or Mr George Gbinniya of AESC and Professor Bomber Tanzubil, Rector at the Bolgatanga Politchnic go to their home villages for "Boaram" in Wakkii, Gbeogo and Yendore respectively, the traditional slaughter of goats and sheep is minimally applicable. In the same vein when Mr Cletus Ngaaso or Dr Abraham Berinyu also travel to their villages of Duusi and Datuku respectively for the annual Tenglebigre festival they do so to with the hope of meeting the youngters and school children. Their presence in the villages at these festivals is enough to inspire the young ones to take education seriously. Dr Abraham Berinyu is the dean of the Wa campus of the University of Development Studies ( UDS) Mr Cletus Ngaaso is a lecturer at University of Education, Winneba. Village Development projects are mooted these festivals by Community Development committees such such as the "Rock union" of Tongo and the Nabdam Youth Association.
Around the month of December another dance festival call Wamma is held in the Talensi- nabdam district. It is so called because of a dance that goes with drumming of big calabashes inverted onto the ground and drummed hard, mostly by women. (In the Gurine dialect, a Calabash is called "Wan", the plural of "Wan" is "Wamma"). This festival is celebrated by the people of Winkogo, Balungu (the home village of veteran and business woman, Mariam Abagna-Khaldi) and Pusom-Namongo. At these festivals students of the Bolgatanga Secondary School (BIG BOSS), have free entertainment from Winkogo dancers. These dances take the students up to the end of year exams before they break for Christmas.
All these festivals are traditionally the preserve of the people of the Talensi-Nabdam district with a district headquarters at Tongo. The Tongo Catholic Mission has an array of Catholic Mission schools (Primary and JSS) aided by Government but managed by a Catholic appointed Area manager in Tongo.
Sumbrungu Painted Houses
One of the most distinctive features in the Upper East Region are the traditional villages that dot the landscape. These villages generally feature round thatched roof hutHut
Hut may refer to:*Hut , a small and crude shelter*Hans Hut , Anabaptist leader*Hut Records, an English audio records company*Sunglass Hut International, largest American retailer of sunglasses...
s, painted with decorative motifs in striking colors. A beautiful example of traditional paintings is found in the village of Sumbrungu, eight kilometers from Bolgatanga on the way going to Paga.
Tongo Hills and Tengzug shrine
The Tongo Hills and Tengzug Shrine are located in the village of Tengzug, 17 kilometers (about 10 miles) southeast of Bolgatanga. With its landscape dominated by large graniteGranite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
formations, the Tengzug area evolved as the sacred
Sacred
Holiness, or sanctity, is in general the state of being holy or sacred...
centre of the Talensis people, an ethnic group in Northern Ghana. The Tengzug Shrine is located in the Tongo hills and is believed to grant luck and prosperity to all those who visit it.
Other festivals include the BUGUM FESTIVAL OF THE BONGO PEOPLE.The major festival of the people of ZUARUNGU AND BOLGATANGA is NDAAKOYA which is a harvest festival just like the SAMAMPID.
Naa gbewaa shrine at Pusiga
The "tomb" of Naa Bbewaa, the founder of the Mole-Dagbon tribes, is located in the town of Pusiga. Legend states that Naa Gbewaa never died but simply vanished during a heated battle. The shrine was thought to have been built in the 14th century in commemoration of Naa Gbewaa, and is today a place of spiritual reverence.Bolgatanga Library
The Bolgatanga library is a notable design of award-winning American architect J. Max Bond, Jr.J. Max Bond, Jr.
J. Max Bond, Jr. was one of a small number of prominent African-American architects.He developed an interest in architecture based on experiences ranging from viewing a staircase at a dormitory at the Tuskegee Institute to views of North African construction styles on a visit to Tunisia...
, who was influenced by Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
. Bond lived in Ghana for four years in the 1960s, escaping racism in the United States. The Bolgatanga library was his first major project while working for the national construction company. The design features perforated walls and an "umbrella" shaped roof, so the structure remains cool and well ventilated.
Paga crocodile ponds
Forty kilometres (about 25 miles) from Bolgatanga, along the Burkina Faso border, is PagaPaga
Paga is a town in northern Ghana, lying where the nation's main north-south road reaches the Burkina Faso border, north of Bolgatanga. There are plans to extend the Kumasi-Takoradi railway to Paga.- Overview :...
, home to the sacred crocodile
Crocodile
A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...
ponds. These are purportedly the "friendliest" crocodiles in Ghana, and it is said that the souls of the royal family
Rulers of the Northern state of Dagomba
Territory located in GhanaYa-Na=Rulers-See also:*Ghana*Gold Coast*Lists of Incumbents...
reside in them. The crocodiles roam freely throughout the ponds and it is unthinkable that anyone should harm them.