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Mole Dagbani and The Gonja
The Mole-Dagbani and the Gonja people are the two most populous
groups in the northernmost states of Ghana. Ghanaians often refer
to the upper-east and upper west regions as
"the North", tying the two regions together suggest some degree of homogeneity of the
geography and the people. Being from "the North" differentiates or
separates them from the rest of the country. The Gonja are amongst
the few groups to have a written history however the bulk their past
has been pasted down orally from generation to generation. Their
written history dates back to the mid-eighteenth-century it was
recorded in the Kitab Ghanja. The Kitab Ghanja is written in Arabic,
not only did it contain the written history of the Gonja, it also
recorded important events that occurred in the northern region. The
Kitab Ghanja also includes encounters with other ethnic groups. (Asante, Dagomba,
Mampurugu, Takyiman and Wa)
Key Note:
The northern regions of Ghana show a great influence from the Islamic
culture.
Additional links to Kings and Chiefs of the Gonja People: