Gonja people

This page discusses the Ghanaian kingdom of Gonja; for uses for the word Ganja, see Ganja (disambiguation)

Gonja

Regions with significant populations
Kingdom of Dagbon, Northern region, Ghana
Languages
Gonja
Religion
Islam
Related ethnic groups
subgroup of the Guang people

Gonja (also Ghanjawiyyu) was a kingdom in northern Ghana founded in 1675 by Sumaila Ndewura Jakpa.[1] The word can also refer to the people of this kingdom.

Origin

The Gonja are a Guan people who have been influenced by Akan, Mande and Hausa people. With the fall of the Songhai Empire (c. 1600), the Mande Ngbanya clan moved south, crossing the Black Volta and founding a city at Yagbum. The Gonja kingdom was originally divided into sections overseen by male siblings of Sumaila Ndewura Jakpa including their children and grandchildren.[1]

Under the leadership of Naba'a, the Ngbanya dynasty of Gonja was founded. The capital was established at Yagbum.[2]

The Ngbanya expanded rapidly, conquering several neighbors in the White Volta valley and beginning a profitable gold trade with the Akan states through nearby Begho. By 1675, the Gonja established a paramount chief, called the Yagbongwura, to control the kingdom. The Ngbanya dynasty has controlled this position from its founding to the present day, with only two brief interregnums. The current Yagbongwura, Tuntumba Sulemana Jakpa Bore Essa, has held his position since 2010.

Gonja chiefs and elders at the Volta River project travelling exhibition(1950)

Precolonial Gonja society was stratified into castes, with a ruling class, a Muslim trader class, an animist commoner class, and a slave class. Its economy depended largely on trade in slaves from Central Africa[3] and kola nuts, particularly through the market town of Salaga, sometimes called the "Timbuktu of the South."

The Gonja language is a Tano language within the Kwa languages family, closely related to Akan languages.[4]

Gonja names

No	Common Usage	Full name	Literal Meaning	Usage / Figurative Meaning
1	Abere Anyo	'Abere Anyo	Two human bodies	Unity is strength / two heads are better than one
2	Achaŋso	Achaŋso ni ba bi dari	It's because of something that one is being respected	A man who pays respect to the great paves the way for his own greatness
3	Achulo	Achulo	?	?
4	Achintri	Ka chini mi tri to	Familiarity breads contempt	?
5	Afiso	Bomine ewo afiso ne ebore wo awurso	Man proposes and God disposes	?
6	Amabaŋye	Amabaŋye	You can't open one's heart to see what's inside	?
7	Amankwa	Amankwa	a?	?
8	Amati	Ebore b'agbembi matie	God's paths don't close	?
9	Amo elema	Amo elema	They make me OR that's who I am	?
10	Amoma OR Allela	Allela e-moma	Its goodness or kindness that killed me	?
12	Aso wura	Aso wura	Property owner	?
13	Ataawa	Ataawa	Female twins	?
14	Awale	Awale	It is good	?
15	Awaare	Awaare	?	?
16	Awalekiye	Awalekiye	Praise when its good
17	Awo n'nchƐ	Awo nchƐ ni ba nyƐnye	a?
18	Awo n'nka nne	Awo n'nka nne	Everything is everywhere - both good and bad
19	Awo omoto OR Brakumu	Awo omoto OR Brakumu	Everyone has (or brings) their luck
20	Awoshe	Awoshe	Everything has a fault, good or bad
22	Awoshie	Awoshie	it's (become) cool, peaceful, under control, etc.
23	Ayinsah	n ye ne se Ebore	I have said it to the Lord	I give all to God
24	Badoh	Badoh	a?
25	Bakoaso	Bakoa so	Have things
26	Boreginkpr	Ebore Ginkpr ma	God is leading me	It is God who leads me
27	Banemu ƐyƐ	Banemu eye ne mbia nu	Elders have said and children have heard
28	Bangben	Bangben	They will be tired OR they'll try (but fail)
29	Bashaso	Bashaso	Hang on	Hang on to God
30	Benyepo ƐyƐ	Benyepo ƐyƐ	It is those who know you who have said (only your friend knows your secret)
31	Bi awur'bi	Bi awur'bi ni an chi na	Be careful and we will sit together
32	Bin'ka	Bi mon ka	Don't trust completely
33	Bonyaŋso	Bonyaŋso	Respectful
34	Booma	Boomaso nnana	Cover me grand parent	God cover me grand parent (mostly used for women)
35	BorƐ	BorƐ	Rain
36	BorƐ chie	BorƐ chie	a?
37	BorƐ ena sa	BorƐ ena sa	Its God who gives
38	BorƐ enye	BorƐ enye	a?
39	BorƐ enyi-enchi	BorƐ enyi-enchi	It is God who knows the time (God's time is the best)
40	BorƐ nyekpƐ	EborƐ nyi kpi ni ne nwo	Lightning has shined and revealed my enemy
41	BorƐsa	Ebore Ɛsa	It is God that has given	God's gift
42	BorƐ masa alowe	Ebore masa alowe	God doesn't give completely (no one is created perfect)
43	BorƐ walae	BorƐ walae	God is Good
44	BorƐ wƆ	BorƐ wƆ	God's own
45	BorƐ wu	BorƐ wu	God has seen
46	B'sha anye	B'sha anye	They like us
47	Chepura	Chepura	a?
48	Daa mato	Daa mato	Character cannot be changed / thrown away
49	Dambatu	K ful dey se na ne anye ba to	We came to meet the moon
50	Dari	Dari	Twins (unisex, i.e. can be used by females or males)
52	Dariche	Dariche	Born after twins (equivalence of Dari for men)	Born after twins
53	Dokilebi	Dokilebi	Literally you've sown a bad seed; Figurative - you reap what you sow
54	Dranaya	Dra e na ye	Old things speak for themselves
55	Ebanyepo	Eba nye po	a?
56	Ebo ƐyƐ	Ebo ƐyƐ	It's the room that has said	Only your friend / family knows your secret
57	EdonbonƐ	EdonbonƐ	What has the enemy done?	The enemy might think they are punishing you but God has blessed u already
58	Edonkufo	Edon mo wo ku fo, e wu fo ba awato	Your enemy is not far, they are close to you	Only your friend / family knows your secret
59	Ekomato	E ko ma to	No one is useless
60	Ekone oto	Eko ne oto piye nba to fo	It's happened to someone before you (you are / will not be the first)
62	Ekoso	Eko-so ni ba nyeti e-ko	Because of someone that we have patience for another
63	Ekumpo	Ekumpo	The Protector
64	Ekunfo	Ebore ekunfo	God the Protector
65	Elempo	Elempo	God the Mighty / the Strong One
66	EsapƆ	EsapƆ	God the Giver
67	Esa ewƆ lanto / Esa ewoeboto	Esa ewƆ lanto / Esa ewoeboto	a?
68	Etimpo	Ebore e-na eten awura keshekama	God is able to do everything / God is able / The Able One
69	EwanyƐ	Esa nƐ nyƐ, mo e na wora	He who is blessed, much is expected
70	Ewale	Ebore wale	God is Good
72	EwonyƐ	Ewo nye ma wo	It is the one who has who does what they want
73	Ewunio	Ewura mo nio	Chief's mother / Queen Mother
74	Ewuntomah	Ewura mo to mah	Chief's name sake
75	Ewura	Ewura	Chief
76	Eyri modon	Eyri modon ela kulƆ	The body's enemy is sickness; Man has no emeny except disease
77	Footou	Fotou	The Family will spread / extend (fo)
78	Gbeadese	Kashinteng desay ne efe la ekilti	The truth is always quite
79	Gyem che	Gyem che	Friday born woman
80	GyƐma alela	Gye maashen a le la	Talk well of me
81	Jinapor	Ji ne apor bomu so	Win, and overcome them
82	Gyeowo	Gyeowo	God's cobra aims far
83	Kakore	Ebore ben nkore, ban lan n'gben	God's drums; they'll drum until they get tired	God's Drum, they will drum till they get tired
84	Kanagboŋ	Kanagboŋ	Big family
85	Kanamo	Kanamo	Which family / clan?
86	Kananmaluwe	Kananmaluwe	The family doesn't end	The family doesn't end
87	Kasha	Kasha	Love
88	Keche e-basa	Keche e-basa	It pains to be a lady
89	Kenyiti	Kenyiti	Patience
90	Keshie eko	Men ki shie eko	I don't hate anyone	I don't hate anyone
92	Keshie wale	?	?	?
93	K'fantaŋ	Ebore be k'fantaŋ	God's Leaf
94	Kginginfra	K'gin gyan fra boƆ ebo fuloŋ	A wretched house is better than none
95	Koji	Bakra ko ne k'naŋ e sha fo	Be wealthy and family would like you
96	Kotochi	?	?
97	Kowuribi	Ko wuuri bi	small chief
98	Kramoase	Kramoase	?a
99	Kurabaso	Kurabaso	?a
100	Kurayerito	Kurayerito	Be energetic	Be energetic
102	Lempoche	Lempoche	Abled woman
103	Lomashie	Lowu ma shen ne ba sa be gye bo mo komo	Death doesn't allow us to enjoy ourselves
104	Longefiye	Longefiye	Make yours well / Mind your own business
105	Longesai	Longe nsa a-nye	Make it well for us
106	Maaman	Maaman	a?
107	Mankpa	Mankpa	Twins (females)
108	Mankre	Mankre	When a women gets pregnant before her menses (either before the first menses, or in between pregnancies)
109	Mantenso	Mantenso	I'll not forget
110	Mapoche	Mapoche	I don't boost
111	Masa-agben	Ebore masa agben	God doesn't tire giving
112	Masape	Ebore masa n k pe	God doesn't give completely (no one is created perfectly)
113	Matuamo	Matuamo	I wouldn't be bothered
114	Mbema	?	?
115	Nefa	Nefa	Blessing
116	Njo amonchƐ	Njo amonchƐ	I'm waiting for that day
117	Nkpamafo	Nkpa ma fo ne an gye a mo	Life is not sufficient
118	Nndefeso	Ebore de feso	God is watching (protecting) you	God is your protector
119	Ntoba	Nn tutu ba	My father has come (reincarnation)	My father has come
120	Obosu	Obosu	The greatest
122	Okonfo	Ebore/enemu be kum fo	God protects you	God protects you
123	Owoshie	Owoshie	Its cool, calm, peaceful, over etc.	It is cool, calm or over
124	Pumaya	Edon pu fa ya to	Your enemy is not far, they are right "under your legs"	Your enemies are not far, they are right 'under your legs' or beneath you
125	Safo	Ebore sa fo	God has given / blessed you	God has blessed you
126	Sha moye	Sha mo eye	Everyone loves their own	???
127	Samafon	Samafon	Don't worry	Not to worry
128	Sorkowule	Sor ko wule	?	?
129	Shuŋ nkpa	Shuŋ nkpa	Cry (pray) for long life
130	Techira	Techira	The person with good standing (Techi for men)
132	Titi aka	Fo bi titi e-ka	a?
133	Tuntunba	Tun tun ba	It met others before you	Nothing new under; you are not the first
134	YƆmba	YƆmba	Go and come (reincarnation)

See also

• Rulers of the Northern state of Gonja

References

• Jack Goody, "The social organisation of the LoWiili", Oxford University Press, 1956
• Jack Goody, The Ethnology of the Northern Territories of the Gold Coast, West of the White Volta, 1958
• Jack Goody, Death, Property and the Ancestors: A study of the mortuary customs of the Lodagaa of West Africa, Stanford, Stanford University Press, 1962
• Jack Goody and J.A. Braimah, "Salaga: The Struggle for Power", London, Longmans, 1967
• Jack Goody, The Myth of the Bagre, Oxford University Press, 1972
• Goody, Esther and Jack Goody. "The Circulation of Women and Children in Northern Ghana." Man, New Series. 2.2 (1967): 226-248.
• Wilks, Ivor. "Wangara, Akan and Portuguese in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries II: The Struggle for Trade." Journal of African History 23:4 (1982): 463-472.

External links

• Ethnologue entry on Gonja language
• Gonja Association of North America
• Official website of the Gonja Association of Ghana

1. Danver, Steven L. (2015). Native Peoples of the World: An Encyclopedia of Groups, Cultures and Contemporary Issues. Routledge (published 10 Mar 2015). p. 34. ISBN 9781317464006.
2. Wilks,Ivor. Wangara, Akan, and Portuguese in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries (1997). Bakewell, Peter (ed.). Mines of Silver and Gold in the Americas. Aldershot: Variorum, Ashgate Publishing Limited. pp. 29–30.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
3. The Evolution of War: A Study of Its Role in Early SocietiesBy Maurice R. Davie
4. Aspect and Modality in Kwa Languages. books.google.com. Google Books.