A Drummer's Testament
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Dagbamba-Ashanti relations; the uses of cola; the cola and shea butter trade; Naa Garba and the Ashantis; the capture and ransoming of Naa Garba; slavery and the slave trade in Dagbon; organization of the Dagbamba army; origin of the Kambonsi (soldiers)
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Supplementary material
[images forthcoming]
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Contents outline and links by paragraph
Introduction
- 1. Naa Garba's talks are not in Samban' luŋa; relationship to Ashantis
- 2. different aspects involve cola, slaves, Kambonsi
Cola
- 3. cola has many works in Dagbon; related to respect and greetings
- 4. cola connection to chieftaincy; came from Ashantis; greetings to chiefs
- 5. cola shows respect; how to give cola when greeting a chief; protocols among chiefs
- 6. respect of cola tied to the respect of chieftaincy; compared to drumming; helps people
- 7. chewing cola has benefits, but respect is the foundation
- 8. giving cola to search for a woman to marry
- 9. cola given to in-laws after the wedding
- 10. cola shared after a woman gives birth; cola shared again on naming day
- 11. cola given to an elderly person can bring benefits, like a wife
- 12. cola given to an elderly person can bring benefits, like medicine
- 13. summary of the work of cola: can get wife, medicine, money, blessings
- 14. role of cola at funeral; add to the cloth and waistband for the in-laws
- 15. summary: cola is important for everything from birth to death
History of cola
- 16. cola trade passed through Dagbon to Ashanti before Naa Garba; Dagbamba relations to Ashanti began around the time of Naa Garba
- 17. precolonial cola trade to Ashanti via Dagbon; cola's cultivations and use have spread wide
- 18. Dagbamba traders took shea butter to Ashanti to exchange for cola
- 19. some traders were captured and taken to Salaga and sold to Ashantis
- 20. Dagbamba also captured people; Ashantis sold some to white men; also sacrifices
The quarrel with the Ashantis
- 21. the strength of the Ashantis; guns and forest; Dagbamba had only minor fighting with Ashantis
- 22. Ashantis introduced guns to Dagbon; previously Dagbamba used spears, axes, and arrows
- 23. relations during Naa Garba's time; Ashantis would come to Dagbon for slaves; a quarrel
- 24. Prempeh (Asantehene) captured Naa Garba for ransom
- 25. the Ashantis who were carrying Naa Garba were dying
- 26. Ashantis ransomed Naa Garba for the dead people; a debt
- 27. Naa Garba did not finish paying the debt of people; Asantehene threatened war
- 28. Savelugu-Naa Bukari Gurifiri finished paying the debt; his praise in drumming
- 29. Gurifiri sacrificed; got slaves from Gurunsi area
- 30. Asantehene sent people to collect the slaves; friendship and respect between Ashants and Dagbamba; timpana sent to Dagbon
- 31. the quarrel was not a war; friendship based in trading of cola and slaves
How the Dagbamba got the slaves
- 32. this talk about paying the debt of slaves is hidden
- 33. the slaves from “Gurunsi”: any northern tribe
- 34. the slaves were also Dagbamba who were captured; also other tribes
- 35. Gurunsis sold people for food; many slaves remained in Dagbon; others sent to Salaga
- 36. some Dagbamba chiefs gave children as indentured for debt; some remained as slaves
- 37. people from towns without chiefs, like Tamale, were captured and sold; women and children
Modern example: how British caught soldiers for World War II
- 38. Alhaji Ibrahim was in Kintampo, avoided getting caught; Alhaji Mumuni and others in southern Ghana
- 39. British took many men from the villages in Dagbon; women and children remained in villages
- 40. Dagbamba captured by force; many Gurunsis joined for pay
- 41. soldiers taken to Kintampo would try to run away
- 42. harsh treatment of the drafted soldiers; compared to prison: locked up and beaten
- 43. catching soldiers left old people and women in villages; died from starvation and broken hearts
- 44. compared to slavery: selling children by agreement; resembles the catching of soldiers
The Kambonsi in Dagbon
- 45. Kambonsi warriors started during that time of Naa Garba's debt; Dagbamba and Konkombas, but “Kambonsi” means “Ashanti”
- 46. Kambonsi dancing compared to Ashanti dancing; dance of strength; not part of cultural programs
- 47. the name Kambonsi shows Ashanti origins
Original warriors of the Yaa-Naa
- 48. Kuɣa-Naa led Naa Nyaɣsi to war
- 49. Tolon-Naa and Kumbun-Naa from Naa Nyaɣsi's time; Zandu-Naa gave his son to Naa Nyaɣsi; Tolon-Naa as Wulana
- 50. Wulana as senior elder: Tolon-Naa; Kumbun-Naa as Kpanalana; other warrior chiefs were Langolana, Sakpiɛ-Naa, Tuwuo-Naa, Nyensung-Naa, and others
Warfare in the olden days
- 51. cutlass, spear, axe, bow and arrow were weapons; horsemen would charge and return
- 52. gun-shooters at one place; bowmen at one place; chief separate; horsemen attack with spears and axes; chief in the center with his protectors; if center fell, chief would run or be killed
- 53. warriors used medicine to protect themselves; chiefs gave medicine with warriors to overcome fear
- 54. different ways of killing; drummers do not differentiate
The starting of the Kambonsis
- 55. types of slaves: dabli and bilaa; somebody captured, somebody used to pay a debt
- 56. those who slept in the chief's hall; protectors of the chief; also fought for him
- 57. Naa Garba was trading with Ashantis for guns; the quarrel arose from relationship
- 58. the bilahi transitioned to learn from Ashanti messengers; became Kambonsi
- 59. bilahi copied Ashanti habits; adopted Asante Twi terms for Kambonsi titles
- 60. Gurifiri sent slaves as Kambonsi to elders; Kambonsi gradually increased to other chiefs
Conclusion
- 61. summary: traded slaves for cola, then shea butter for cola; shea butter still traded
- 62. modern times: Dagbamba work in Ashanti cocoa farms; use pay to buy cola and trade
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Proverbs and Sayings
In our everything, there is cola.
In our white heart, there is cola; in our spoiled heart, there is cola.
The giving of cola is giving of respect.
When you are giving, you will say, “Here is cola.” You don't say, “Get money.”
If you don't know somebody, there will not be any quarrelling between you and that person.
Asante kotoko, Anua kotoko; wo kum apem, apem bɛ ba: Ashantis, Dagbamba; you will kill a thousand, a thousand will come.
If you go to somebody's town and see something there, and you bring it to your town, it will become your town's thing.
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Dagbani words and other search terms
- Chiefs of Yendi
- Naa Andani Jengbarga (Naa Andani Jɛŋgbarga)
- Naa Bimbiegu (Naa Bimbiɛɣu)
- Naa Garba
- Naa Luro
- Naa Nyagsi (Naa Nyaɣsi)
- Naa Saa Ziblim
- Naa Shitobu (Naa Shitɔbu)
- Naa Sigli (Naa Siɣli)
- Naa Zanjina
- Naa Ziblim Bandamda
- Chieftaincies, titled persons, and people mentioned
- Acheampong [General I.K.]
- Akarima
- Asantehene
- Balo-Naa
- Bukari
- Demon-Naa
- Gbɔŋlana
- Gukpe-Naa
- Gundo-Naa
- Gushe-Naa
- Hitler
- Iddi
- Kamo-Naa
- Karaga-Naa
- Kori-Naa
- Kpanalana
- Kuga-Naa (Kuɣa-Naa)
- Kumbun-Naa
- Kumlana
- Langolana
- Mba Bunga (Mba Buŋa)
- Mionlana
- Monkoha-Naa
- Mumuni
- Naazoo
- Nachin-Naa
- Namo-Naa
- Nanton-Naa
- Nanton-Naa Musa
- Prempeh
- Sagulilana
- Sakpie-Naa (Sakpiɛ-Naa)
- Sampie-Naa (Sampiɛ-Naa)
- Savelugu-Naa Bukari Gurifiri
- Sunson-Naa
- Sunson-Naa Timaani
- Tuwuo-Naa
- Vo-Naa
- Wulana
- Yaa-Naa
- Yelizolilana
- Yelizolilana Gurumanchegu (Yelizolilana Gurumanchɛɣu)
- Zandu-Naa
- Zohi-Naa (Zɔhi-Naa)
- Zogyuri-Naa (Zoɣyuri-Naa)
- Miscellaneous terms
- bilaa, bilahi
- buni wuhibu
- cedi, cedis
- dabli, daba
- dabtali
- Dagbani
- Damba
- dawuli
- durbar
- guinea corn
- housechildren
- maalam, maalams
- Mba kpema (Mba kpɛma)
- naanzunyuunsi
- Naawuni
- Naayili zombieraba (Naayili zɔmbiɛraba)
- namings
- pesewas
- sog'nyaanga (sɔɣ'nyaaŋa)
- Samban' lunga (Samban' luŋa)
- shea butter
- takobu (takɔbu)
- timpana
- tindanas
- warizohinima (warizɔhinima)
- zong (zɔŋ)
- zombieraba (zɔmbiɛraba)
- Kambonsi and Ashanti terms
- Achiri
- Adu
- asafohene
- Asante kotoko, Anua kotoko
- Awusi
- Chamfo
- Chirifo
- Damankun
- dantini
- Ekyiri (Ɛkyiri)
- Fa wommo nko (Fa wɔmmo nko)
- Jahinfo
- Jenkon-hene (Jɛnkɔn-hene)
- Jenkoni (Jɛnkɔni)
- Kambong-waa (Kambɔŋ-waa)
- kente
- Kofi
- Kojo
- Kumahi
- Kyefo (Kyefoɔ)
- Kyikyiri
- Mankoa
- Ohene, yɛ ntumi mu
- Ouey! Ampa!
- Sanchi
- sapashini, sapashinnima
- Se wo hu: gyese me hu Yendi-hene (Sɛ wo hu: gyesɛ me hu Yendi-hene)
- Takoro
- Twe ko ani (Twɛ ko ani)
- Wo kum apem, apem be ba. (Wo kum apem, apem bɛ ba.)
- Wommo edu (Wɔmmo ɛdu)
- Yendi-hene
- Cultural groups
- Anua
- Asante
- Ashanti, Ashantis
- Bassaris
- Bono
- Builsas
- Chembas
- Dagartis
- Dagbana, Dagbamba
- Dandawas
- Denkyiras
- Frafra, Frafras
- Gonjas
- Gurunsi, Gurunsis
- Hausa, Hausas
- Kaalo, Kaalos
- Kambonga, Kambonsi (Kambɔŋa, Kambonsi)
- Kanjaga
- Kasenas
- Konkombas
- Kusasis
- Lobis
- Mamprusis
- Mossis
- Nzima
- Sefwis
- Simbaha
- Sissalas
- Wangaras
- Zambarima, Zambarimas
- Towns and places
- Banvim
- Bibiani
- Cape Coast
- Dagbon
- Demon
- Galiwe
- Gushegu
- Karaga
- Kintampo
- Kpatinga
- Kumasi
- Lamashegu
- Langogu (Langɔɣu)
- Nanton
- Navrongo
- Nyensung
- Sagnerigu
- Saguli
- Sakpie
- Salaga
- Sampie
- Savelugu
- Sekondi
- Singa
- Sunson
- Takoradi
- Tamale
- Tolon
- Tuwuo
- Voggo
- Yaan' dabari
- Yapei
- Yelizoli
- Yendi
- Zandua