Navrongo
Encyclopedia
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...
, near its northern (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...
) border. It is the capital of Kassena-Nankana District
Kassena-Nankana District
-Sources:*...
– which is within the Upper East Region of Ghana.
Navrongo is an important market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
, known for its cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
and its grotto
Grotto
A grotto is any type of natural or artificial cave that is associated with modern, historic or prehistoric use by humans. When it is not an artificial garden feature, a grotto is often a small cave near water and often flooded or liable to flood at high tide...
.
Navrongo is located at 10°53′5"N 1°5′25"W. Its population in 2005 was estimated to be 25,470. The terrain is flat and the ecology is typical of the Sahel
Sahel
The Sahel is the ecoclimatic and biogeographic zone of transition between the Sahara desert in the North and the Sudanian Savannas in the south.It stretches across the North African continent between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea....
– arid grassland with occasional shrubbery.
People and history
The people of Navrongo are a mixture of Nankani speakers from Zecco in what is now Burkina FasoBurkina 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...
, and Kassena Kasem
Kasem language
Kasem is a Gur language spoken in the Upper Eastern Region of Ghana and in Burkina Faso.-References:**-External links:**...
speakers from Tielebe (also in Bukina Faso). The Kassena arrived first in the area, whilst the Nankani arrived later after experiencing pressure from Mossi expansion. The two groups, though they differ linguistically, share many cultural traits.
The town was founded around 1740. During the 19th century, the town became an important staging post on the Sahel
Sahel
The Sahel is the ecoclimatic and biogeographic zone of transition between the Sahara desert in the North and the Sudanian Savannas in the south.It stretches across the North African continent between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea....
caravan route. The wealth associated with this route encouraged fighting for control between the different ethnic groups of the area. At the beginning of the 20th century the British established a base at Navrongo. The town was "civilised by force of arms", and inter-ethnic conflict declined.
Chiefs loyal to the British were installed and "free labour" was used to build roads and government buildings. Locals were also sent to the south of Ghana to mine and build railways.
A Catholic mission was established in 1906 - the White Fathers
White Fathers
The missionary society known as "White Fathers" , after their dress, is a Roman Catholic Society of Apostolic Life founded in 1868 by the first Archbishop of Algiers, later Cardinal Lavigerie, as the Missionaries of Our Lady of Africa of Algeria, and is also now known as the Society of the...
("Pères Blancs"), a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
group made up of French Canadians. They came to Ghana from Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) due to French anti-clerical laws (the Fathers believed they would be expelled from Upper Volta). The British allowed them to set up in Navrongo on condition that the school that they were to establish used English only. Despite a rocky beginning (the Fathers had learnt the wrong local language and only attracted 5 students in the first 18 months), the school eventually became a success – a British official in 1927 said that is was the best school (of only 5) in the north of Ghana.
The population is now split fairly evenly between the Kassena and the Nankani speakers. Indigenous African beliefs are followed by the majority. Around a third are Christians, while 5% follow Islam. Like other people in the Sahel
Sahel
The Sahel is the ecoclimatic and biogeographic zone of transition between the Sahara desert in the North and the Sudanian Savannas in the south.It stretches across the North African continent between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea....
region, levels of both fertility and mortality are high. Partly because of this, a health research centre has been established in the area, with some success.
Subsistence level agriculture is the usual occupation of the area, as well as the rearing of goats and cattle.
The Nakana people are part of the Mole-Dagbani language group and in the great time of the Mossi-Dagomba states formed part of the chiefship of Tongo and adjacent Nangodi.
Navrongo Cathedral
Navrongo Cathedral, as it is now known, was built in 1906 and expanded in 1920. Originally called "Our Lady of Seven Sorrows," the construction was overseen by the White Fathers. The walls are of mud, and wooden beams form the roof. On the inside, the walls are decorated with animal forms, scenes of everyday life, and Christian themes. The site also contains a grotto and accommodation facilities. For copious images and content, see Navrongo Cathedral.Etymology of name
The word "Navrongo" is an Anglicization of the town's Nankani (a dialect of FrafraFrafra
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...
) name navorlngo. This in turn comes from its Kasem
Kasem language
Kasem is a Gur language spoken in the Upper Eastern Region of Ghana and in Burkina Faso.-References:**-External links:**...
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze827ph/kasem.htm name navoro, which combines the word naga (meaning foot or leg) with voro (meaning the sound of stepping onto crunchy, dry soil).
External links
- Navrongo and Lawra homepage — site which details the history, music, and culture of Navrongo. Set up by Peace CorpsPeace CorpsThe Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
volunteers. - Navrongo Health Research Centre — a Ghana Health ServiceGhana Health ServiceThe Ghana Health Service is a Ghanian government body established in 1996 as part of the Health Sector Reform of Ghana. The Health Service is under the Ministry of Health. The Health service primarily administrates the health services provided by the government and in implementing government...
research centre based in Navrongo. - MSN Map