A courtyard house on the north side of Makala's main street. The atakpame (coursed earth) walls of the street-facing porch are plastered. The house compound's roofs and those of neighboring houses are thatched. The broad street in front of the house is clear of vegetation. Makala, June-July, 1990.
A group of children gather for a photo on Makala's main street. The contemporary village was established in the 1920s when a British colonial District Officer implemented a "village planning" scheme. New villages were laid out next to existing settlements, and old villages abandoned. The new villages were laid out on a grid pattern, as seen here in the wide main street. The old village (Makala Kataa) was located in the wooded area at the end of this street. Archaeological excavations (1989, 1990 and 1994) at Early and Late Makala Kataa have revealed much about daily life of Banda villagers in the late 18th and 19th centuries. See below for a link to a guiding 1902 Gold Coast Colony Ordinance, "Rules with Respect to Regulation of Towns and Villages." Makala, June-July, 1990.
Houses along the main street of Wewa. Doorways lead to interior courtyards of these compounds. Walls are made primarily using an atakpame (coursed earth) technique, though the pillared verandah wall (far right) was made with sun-dried bricks. Part of the roof of the near compound has recently been re-thatched. The streets and houses are kept clear of grass and other plants. Wewa, December, 1982.
A view of houses along the north side of Makala's wide main street, looking northwest toward the Banda hills. Visible are atakpame (coursed earthen-walled) houses with thatched roofs. The exterior walls of some buildings are plastered. The streets and areas around houses are kept clear of plants. Makala, June-July, 1990.
A view of Makala's wide main street, standing under a mango tree at the east end of town looking westward. Houses with thatched roofs line the main street, with a metal-roofed house visible to the right. Makala, June-July, 1990.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Makala
Subjects:
Mango tree
Subjects Facet:
Thatched roofs; Metal roofing; Streets; Housing; Villages
A view of Makala's wide main street, standing at the west edge of town, looking eastward. A mango tree grows in the street at the far end of the street. Atakpame (coursed earthen-walled) houses with thatched roofs line the street. The streets and areas around houses are kept clear of plants. Enoch Mensah (left) and Andy Black (right) stroll down the street after a day of work at Makala Kataa, the archaeological site located immediately west of Makala. Wide main streets like this one were was established in the 1920s when a British colonial District Officer implemented a "village planning" scheme. New villages were laid out next to existing settlements, and old villages abandoned as people relocated. The new villages were laid out on a grid pattern oriented by a wide main street. Archaeological excavations (1989, 1990 and 1994) at the old village site (Makala Kataa) have revealed much about daily life of Banda villagers in the late 18th and 19th centuries. See below for a link to a the 1902 Gold Coast Colony Ordinance that prompted these relocations: "Rules with Respect to Regulation of Towns and Villages." Makala, June-July, 1990. Makala, June-July, 1990.
A view of Makala's wide main street, standing at the west edge of town, looking eastward. A mango tree grows in the street at the far end of the street. Atakpame (coursed earthen-walled) houses with thatched roofs line the street. A single house with a metal roof is visible to the right of the mango tree. The streets and areas around houses are kept clear of plants. Makala, July, 1994.
Main street of Banda-Ahenkro, view to the south, standing near the Banda Cultural Centre. In the distance, one of the passenger vans that made the daily trip to market towns (Wenchi, Sampa) is parked in front of the Omanhene's (paramount chief) palace. Two poles anticipate the arrival of electricity, still some years away. Metal roofs have begun to replace the thatched roofs of earlier years. Ahenkro, July, 2001.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Ahenkro
Subjects Facet:
Rural electrification; Metal roofing; Transportation; Villages; Streets
View of Ahenkro main street, looking southwest, the Omanhene's (paramount chief) palace to the right. Advertising signs for a printing kiosk and for a mobile money supplier (MTN) appear along the roadside. Two cellular phone towers are visible behind the palace. Ahenkro, June, 2016.
A view looking northward on Ahenkro's main street. The paved road is bordered on either side by deep gutters. Electrical poles and wires run along one side of the street. A sign advertising MTN "Mobile Money" is placed roadside. Several motor vehicles are parked along the road. A bicycle is parked in the foreground. Ahenkro, June, 2016.