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Dagomba people
The Dagomba 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[need quotation to verify][need quotation to verify] and they speak Dagbanli language. Dagbanli is the most widely spoken language of northern Ghana and is a widely spoken local language of Ghana.[not verified in body] 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.
In the late 1600s, King Zanjina, became the first ruler to practise Islam. The reign of Zanjina ushered in an era of greater prosperity. Many learning centres were established and scholarship became an important part of tradition. In 1700, the University Moliyili was established, but was later abandoned during European colonization. The Dagomba resisted European colonization even after Germany burnt down and occupied its capital, Yendi, located in Eastern Dagbon (Naya).
The Dagomba are one of the few African ethnic groups who reserve royal titles for women.[citation needed] Dagomba women rule, ascend to royal positions with male subjects, and own regal lands. The impact of its women is prominent as it has given birth to Ghana's first female minister, and Africa's first female cabinet minister. Historically, its noble daughter, Yennenga, is regarded as the "mother" of the Mossi kingdoms, a people who constitute nearly half of the nation of Burkina Faso. The Gundo Naa is the head of all female chiefs, and the Zosimli Naa enhances collaboration between cities of Dagbon and sister cities.
The Dagombas established several schools prior to European arrivals in Africa. A later but more known institution is the University of Moliyili, established in 1700. Moliyili had a hierarchical scholastic system similar to what is found in modern universities. The Dagomba have a writing system, the Dagbani script, which uses a modified Arabic alphabet but Dagbani syntax. The archival manuscripts have been lost, but many transferred to Denmark. After joining Gold Coast as a protectorate (not colony), the Dagombas adopted the Greek and Latin alphabets.
Women are held in high regard, and children fear the displeasure and wrath of the mother. Brothers protect the dignity of sisters at all cost. The Dagombas are one of the few peoples in Africa to have female chiefs who possess regal lands and rule over male subjects. Closest family bonds are termed "Mabihili". Both males and females in such a close family bond refer to each other as Mabia (mother's child), signifying the importance of the mother. Motherland is termed Mayili and fatherland is termed Bayili. There is no English equivalent of Mabihili.
In Dagomba society, there are several gods (singular: wuni, plural: wuna). The chief (Naa) of all these gods is Naawuni. Each city has a shrine (buɣli). For example, the shrine of the People of Tolon is Jaagbo, and that of Nyankpala is Wonoyili. There are many soothsayers (baɣa) whom people consult for prophesies and solutions to their problems. The inheritance of many soothsaying is through a maternal brother.
Many Christian evangelical groups have launched failed campaigns to convert the Dagomba. However, the Dagomba continue practising its traditional religion and Islam. The arrival of Islam to the Dagomba brought prosperity, whiles, Christianity was brought by Europeans, who burnt their cities and displaced its people. Today, the Dagomba have provided free lands to many Christian missionaries to undertake their activities. While Islamic schools do not mandate students to worship or visit mosques, Christian schools makes worship compulsory for all students, even for members of the Dagbon Traditional Religion and Islam.
The Dagombas celebrate the oldest festivals in Ghana, including the Fire Festival, which existed prior to the formation of the Kingdom of Dagbon. Other festivals include the Damba Festival, Guinea Fowl (Kpini Chuɣu) Festival and Yam Festival (Nyuli Dibu), Konyuri Chuɣu (Eid Al-Fitr), Chimsi Chuɣu (Eid AL-Adha). Other minor localized festivals that are celebrated included the Market Festival (Daa Chuɣu) by the people of Tolon.
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Dagomba people
The Dagomba 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[need quotation to verify][need quotation to verify] and they speak Dagbanli language. Dagbanli is the most widely spoken language of northern Ghana and is a widely spoken local language of Ghana.[not verified in body] 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.
In the late 1600s, King Zanjina, became the first ruler to practise Islam. The reign of Zanjina ushered in an era of greater prosperity. Many learning centres were established and scholarship became an important part of tradition. In 1700, the University Moliyili was established, but was later abandoned during European colonization. The Dagomba resisted European colonization even after Germany burnt down and occupied its capital, Yendi, located in Eastern Dagbon (Naya).
The Dagomba are one of the few African ethnic groups who reserve royal titles for women.[citation needed] Dagomba women rule, ascend to royal positions with male subjects, and own regal lands. The impact of its women is prominent as it has given birth to Ghana's first female minister, and Africa's first female cabinet minister. Historically, its noble daughter, Yennenga, is regarded as the "mother" of the Mossi kingdoms, a people who constitute nearly half of the nation of Burkina Faso. The Gundo Naa is the head of all female chiefs, and the Zosimli Naa enhances collaboration between cities of Dagbon and sister cities.
The Dagombas established several schools prior to European arrivals in Africa. A later but more known institution is the University of Moliyili, established in 1700. Moliyili had a hierarchical scholastic system similar to what is found in modern universities. The Dagomba have a writing system, the Dagbani script, which uses a modified Arabic alphabet but Dagbani syntax. The archival manuscripts have been lost, but many transferred to Denmark. After joining Gold Coast as a protectorate (not colony), the Dagombas adopted the Greek and Latin alphabets.
Women are held in high regard, and children fear the displeasure and wrath of the mother. Brothers protect the dignity of sisters at all cost. The Dagombas are one of the few peoples in Africa to have female chiefs who possess regal lands and rule over male subjects. Closest family bonds are termed "Mabihili". Both males and females in such a close family bond refer to each other as Mabia (mother's child), signifying the importance of the mother. Motherland is termed Mayili and fatherland is termed Bayili. There is no English equivalent of Mabihili.
In Dagomba society, there are several gods (singular: wuni, plural: wuna). The chief (Naa) of all these gods is Naawuni. Each city has a shrine (buɣli). For example, the shrine of the People of Tolon is Jaagbo, and that of Nyankpala is Wonoyili. There are many soothsayers (baɣa) whom people consult for prophesies and solutions to their problems. The inheritance of many soothsaying is through a maternal brother.
Many Christian evangelical groups have launched failed campaigns to convert the Dagomba. However, the Dagomba continue practising its traditional religion and Islam. The arrival of Islam to the Dagomba brought prosperity, whiles, Christianity was brought by Europeans, who burnt their cities and displaced its people. Today, the Dagomba have provided free lands to many Christian missionaries to undertake their activities. While Islamic schools do not mandate students to worship or visit mosques, Christian schools makes worship compulsory for all students, even for members of the Dagbon Traditional Religion and Islam.
The Dagombas celebrate the oldest festivals in Ghana, including the Fire Festival, which existed prior to the formation of the Kingdom of Dagbon. Other festivals include the Damba Festival, Guinea Fowl (Kpini Chuɣu) Festival and Yam Festival (Nyuli Dibu), Konyuri Chuɣu (Eid Al-Fitr), Chimsi Chuɣu (Eid AL-Adha). Other minor localized festivals that are celebrated included the Market Festival (Daa Chuɣu) by the people of Tolon.