Looking northwest from the entrance to the Banda rockshelter, the view encompasses land that since 1971 has been part of Bui National Park, a Wildlife Protected Area covering more than 1800 km2. Prior to that, these lands west of the Banda hills were important to local people as a source of "bush meat." Archaeological evidence suggests that for centuries hunting provided an important food source for Banda peoples. Banda hills, 30 July, 1994.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Banda
Subjects:
Hunting; Rockshelter; Bui National Park; Savanna woodland; Vegetation
A water level measurement pole (bottom right) at the base of a path through riparian forest leading to the Bui Dam site on the Black Volta River. These measuring devices were placed when Soviet engineers began laying groundwork for the dam under Nkrumah's government. On the other side of the river is the mountainside against which the dam was later built, beginning in 2008. View towards north. Bui Dam site, 1994.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Dam Site
Subjects:
Vegetation
Subjects Facet:
Bui Dam (Ghana); Riparian forests; Black Volta River
Looking west-northwest from inside the Banda rockshelter, the view encompasses land that has been part of Bui National Park since 1971. Banda oral histories refer to this rockshelter as the place where people ran for safety when Asante attacked the area in the 1700s. These stories may relate to Asantehene Osei Kwadwo's campaign against Banda during the dry season of 1773-74. After this, in February 1774, Dutch officials at Elmina Castle reported purchasing captives from Asante's war against "Benda." Banda hills, 30 July, 1994.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Banda
Subjects:
Rockshelter; Bui National Park; Savanna woodland; Vegetation
Yaw Kyԑ paddles a canoe toward the Dam Site settlement, an Ewe fishing village on the south bank of the Black Volta River. Canoes like these were used to ferry people across the river and for fishing. In the foreground, a basket sits on the riverbank. The mountain in the background (looking northward) is the site where the Bui Dam was built, beginning in 2008. Dam Site settlement, June, 1994.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Dam Site
Subjects:
Vegetation; Dam Site
Subjects Facet:
Bui Dam (Ghana); Baskets; Canoes; Riparian forests; Black Volta River; Fishing
Clay pots that have been fired and finished by dipping in a bark solution cool as a group looks on. To the right, a woman is dipping a clay pot just removed from the fire in a bark solution contained within a large metal cooking pot. She uses a long pole to turn the pot. The bark solution carbonizes as it comes in contact with the hot clay surface, creating a darkened sheen, as on the pots to the left. From left, Vida, Enoch Mensah (research assistant, blue shirt) and Obimpeh. Center and right, Yaa Sunyani (blue head scarf) Akua Kpͻͻ and Yaa Kpͻͻ (pink top). In the background (right) a fenced kitchen garden is visible. Adadiem, 1994.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Adadiem
Subjects:
Potting; Metal pots; Finishing; Soup pots (sro cho); Headpan
Interior of the Banda rockshelter (sdekpͻͻ in Nafaanra). Its floor is covered with large boulders which sheared from the shelter's roof over time. Banda oral histories refer to this as the cave in which people hid during Asante's attacks on Banda in the 1700s. These stories may relate to Asantehene Osei Kwadwo's campaign against Banda during the dry season of 1773-74. After this, in February 1774, Dutch officials at Elmina Castle reported purchasing captives from Asante's war against "Benda." Banda hills, 30 July, 1994.
View towards the east from the Banda hills north of Ahenkro. In the foreground (right) are farm fields that have been clearcut and plowed for tobacco farming.The houses of Ahenkro are visible beyond the farm fields. The mountain ranges in the distance are those near Fawoman (left) and Boase (right). Banda hills, 30 July, 1994.
Black Volta River at the Dam Site settlement, an Ewe fishing village immediately downstream of the Bui Dam site. View from the south bank across the river toward riparian woodland on the river's north bank. Dam Site settlement, 1994.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Dam Site
Subjects:
Vegetation; Dam Site
Subjects Facet:
Bui Dam (Ghana); Riparian forests; Black Volta River
Yaw Kyԑ paddles a canoe toward Bui Dam settlement, an Ewe fishing village on the south bank of the Black Volta River. A path leading to the fishing village of Agbegikrom on the river's opposite bank is visible (center, right). Canoes like these were used to ferry people across the river and for fishing. The mountain in the background (looking northward) is the site where the Bui Dam was built, beginning in 2008. Bui Dam settlement, June, 1994.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Dam Site
Subjects:
Vegetation; Dam Site
Subjects Facet:
Bui Dam (Ghana); Canoes; Riparian forests; Black Volta River; Fishing
Fired, blackened clay grinding bowls are stacked (center). While hot from the fire, the bowls have been blackened by rolling them in dry grass or peanut shells. To the right, a bonfire firing is in progress. The outside perimeter of the fire is banked with previously fired but broken jars. To the left, a large clay bowl contains a bark solution into which the pots are dipped while still hot from the fire. Behind that, another bonfire burns. To the right (back, center) pots have been stacked in preparation for another bonfire firing. The fashion of blackening grinding bowls began in the Banda area sometime during the 20th century. Adadiem, 1994.
View from the Banda hills above Ahenkro toward the range of hills near Boase. The north end of Ahenkro is visible mid photo. Banda hills, 30 July, 1994.
Several large clay pots used for water storage (chͻkoo in Nafaanra) sit in the interior courtyard of a house next to a black metal barrel, which is also used for water storage. The surface of the two larger clay jars has been textured with maize cob roulette (bledjukaan in Nafaanra ), and one is decorated with arching grooves. The smallest jar has red-painted vertical lines on its interior rim. The small round-based jar has been placed on an enameled-ware pot for support. The larger water jar behind it rests on the upturned base of an enameled-ware headpan, re-purposed after its base rusted and it could no longer be used to carry things. A clay grinding bowl is visible in the lower left corner of the picture. Banda area, 1994.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Banda
Subjects:
Water storage; Water pots (chokoo); Maize cob roulette; Decoration; Jars
Adwoa Miwo (right) learns to make clay pots from her experienced potter mother, Peni Ngunu Chͻ (center), as they work together in the interior courtyard of their house. Mosi Nyuu (husband and father) looks on. Partially finished clay jars sit nearby, resting on the palettes (kapankpa in Nafaanra) on which they have been formed. The more experienced mother is making a larger jar than her apprentice daughter. Also placed around the house's interior courtyard are two dark-colored clay soup pots (chiin sinyjͻlͻ in Nafaanra) and a wooden mortar (right). Thatch- and metal-roofed rooms surround the courtyard. Dorbour, 1994.
The exterior wall of an atakpame (coursed earth) house. Atakpame is a technique for building durable earthen walls that can stand for many decades. The thatched roof is supported by interior and exterior posts and does not rest on the walls. When covered by well-maintained thatched roofs, the walls are protected from erosion by rain. A goat walks on the street outside. Makala, July, 1994.
During the 20th century women from the potting villages of Dorbour, Adadiem and other locations west of the Banda hills sold their pots in markets centers to the east and the west. Here women sell clay pots in the market at Bondoukou in Côte d’Ivoire. Visible are varied-sized cooking pots (sro chͻ in Nafaanra), water jars (chͻkoo in Nafaanra), soup pots (chiin sinyjͻlͻ in Nafaanra) and grinding bowls (pԑԑ in Nafaanra). Also for sale in the foreground are clay eating bowls that appear to have been fired in a kiln (?) rather than a bonfire. Bondoukou, 1994.
This short Banda Heritage video made from still photographic images illustrates the potting techniques of Banda-area potters. It highlights the steps in their draw-and-drag forming method and the tools they use. Among the Nafana potters pictured in the video are Yaa Tenabrɛ, Adwoa Fodjoa, Peni Krah and Ama Donkor from Dorbour. Also pictured is a potter from Adadiem (1994) and an image from Bondakile (1982). Original images used to make the video are available in the Banda Heritage Repository. Dorbour, Adadiem, 1994. Bondakile 1982. Length: 5.05 minutes.
The interior of a courtyard house surrounded by thatch-roofed rooms. Houses like this were often built over time, with rooms added as needed, gradually enclosing the interior courtyard. The compound in this photo is fully enclosed, with a doorway to the exterior visible in the center, back. Four hearths are visible in the courtyard, surrounded by a variety of metal vessels used in food preparation and other daily activities. Left, a pestle lies on the ground surrounded by groundnut (peanut, boŋgrɛ in Nafaanra) shells. Makala, July, 1994.
A potter sits on a stool as she molds the upper body of a clay water jar (chͻkoo in Nafaanra). In her right hand she uses a maize cob (bledjukaan in Nafaanra), pulling it against the exterior surface to smooth and thin the clay. In the foreground are water jars whose leather-hard upper body and rim have been joined to a rounded base, their clay bases still moist and not yet smoothed. Large wooden mortars and a headpan containing moist clay sit nearby as she works in the shade of an open-sided room. Dorbour, 1994.
Afua Donkor, a Nafana potter, uses a pestle to pound bark that will be used to make a solution to finish clay pots. In a nearby headpan, more stripped bark awaits pounding. After pounding, the bark will be soaked in water. Hot clay pots just removed from the bonfire will be dipped and turned in the solution. This colors the pots and is said to reduce their porosity. She sits on a stool as she works in the courtyard near a hearth. Nearby is a large metal cooking pot, several wooden mortars and a number of pestles. Finished clay soup cooking pots (chiin sinyjͻlͻ in Nafaanra) sit behind her ready for sale. Dorbour, 1994.
The exterior of a compound house made of adjoining rooms oriented around a rectangular courtyard. These were often built over time, with rooms added as needed, gradually enclosing the interior courtyard. The compound in this photo is open on one side, rooms surrounding the other three sides of the courtyard. Atakpame walls are visible as are the gabled thatched roofs that protect walls from erosion by rain. Makala, July, 1994.