Elder women of Boase who spearheaded a performance of songs and dances associated with Manaa Ndiom (puberty), Bijam (wedding) and funeral rites as practiced in Boase. The event was organized by the chief and elders of Boase and filmed by the Banda Heritage Local Committee. L-R: Ama Gyakari, Adwoa Dankuli, Ama Lopom, Ama Nimsaa, Afua Gyakari, Yaa Anto, Afua Nsiah. Boase, 11 November, 2018.
Afua Wewa is pictured on the occasion of a filmed interview with the Banda Heritage Initiative Local Committee during which she spoke about life in earlier decades in Wewa village. Ahenkro, 24 August, 2018.
Afua Fawoman is pictured on the occasion of a filmed interview with the Banda Heritage Initiative Local Committee during which she spoke about the events that led to Fawoman people moving from Brohane to Fawoman. L-R: ___, ___, Afua Fawoman, ___. Fawoman, 1 October, 2018.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Fawoman
Subjects:
Relocation; Family history; Village founding; Banda Heritage Initiative
A man holds up for view a male and female pair of carved wooden baboon (Mbong in Ligbi) masks during a 2019 interview with Ligbi elders in Bongase. The male mask (left) has a reflective silver cloth attached. A pair of bush cow (Siginjuru-ayna in Ligbi) masks lays on the table behind. Masks such as these have been used in masquerade dances celebrating special occasions like weddings and public festivals, including the end of Ramadan, the annual month-long period of Muslim fasting. Scholars refer to this masking tradition as "Do," while locally it is termed "Bedu." These same masks were photographed in 1967 by René A. Bravmann during the course of doctoral dissertation fieldwork. For additional details, see Bravmann, René A. (1974) "Islam and Tribal Art in West Africa" (Cambridge University Press), pp. 147-177. The baboon masks pictured here were worn and photographed in 1995 when Ligbi people from Bongase brought the masquerade to the commissioning celebration for the Banda Cultural Centre. A June 2019 performance of Mbong at a Banda Heritage Event can be viewed through a link below. Bongase, 11 June, 2019.
A man holds up for view two carved wooden masks during a 2019 interview with Ligbi elders in Bongase. These masks are used in masquerade dances to celebrate special occasions like weddings and public festivals such as the end of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. The mask on the left (13.25 inches in height) is a thrush (Kokogyinaka in Ligbi). The mask on the right (9.75 inches in length) is a "beautiful Gonja woman" (Gbanyamuso in Ligbi). Their features are highlighted by red, blue and white pigment. The Gbanyamuso mask is also adorned by a red hair band. A baboon mask (Mbong in Ligbi) lays on the table to the right. René Bravmann, an art historian, photographed these masks in 1967 during doctoral dissertation fieldwork. For additional details, see Bravmann, René A. (1974) "Islam and Tribal Art in West Africa" (Cambridge University Press), pp. 88-95. Scholars refer to this masking tradition as "Do," while locally it is termed "Bedu." A June 2019 performance of Gbanyamuso (center) at a Banda Heritage Event can be viewed through a link below. Bongase, 11 June, 2019.
A man holds up for view a female (left) and male (right) pair of carved wooden bush cow (Siginjuru-ayna in Ligbi) masks during a 2019 interview with Ligbi elders in Bongase. Masks such as these have been used in masquerade dances to celebrate special occasions like weddings and public festivals including the end of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. The masks' features are highlighted by red, blue and white pigment. René A. Bravmann, an art historian, photographed the male bush cow mask in 1967 during doctoral dissertation fieldwork. For additional details, see Bravmann, René A. (1974) "Islam and Tribal Art in West Africa" (Cambridge University Press), pp. 147-177. Scholars refer to this masking tradition as "Do," while locally it is termed "Bedu." Bongase,11 June, 2019.
Women of Brɛmawuo house, most of whom no longer live in the house, have come together for an interview sparked by a 1986 photo of them gathered around hearths in the compound's courtyard preparing food. As they talk, several of the women are processing calabash seeds (fnumu in Nafaanra), cracking the hull to extract the seed. An audio recorder sits on a low wooden stool with a lidded iron pot nearby. The binder of photos that has sparked the conversation sits on the veranda to the right. Enoch Mensah of the Banda Heritage Local Committee (interviewer, on left) sits on a blue plastic chair as he listens to the women talk about changes in foodways. L-R the women are Ama Mensah (black head scarf), Ama Nwotwenwaa (orange dress), Adwoa Hana, Yaa Yaa Dankwa and Abena Kuma. A video of the full interview can be accessed through through the "iaff_works" link below. Sabiye, 13 November, 2018.
Standing on the south bank of the Black Volta River near Bui Village, looking east-northeast to the gap in the Banda hills where the Bui Dam was constructed. The area between Bui village and the river was the site of a 19th-century village (Bui Kataa or old Bui). This area was flooded by the rising waters of Bui Lake as it formed behind Bui Dam after 2012. Bui, 25 July, 1982.
An aerial view of Banda area settlements and roads, looking southwards from the north side of Banda-Ahenkro, district administrative center since 2012 of the Banda District in Ghana's Bono (formerly Brong-Ahafo) Region. The linear range of Banda hills is visible in the background (right, top) with the compact core of Banda-Ahenkro center photo. To the west (right), Ahenkro's houses are more dispersed than in its compact and older core. The left-hand fork of a Y-shaped road (center photo) is the main road that leads south towards Sabiye and Bofie to Menji. The right-hand fork is the now-bypassed old main road between Ahenkro and Kabruno. The road that extends horizontally across the left side of the photo is the paved road that extends from the Banda junction to the Wenchi-Bamboi road (N12). The clustered villages visible south of Ahenkro include Kanka, Kabruno, Sase, Gbao, Dompofie and Makala. To the east of Ahenkro (photo's far left) the angular straight edges and lighter green color of a cashew plantation stand out from the surrounding vegetation. Cashew has become an increasingly important cash crop grown in the area since the early 2000s. Ahenkro, 25 June, 2019.
Adult hippos monitor the presence of tourists in canoes on the Black Volta River in Bui National Park. Dense riparian forest covers the south bank of the river. The park was established as a Wildlife Refuge Area from 1971 and was home to one of West Africa's eight hippo populations. More than 300 hippos were counted in the park prior to the construction of the Bui Hydroelectric Dam which began in 2008. Two photos. Bui National Park, 12 June, 2009.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Banda
Subjects:
Savanna woodland; Vegetation; Bui National Park
Subjects Facet:
Wildlife refuges; Riparian forests; Tourism; Black Volta River; Hippopotamus
Irene Mensah, a member of the Banda Heritage Initiative Local Committee, uses a camcorder to shoot video footage in Boase during a visit by the Local Committee to document the songs and dances of Nafana puberty (Manaa Ndiom) and marriage (Bijam) ceremonies. She volunteered to join the Local Committee after hearing her grandfather tell stories of the area's past during an interview. To the right, a group of young people are gathered near a small kiosk which is surrounded by a bicycle, a motorcycle and a motorized three-wheeled cart. Metal-roofed houses line the main street. Boase, 11 November, 2018.
A roadside billboard in Ashanti Region advertising the 24 August, 2007 inauguration event for the Bui Dam project. President J. A. Kufuor is pictured alongside a designer's image of the dam and an imagined Bui City. Blocked by the smaller "Abuakwa State College" billboard in the foreground is text that reads "Bui AgroTourism Business" alongside the designer's sketch of irrigated fields at the bottom of the larger billboard. Ashanti Region, June, 2008.
View towards the mountains which formed the Bui Dam site gorge, standing on Bui Kataa (old Bui), south side of the Black Volta River. This area was flooded by the rising waters of Bui Lake as it formed behind Bui Dam after 2012. Bui Kataa, 11 June, 2008.
The road leading from Ahenkro to Bongase parallels the Banda hills. Visible on the right side of the road are electrical lines and a pole. Electrification was recent at the time of these two photos. North of Ahenkro, 16 June, 2009.
View towards the mountains which formed the Bui Dam site gorge, standing on Bui Kataa, south side of the Black Volta River. In the foreground, Nelson Anane stands in an archaeological test pit. Bui Kataa (old Bui) was a riverside site occupied during the 19th century and possibly before. This area was flooded by the rising waters of Bui Lake as if formed behind Bui Dam after 2012. Bui Kataa, 11 June, 2008.
Two Nafana men from Fawoman--center and right--beat out foundational rhythms on hippopotamus jaw bones using a hippo canine tooth to accompany a performance of hunters' dances (Bɔfɔɔrɔ in Nafaanra). Oral history recounts that the dances are those of animals observed and copied by ancestral hunters, generations ago. The percussion instruments are said to be those collected by ancestral hunters after they watched the animals dancing, then scared them off and collected their equipment. Left, a man plays an "apentemma" (Twi) drum with his hands. A June 2019 performance of the dances at a Banda Heritage Event can be viewed through a link below. Fawoman, 21 May, 2019.
Sinohydro, a state-owned Chinese hydropower engineering and construction company, began construction on the Bui Hydroelectric Dam in 2008. Here a road is being constructed along the south bank of the Black Volta River at the dam site. Bui Dam site, 28 June, 2008.
A mother hippo and her baby cool themselves in the Black Volta River while monitoring tourists in nearby canoes. Dense riparian forest covers the south bank of the river. The park was established as a Wildlife Refuge Area from 1971 and was home to one of West Africa's eight hippo populations. More than 300 hippos were counted in the park prior to the construction of the Bui Hydroelectric Dam which began in 2008. Two photos. Bui National Park, 12 June, 2009.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Banda
Subjects:
Savanna woodland; Vegetation; Bui National Park
Subjects Facet:
Wildlife refuges; Riparian forests; Tourism; Black Volta River; Hippopotamus
View towards the mountains which formed the Bui Dam site gorge, standing on Bui Kataa, south side of the Black Volta River. In the foreground, Nelson Anane stands in an archaeological test pit. Bui Kataa was a riverside site occupied during the 19th century and possibly before. This area was flooded by the rising waters of Bui Lake as if formed behind Bui Dam after 2012. Bui Kataa, 11 June, 2008.
Work in progress at the Bui Dam site by Sinohydro, a state-owned Chinese hydropower and engineering company. Here the river channel has been diverted and the base of the dam is under construction. View from the south bank, looking northwest. Two photos. Bui Dam site, 7 July, 2009.
Sinohydro, a state-owned Chinese hydropower engineering and construction company, began construction on the Bui Hydroelectric Dam in 2008. Here a road is being constructed along the south bank of the Black Volta River at the dam site. Bui Dam site, 28 June, 2008.
Two women (Ama Nwotwenwaa and Yaa Yaa Dankwa) view a binder of photos during an interview in the house of Brɛmawuo about cooking practices. The interview was sparked by a 1986 photo of these and other women in the household preparing food. Two youngsters look on. Sabiye, 13 November, 2018.
Standing on the south bank of the Black Volta River near Bui Village, looking north-northwest. Thick riparian forest is visible on the river's north bank. The area between Bui Village and the river was the site of a 19th-century village, Bui Kataa. This area was flooded by the rising waters of Bui Lake as it formed behind Bui Dam after 2012. Bui, 7 June, 2008.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Bui
Subjects:
Bui Lake; Bui Kataa; Savanna woodland; Vegetation
Subjects Facet:
Bui Dam (Ghana); Landscapes; Riparian forests; Black Volta River; Mountains
Work in progress at the Bui Dam site by Sinohydro, a state-owned Chinese hydropower and engineering company. Here they grate the southern mountain that will serve as part of the dam's infrastructure. To the left, the cleared site of the former Ewe fishing village of Agbegikrom is visible. Looking downstream, the braiding of the Black Volta River below the dam site is visible. Bui Dam site, 7 July, 2009.
Calabash drums accompany songs sung by Nafana women during the celebration of puberty (Manaa Ndiom) and marriage (Bijam) rites. These drums are played exclusively by women. The drums are made by filling a large hollowed-out calabash or gourd (chrɛ in Nafaanra) with water. A smaller calabash bowl (chrɛgbɔɔ in Nafaanra) floating upright in the water provides the surface on which the women drum. The small calabash ladles resting in the water are used to beat the up-turned floating calabash bowls and the rim of the large calabash. Visible at the bottom of the larger calabash drum are maize (bleju in Nafaanra) kernels tossed into the drum by passing dancers. Among the kernels are several pesewa coins also tossed in by dancers. Two views. Boase, 11 November, 2018.
Looking southwest from 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 was provided an important food source for Banda peoples. This is the third of eight images in a south-to-north panorama from this viewpoint. Banda hills, 28 June, 2009.
Looking northwest from 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 was provided an important food source for Banda peoples. This is the seventh of eight images in a south-to-north panorama from this viewpoint. Banda hills, 28 June, 2009.
Two views of a twinned lost-wax cast copper alloy figurine from Kuulo Kataa, Mound 118, Unit 62W 4N, Level 3. Lower "foot" plate broken off from figurine body. Height: 3.7 cm. Weight: 13.2 g. Kuulo Kataa, 15 June, 1995.
Two views of a serpent-like figure made from an iron rod. The "head" of the direct metal sculpture resembles a triangular-tipped iron projectile point, similar to those found on the same site during the same time period. The body is formed by undulating S-shaped loops which are stacked atop one another to form the "tail." Kuulo Kataa, Mound 118, Unit 62W 4N, Level 1. Scale in cm. Length: 8.4 cm. 39.6 g. Kuulo Kataa, 15 June, 1995.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Provenance:
Kuulo Kataa, Mound 118, Unit 62W 4N, Level 1
Location(s) Facet:
Kuulo Kataa
Subjects:
Serpents
Subjects Facet:
Direct metal sculpture; Archaeology; Snakes; Iron; Projectile point; Artifacts (Antiquities)
Looking southwest from 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 was provided an important food source for Banda peoples. This is the second of eight images in a south-to-north panorama from this viewpoint Banda hills, 28 June, 2009.
Looking northwest from 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 was provided an important food source for Banda peoples. This is the sixth of eight images in a south-to-north panorama from this viewpoint. Banda hills, 28 June, 2009.
Looking west from 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 was provided an important food source for Banda peoples. Banda hills, This is the fourth of eight images in a south-to-north panorama from this viewpoint. Banda hills, 28 June, 2009.
Two views of a twinned lost wax cast copper alloy figurine from Ngre Kataa, Mound 6, Unit 44N 6W, Feature 5 cluster. Height: 5.9 cm. Weight: 31.3 g. Ngre Kataa, 19 July, 2008.
Looking northwest from 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 was provided an important food source for Banda peoples. This is the eighth of eight images in a south-to-north panorama from this viewpoint. Banda hills, 28 June, 2009.
A temporary bridge spans the Black Volta River at the site where Sinohydro, a state-owned Chinese hydropower engineering and construction company began constructing the Bui Hydroelectric Dam in 2008. Bui Dam site, 7 July, 2009.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Bui
Subjects:
Sinohydro; Savanna woodland; Vegetation
Subjects Facet:
Bui Dam (Ghana); Bridges; Black Volta River; Mountains
Looking west from 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 was provided an important food source for Banda peoples. This is the fifth of eight images in a south-to-north panorama from this viewpoint. hills, 28 June, 2009.
A plowed field at the base of the Banda hills near Ahenkro remains unplanted. Other previously plowed but now fallow fields are visible as light green areas against a background of savanna woodland. These clear-cut, tractor-plowed fields were first opened up in the 1980s and 1990s when many farmers took up commercial tobacco production, later banned by the Traditional Council. Looking eastward, the hills near Fawoman are visible in the background. Two photos. Northwest of Ahenkro, June, 2009.
Informational posters on Banda history and archaeology are displayed on easels in the hall of the Banda Cultural Centre. Examples of pottery recovered from excavations at Banda area sites rest on shelves in the background. Banda Cultural Centre, Ahenkro, 18 July, 2011.
Bags of charcoal awaiting transport to market. Charcoal production in Banda expanded from a relatively small-scale activity to a much larger-scale one over the early 2000s. This charcoal was made on the site of Bui Kataa, an old settlement located on the banks of the Black Volta River near Bui Village. The area is now under the floodwaters created by the Bui Dam. Bui Kataa, June, 2008.
At an event showcasing the songs and dances associated with puberty (Manaa Ndiom) and wedding (Bijam) rites, two Boase women sit on low wooden stools as they play drums made from hollowed-out calabashes or gourds (chrɛ in Nafaanra). The large lower calabashes are supported by another container (a large tomato paste tin on the left and a plastic bowl on the right). A smaller calabash bowl (chrɛgbɔɔ in Nafaanra) floats upright in water contained within the larger calabash. The women create a rhythm by tapping the calabash ladles held in their right hands on the surface of the floating calabash and the rim of the larger calabash bowl. The kernels of maize (corn, or bleju in Nafaanra) clustered at the base of the larger calabash in the foreground have been tossed into the drum by dancers as they pass by. Another woman, seated upper left, holds a small calabash bowl filled with maize kernels which dancers will use as offerings. Boase, 11 November, 2018.
At an event showcasing the songs and dances associated with puberty (Manaa Ndiom) and wedding (Bijam) rites, two Boase women play drums made from hollowed-out calabashes or gourds (chrɛ in Nafaanra). The large lower calabashes are supported by another container (a large tomato paste tin on the left and a plastic bowl on the right). A smaller calabash bowl (chrɛgbɔɔ in Nafaanra) floats upright in water contained within the larger calabash. The women create a rhythm by tapping the calabash ladles held in their right hands on the surface of the floating calabash and the rim of the larger calabash bowl. Women behind the drummers clap in accompaniment to the song. Boase, 11 November, 2018.
At a performance showcasing the rituals associated with Nafana wedding rites (Bijam) organized by the chief and female elders of Boase, a weathered calabash or gourd bowl (chrɛgbɔɔ in Nafaanra) holds money (Ghanaian cedis) offered by well-wishers. A calabash lid rests on the ground nearby, its side mended with stitches. Boase, 11 November, 2018.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Boase
Subjects:
Cedis; Bijam; Money
Subjects Facet:
Rites and ceremonies; Gourd, Calabash; Marriage customs and rites
Several young men gather outside of Kafͻnͻ (Kafono) Katoo under the shade of a small thatched shelter. They are looking at a binder of photos that includes pictures of their family house taken in 1986 when its roof was being re-thatched. At that time the house was decorated with a painting of a bicycle, reputed to be the first bicycle in Banda. Ahenkro, 1 September, 2018.
Sinohydro, a state-owned Chinese hydropower engineering and construction company, began construction on the Bui Hydroelectric Dam in 2008. Here on the north bank of the Black Volta River at the base of the mountain which became the dam site is an Ewe fishing village, Agbegikrom. The village was leveled after its inhabitants were resettled. Two views, one showing a road under construction along the south bank of the Black Volta River at the dam site. Bui Dam site, 28 June, 2008.
Bui National Park, a Wildlife Refuge Area established in 1971, was home to one of West Africa's eight hippo populations. More than 300 hippos were counted in the park prior to the construction of the Bui Hydroelectric Dam. Here several hippos cool themselves in the Black Volta River several kilometers upstream from the site where the dam was under construction beginning in 2008. Dense riparian forest lines the south bank of the river. Bui National Park, 12 June, 2009.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Banda
Subjects:
Bui National Park; Savanna woodland; Vegetation
Subjects Facet:
Hippopotamus; Riparian forests; Black Volta River; Wildlife refuges
Standing on the edge of Bui Lake, northwest of Bongase. The lake waters rose behind Bui Dam after 2012, transforming local fishing practices. For generations local Ewe families used the type of canoe pictured here to fish on the Black Volta River. But these can only be used for near-shore fishing on Bui Lake because the lake's unpredictable winds and waves make them unsafe. Trees still stand in shallow waters along the lake's edge. Three photos. Bui Lake, near Bongase, 18 June, 2016.
Young Ewe fishermen from Akanyakrom paddle a group of tourists visiting Bui National Park upriver to see the park's resident hippo population. Thick riparian forest lines the banks of the Black Volta River. Akanyakrom and these upstream areas were flooded by Bui Lake as water levels rose behind Bui Dam after 2012. Hippos were driven upstream by flooding and locally made canoes could no longer be used to ferry tourists because of the lake's winds and waves. Upstream of Akanyakrom, 12 June, 2009.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Akanyakrom
Subjects:
Bui Lake; Bui National Park
Subjects Facet:
Bui Dam (Ghana); Hippopotamus; Canoes; Riparian forests; Black Volta River; Ewe (African people); Tourism
Dense riparian forest lines the southern bank of the Black Volta River upstream of Akanyakrom in Bui National Park. This forest provided habitat for rare monkey species and other animals and birds. Areas like these were flooded by Bui Lake as water levels rose behind Bui Dam after 2012. Upstream of Akanyakrom, 12 June, 2009.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Akanyakrom
Subjects:
Bui Lake; Bui National Park
Subjects Facet:
Landscapes; Animals; Riparian forests; Black Volta River
The town of Ahenkro as seen from the Banda hills, view to the southeast. The first of the town's cellular phone towers is visible on the south side of town. The eastern range of Banda hills is visible in the distance. At the photo's bottom left, the angular edges of a tractor-plowed field are visible. Clear-cut fields like these were first established when Banda area farmers took up commercial tobacco farming during the 1980s and 1990s. Since tobacco farming was banned by the Banda Traditional Council in the early 2000s, these fields have been put to other types of cash cropping. Banda, June, 2009.
An Ewe fisherman from Akayakrom works part time as a guide for tourists visiting Bui National Park. Here he readies a boat to take a group up river to view the park's resident hippo population. Akanyakrom was among the villages flooded by Bui Lake as water levels rose behind Bui Dam after 2012. Hippos were driven upstream by flooding and locally made canoes could no longer be used to ferry tourists because of the lake's winds and waves. Akanyakrom, 12 June, 2009.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Akanyakrom
Subjects:
Bui Lake; Bui National Park
Subjects Facet:
Bui Dam (Ghana); Hippopotamus; Canoes; Riparian forests; Black Volta River; Ewe (African people); Tourism
Dzobo Sebastian, an Ewe fishermen from Akayakrom, works part time as a guide for tourists visiting Bui National Park. He paddles a boat carrying tourists up river to view the park's resident hippo population. Thick riparian forest lines the north bank of the Black Volta River. Akanyakrom and these upstream areas were flooded by Bui Lake as water levels rose behind Bui Dam after 2012. Hippos were driven upstream by flooding and locally made canoes could no longer be used to ferry tourists because of the lake's winds and waves. Akanyakrom, 12 June, 2009.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Akanyakrom
Subjects:
Bui Lake; Bui National Park
Subjects Facet:
Bui Dam (Ghana); Hippopotamus; Canoes; Riparian forests; Black Volta River; Ewe (African people); Tourism
Dense riparian forest lines the southern bank of the Black Volta River upstream of Akanyakrom in Bui National Park. This forest provided habitat for rare monkey species and other animals and birds. Areas like these were flooded by Bui Lake as water levels rose behind Bui Dam after 2012. Upstream of Akanyakrom, 12 June, 2009.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Akanyakrom
Subjects:
Bui Lake; Bui National Park
Subjects Facet:
Landscapes; Animals; Riparian forests; Black Volta River
Ahenkro (left) and Kabruno/Kanka (right) as seen from the Banda hills, view to the southeast. Two of the early (red-and-white) cellular phone towers in the area are visible. The eastern range of Banda hills is visible in the distance. Banda, June, 2009.
Areas of the Black Volta River in Bui National Park are characterized by rocky outcrops. The river banks are lined with dense riparian forest. Upstream of Akanyakrom, 12 June, 2009.
Young Ewe fishermen from Akayakrom work part time as guides for tourists visiting Bui National Park. They await a group of tourists making a trip up river to view the park's resident hippo population. Thick riparian forest lines the north bank of the Black Volta River. Akanyakrom was among the villages flooded by Bui Lake as water levels rose behind Bui Dam after 2012. Hippos were driven upstream by flooding and locally made canoes could no longer be used to ferry tourists because of the lake's winds and waves. L-R: Michael Dzobo, Williams Enam, Davis Lumor, Gordon Kumordzi. Akanyakrom, 12 June, 2009.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Akanyakrom
Subjects:
Bui Lake; Bui National Park
Subjects Facet:
Bui Dam (Ghana); Hippopotamus; Canoes; Riparian forests; Black Volta River; Ewe (African people); Tourism
Front and side views of a twinned, lost-wax-cast copper-alloy figurine from Kuulo Kataa, Mound 130, Unit 95E 108N, Level 2. Height: 3.9 cm. Weight: 3.8 g. Kuulo Kataa, 4 July, 2000.
The road leading from Ahenkro to Bongase parallels the Banda hills. Visible on the far right (center) is an electrical pole. Electrification was recent at the time of this picture. The mountains near Jama on the north side of the Black Volta River are visible, center. North of Ahenkro, 16 June, 2009.
Approach to Bui village by road from the south seen in a series of five photos panning from north (001) to northeast (005). The mountain behind the village is part of the range associated with the Bui Dam. Bui villagers were relocated in advance of flooding caused by dam construction that inundated the village seen here. Five photos. Bui, June, 2009.
The clustered villages of Kabruno, Kanka, Sase and Gbao are visible from the hills west of Ahenkro, as is the road leading south to Sabiye. The eastern range of Banda hills is visible in the distance. Banda, June, 2009.
Yaw Frimpong stands next to a termite mound in the Banda hills near the Banda rockshelter. Termites nest in the ground below such mounds. Scientific studies suggest that the mounds act as vents, circulating air to the nest beneath the mound. Banda hills, 28 June, 2009.
Front and side views of a lost-wax cast copper alloy figurine from Kuulo Kataa, Mound 130, Unit 95E 108N, Level 3. Height: 3.5 cm. Weight: 2.4 g. Kuulo Kataa, 4 July, 2000.
A village of fishing families established by immigrant Ewe people on the margins of the newly formed Bui Lake, June, 2016. Many fishing families were drawn to Banda by opportunities created as Bui Lake formed behind the newly built Bui Dam. The villages consisted of tightly clustered houses, many with tarp roofs, located a short distance from the newly formed Bui Lake. Banda, June, 2016.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Bui Lake
Subjects:
Bui Lake
Subjects Facet:
Bui Dam (Ghana); Fishing; Ewe (African people); Fishing villages
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." To the right, David Adjartey Tei-Mensah holds a video camera. Banda hills, 28 June, 2009.
View to the west from the Banda hills above Ahenkro. The mountains near Fawoman are visible in the distance. Rooftops of houses on Ahenkro's north side are visible (right). In the foreground a clear-cut tractor-plowed field awaits planting. Fields such as this were first established when Banda farmers began to plant tobacco as a cash crop, incentivized by commercial tobacco companies. After tobacco growing was banned by the Banda Traditional Council (early 2000s), these fields were put to other crops, including cashew. Banda Hills, 28 June, 2009.
Banda-Ahenkro became the district headquarters for the newly established Banda District in 2012. This brought a number of new services to the area. Seen here is the Banda Branch of the Nafana Rural Bank, which opened on the main street of Ahenkro after the Banda District was established A satellite communications dish is placed nearby. Ahenkro, June, 2016.
A copper alloy finger ring made from a rod forged into undulating S-shaped loops and joined at its ends by a flat metal plate. Two views. From Kuulo Kataa, Mound 101, Unit 2W 2S, Level 7. Height: 1.4 cm. Width: 2.6 cm. Weight: 8.4 g. Kuulo Kataa, 9 June, 1995.
Yaw Frimpong (seated, center), Enoch Mensah (standing, right) and Kofi Photo (rear) make their way down the eastern slope of the Banda hills from the Banda rockshelter. Banda hills, 28 June, 2009.
The new Ahenkro market building was built on the site where a majestic kapok tree shading the outdoor marketplace formerly stood. The tree was downed in a severe storm in 1999/2000, after which the weekly market was moved to a nearby village. The new building houses commercial kiosks and storefronts for rent. View of the market's south and east sides. Two photos. Ahenkro, June, 2016.
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 was provided an important food source for Banda peoples. Banda hills, 28 June, 2009.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Banda
Subjects:
Hunting; Rockshelter; Bui National Park; Savanna woodland; Vegetation
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.
Looking southwest from 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 was provided an important food source for Banda peoples. This is the first of eight images in a south-to-north panorama from this viewpoint. Banda hills, 28 June, 2009.
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 was provided an important food source for Banda peoples. Banda hills, 28 June, 2009.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Banda
Subjects:
Hunting; Rockshelter; Bui National Park; Savanna woodland; Vegetation
View of Omanhene's (paramount chief) palace on the main street of Banda-Ahenkro. Two cellular phone towers are visible behind the palace. A satellite dish appears to the right. Ahenkro, June 2016.
The mountain range near Jama, north of the Black Volta River, is visible in the distance (center). Electrical lines (foreground) parallel the Ahenkro-Bongase road from which this photo was taken. North of Ahenkro, 16 June, 2009.
Ahenkro (left) and Kabruno/Kanka (right) as seen from the Banda hills, view to the southeast. The eastern range of Banda hills is visible in the distance. Banda, June, 2009.
Sinohydro, the state-owned Chinese hydropower engineering and construction company, began constructing the Bui Hydroelectric Dam in 2008. Here the river's course has been diverted along the south bank as construction of the dam is underway. The land in the background lays within Bui National Park, a Wildlife Protection Area first established in 1971. Following completion of the dam, the area between the dam and the distant mountain was flooded by the newly formed Bui Lake. Viewing the scene, L-R, are Enoch Mensah, Devin Tepleski, unknown dam employeee, Ann B. Stahl and Sampson Attah. Bui Dam site, 7 June, 2009.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Bui
Subjects:
Bui Lake; Bui National Park; Savanna woodland; Sinohydro; Vegetation
Subjects Facet:
Bui Dam (Ghana); Landscapes; Mountains; Wildlife refuges
The flood zone of the newly formed Bui Lake extended further south than anticipated when lake levels rose behind Bui Dam after 2012. A section of the Ahenkro-Bongase road was flooded and a bypass around the flood zone had to be built. Here, shallow waters (center) spread out across the low landscape east of the Banda hills visible in the background. View to the southwest. First of five photos in a south-to-north panorama. South of Bongase, 18 June, 2016.
Bui Dam was built by Sinohydro, a state-owned Chinese hydropower engineering and construction company. Construction was begun in 2008 and the first turbines became operational in 2013. Here the dam is viewed looking northwest from the newly constructed bridge downstream. Reduced downstream flow of the Black Volta River has exposed the river's rocky bed. Bui Dam site, 18 June, 2016.
The Bui Hydroelectric Dam reduced the Black Volta River's downstream flow, exposing here the rocky river bed that was once home to a braided river channel. Fishing is no longer viable in these downstream areas. Here the river is viewed (looking southeast) from the newly constructed bridge that crosses the Black Volta River, a short distance downstream from the dam. Bui Dam site, 18 June, 2016.
In the foreground, right, work in progress at the Bui Dam site by Sinohydro, a state-owned Chinese hydropower and engineering company. Grating of the mountain slope is underway. Beyond that (right center) buildings associated with the Chinese operational site are visible. The braided channel of the Black Volta River downstream from the dam site is center frame. Bui Dam site, 7 July, 2009.
Bridge spanning the Tombԑ River near Sabiye on the road from Menji to Ahenkro, view to the south. Construction of a replacement bridge began in the 2010s but was stalled by 2016. As of 2019, this bridge remained the main connection to southern towns traveling from Banda. Two photos. Sabiye, 19 June, 2016.
The flood zone of the newly formed Bui Lake extended further south than anticipated when lake levels rose behind Bui Dam after 2012. Here, shallow waters (center) spread out across the low landscape east of Banda hills. Chuli (the notched section of the hills) is visible in the background. View to the west. Third of five photos in a south-to-north panorama. South of Bongase, 18 June, 2016.
The flood zone of the newly formed Bui Lake extended further south than anticipated when lake levels rose behind Bui Dam after 2012. Here, shallow waters (center) spread out across the low landscape east of Banda hills. Chuli (the notched section of the hills) is visible in the background. View to the west. Fourth of five photos in a south-to-north panorama. South of Bongase, 18 June, 2016.
The flood zone of the newly formed Bui Lake extended further south than anticipated when lake levels rose behind Bui Dam after 2012. Here, shallow waters (center) spread out across the low landscape east of Banda hills. Chuli (the notched section of the hills) is visible in the background. View to the northwest. Fifth of five photos in a south-to-north panorama. South of Bongase, 18 June, 2016.
The flood zone of the newly formed Bui Lake extended further south than anticipated when lake levels rose behind Bui Dam after 2012. Here, shallow waters (center) spread out across the low landscape east of Banda hills. Chuli (the notched section of the hills) is visible in the background. View to the southwest. Second of five photos in a south-to-north panorama. South of Bongase, 18 June, 2016.
Work in progress at the Bui Dam site by Sinohydro, a state-owned Chinese hydropower and engineering company. Here standing on the south bank looking northwest with a view of the diversion channel and the base of the dam under construction. The Bui National Park lands in the background were flooded by Bui Lake as it formed behind the dam from 2012. Bui Dam site, 7 July, 2009.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Dam Site
Subjects:
Sinohydro; Bui National Park; Savanna woodland; Vegetation
Subjects Facet:
Bui Dam (Ghana); Landscapes; Black Volta River; Mountains
Photo of the exterior wall of the Kafͻnͻ Katoo compound in Ahenkro. The wall now occupied by a lace-curtained window was formerly a solid wall on which the image of a bicycle was painted, said to be the first bicycle in Banda and photographed in 1986. Other areas of the exterior wall were previously decorated with inscribed and painted geometric designs, the outlines of which can still be seen in the closeup image of the wall included here. The entire building is roofed with metal. A ewe and her lamb pass by in front of the house. Ahenkro, 1 September, 2018.
Members of the 2009 archaeological excavation team at Ngre Kataa. Team members included graduate students from the University of Ghana and North America, a representative of the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board and Banda men from Ahenkro and Nyrie. Back row (L-R): David Adjartey Tei-Mensah, Peter, Frimpong, Enoch Mensah, Yaw Mensah, Yaw Francis, Devin Tepleski. Middle row (L-R): Amanda Logan, Sampson Fordjour, Kofi Paul, Felix Ochra, Yaw Frimpong; J.K. Mensah; Kofi "Photo" Manu; Ann Stahl, Kwakye Eric, Frank, Kofi Nsia; Front, seated (L-R): Abass Iddrisu, Osei Kofi, Andrew Gurstelle (kneeling). 9 July, 2009, Ngre Kataa.
Banda Research Project team member Sampson Attah (left) presents a Banda chief (right) with copies of heritage documents at a community event celebrating Banda cultural heritage. Banda Cultural Centre, Ahenkro, 15 July, 2011.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Ahenkro
Subjects:
Banda Cultural Centre; Community engagement; Community event
Banda Research Project team members present informational posters on Banda history and heritage to members of the Banda Traditional Council. Sampson Attah (kneeling, stripped shirt) describes the content of the "Banda in the 18th & 19th Centuries" poster to the paramount chief and elders. Project members Ann Stahl (kneeling) and Kofi "Photo" Manu (standing, brown print shirt) look on together with assembled elders. Banda Ahenkro Palace, 11 July, 2011.
The Banda Queen Mother (Lelԑԑ Akosua Kepefu) and her elders look at informational posters on Banda history and heritage prior to the community event at which they were launched. Lelԑԑ Kepefu (left) listens as as Elder and Linguist Afua Fofie points to an image of women spinning cotton thread on the "Banda in the 18th and 19th Centuries" poster. Banda Research Project team members Sampson Attah (standing, orange collar) and Timothy Fordjour (right) look on. Banda Cultural Centre, Ahenkro, 15 July, 2011.
Banda Research Project team member Yaw Frimpong (blue shirt with the Banda Cultural Centre "Unity" logo) serves as a docent for one of the informational posters on Banda history and archaeology launched at a 2011 community event. Project team member Frimpong from Nyire (tan shirt) shares insight as several community members listen. A young man in the rear uses his cell phone to take a photo of the poster as he listens to the conversation. Banda Cultural Centre, Ahenkro, 15 July, 2011.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Ahenkro
Subjects:
Banda Cultural Centre; Community engagement; Community event; Poster
A man operates a diesel-powered corn mill in a roofed shed while another adjusts a grain bag nearby. He grinds grain into a plastic container resting in a headpan. Another headpan filled with maize (corn, bledju in Nafaanra) sits in front with a calabash used as a scoop sitting on top. Other plastic and metal containers sit nearby. Diesel-powered grinding mills first began to be set up in Ahenkro in the 1980s. They have become more common over the years, reducing the need for maize and other dried foodstuffs to be pounded by hand in wooden mortars. At the same time, they have expanded the need for cash income as grinding has become part and parcel of household budgets. Ahenkro, 2009.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Ahenkro
Subjects:
Diesel engine; Automation; Headpans; Plastic containers; Men's work
Members of the archaeological excavation team at Ngre Kataa. Team members included graduate students from the University of Ghana and from North America, a representative of the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board and Banda men from Ahenkro and Nyrie. Back row (L-R): Amy Groleau, Kofi Paul, Yaw Frimpong, Kofi "Photo" Manu, Felix Ochra, Mr. Monney, Nelson Anane, Sampson Fordjour, Yaw Mensah, Enoch Mensah, Ben Nutor, Amanda Logan, Osei Kofi. Front row (L-R): Ann Stahl, J. K. Mensah, Idrusu, Abass Iddrisu, Kofi Nsia, Kwakye Eric. Ngre Kataa, 19 July, 2008.
Banda Research Project team members Kofi Paul and Kofi Nsia screen soil from a Mound 7 excavation unit at Ngre Kataa as team member Idrusu brings another headpan of soil. The excavated soil is sieved through 1/4 inch mesh screen in order to recover artifacts (fragments of pottery, metals, beads, animal bone) that will be bagged, cataloged and studied. Studying these objects and the contexts from which they were recovered (their provenience) helps archaeologists to learn about the daily lives of past people. Ngre Kataa, 9 July, 2008.
Archaeological team member Enoch Mesah (left, white shirt) explains what archaeologists have been learning through excavation of Mound 7 at Ngre Kataa. He addresses Tolɛɛ Gbankama, chief of Nyire (standing, center, white shirt) and accompanying Nyire elders during a site visit. Archaeological team member Kofi Nsia pauses excavation during the conversation, the short-handled hoe with which he is working resting on the ground in front of him. Ngre Kataa, 6 July, 2009.
In June 2011, Banda Research Project team member Amanda Logan collaborated with local artist Kwame K.B. 2 to develop paintings for the doors of the Banda Cultural Centre's courtyard. The paintings illustrate crafts practiced in the area for which we have archaeological evidence. This image shows a blacksmith forging iron. Based on the presence of byproducts like slag and the tools used to make metal, we know that blacksmiths smelted and forged iron in the Banda area from at least 1000 years ago. Banda Cultural Centre, Ahenkro, June, 2016.
A woman prepares soup over a a coal pot. In her left had she holds a metal grinding bowl and by her right hand is a commercially made ceramic grinding bowl. The blue plastic barrel (rear) holds water for the household. Ahenkro, June, 2016.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Ahenkro
Subjects:
Metal pots; Grinding bowl; Water barrels; Ahenkro; Coal pot; Women's work; Plastic containers