Tindaanaship and Tindaanas in Traditional Gurensi (Frafra) Communities: Land Use and Practices Azaare Christopher Anabila Copyright 2020 © All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission of the author. 2 Dedication I owe the information that is contained here to the Gurensi and Boosi people because it is their contributions that have led to the production of this book. I dedicate this book to them. 3 CONTENTS DEDICATION .............................................................................................................................................. 3 PREFACE ................................................................................................................................................... 12 II. Methodology ............................................................................................................................................................................. 14 III. What Some of the People Did Not Like .................................................................................................................................. 16 IV. Where I Derived My Information ............................................................................................................................................ 16 V. Problems and Difficulties Encountered during the Research ................................................................................................... 17 VI. How I Arrived on the Dates..................................................................................................................................................... 17 VII. An Apology ............................................................................................................................................................................ 18 VIII. Hypothesis ............................................................................................................................................................................ 19 IX. Expectation .............................................................................................................................................................................. 19 X. Appeal....................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................................................... 20 ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................................................... 22 GLOSSARY AND TERMS WORTHY OF NOTE ................................................................................. 23 PART I TINDAANASHIP AMONG THE GURENSI ........................................................................... 24 CHAPTER 1 TINDAANAS IN GURENSI SOCIETY: SELECTION, ROLES, RIGHTS, AND RESPONSIBILITIES ................................................................................................................................ 25 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................. 25 1.2 Who Is a Tindaana? ................................................................................................................................................................. 26 1.3 The Government of the Early Gurensi ..................................................................................................................................... 26 4 1.4 The Functions and Roles of a Tindaana in a Traditional Gurensi Society ............................................................................... 28 1.5 Who Nominates and Installs a Tindaana? ................................................................................................................................ 29 1.6 Those Eligible to Contest or Become a Tindaana .................................................................................................................... 30 1.7 Place of Enskinment ................................................................................................................................................................ 30 1.8 Traditional Methods of Selecting a Tindaana .......................................................................................................................... 30 1.9 The Robes and Sacred Articles of a Tindaana ......................................................................................................................... 33 1.9.1 Tankolno (pl.)/ Tankoloɔɔ (sg.)/Malgongo ...................................................................................................................... 34 1.9.2 Miisi-Zuvɔka or Tindaan-Zuvoka .................................................................................................................................... 34 1.9.3 Calabash/Bagere Wula ..................................................................................................................................................... 34 1.9.4 Talaηa ............................................................................................................................................................................... 34 1.9.5 Lebere............................................................................................................................................................................... 34 1.9.6 Knife................................................................................................................................................................................. 34 1.10 Beliefs and Taboos Associated with a Tindaana ................................................................................................................... 35 1.11 Characteristics of a Tindaana................................................................................................................................................. 35 1.12 Rights and Privileges of a Tindaana ...................................................................................................................................... 35 CHAPTER 2 CATEGORIES OF TINDAANASHIP ............................................................................. 37 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................. 37 2.2. Tindaanaship Inherited through Conquest .............................................................................................................................. 37 2.3 Tindaanaship by Occupation ................................................................................................................................................... 38 2.4. Tindaanaship by Gift .............................................................................................................................................................. 38 2.5 Tindaanaship of the Sister’s Son Type .................................................................................................................................... 38 2.6 Rituals in Breaches of a Tindaana’s Taboo ............................................................................................................................. 39 PART II LAND AND ITS RELATED MATTERS ................................................................................ 41 CHAPTER 3 LAND POLICY IN NORTHERN GHANA (1902-1979) ................................................ 42 3.1 The Rights of Control over Land by Chiefs during Colonial Rule .......................................................................................... 45 CHAPTER 4 DIVISIONS OF LAND AND THEIR USAGES .............................................................. 48 4.1 Samanɛ .................................................................................................................................................................................... 49 4.2 Bu’uɔ ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 49 4.3 Goo/ Vɔtɔ ................................................................................................................................................................................ 50 5 4.4 Procedure of acquiring land for farming and building on ........................................................................................................ 52 4.5 Obligations of the Land Seeker ............................................................................................................................................... 53 4.6 Ownership of Things on and under the Land .......................................................................................................................... 53 4.7 Land Rights and Succession to Land ....................................................................................................................................... 54 4.8 Succession to Farm Land (Samanɛ) ........................................................................................................................................