KNOW GHANA BETTER WITH HUNIAH

  The Banda are located in the present day Brong-Ahafo region of Ghana. They are a group of Senufo speakers who originally descended from the Mande of Senegal and Mali. According to Banda history, they were once part of the Songhai Empire in Mali which attests to the languages they speak. The Banda comprises two main groups of people: Nafaana and the Ligbi (Ndwera) people. Their languages are of the same route but due to the different histories they have; their languages might have diverged in the course of time hence they are not closely related. The ancient Guans, especially those of the Shuoyi clan were in contact with the Mandes before they came to Ghana hence a link could be established among them. NAFAANA: Nafaanra is a Senufo language spoken in the Bono Region by the Nafaana people. Nafaana is the name of their tribe and the community but Nafaanra is the name of the language they speak. Badu is also a Senufo language and it is also related to Nafaanra; but then there are la...

The Nzema Language: Voice of Ghana’s Western Shores The Nzema language—also called Appolo by Ivorians—is a member of the Kwa branch of the Niger–Congo language family. It is spoken mainly in Ghana’s Western Region and parts of Ivory Coast, where it connects communities across borders. For the Nzema people, the language is not just a means of communication — it is a living archive of history, identity, and culture. --- Where It’s Spoken In Ghana, Nzema is spoken along the western coast, particularly in areas such as Axim, Ahomu, Half Assini, Esiama, and Ellembelle. Across the border in Côte d’Ivoire, Nzema-speaking communities are also found near Assinie and several surrounding towns. This wide geographic spread makes Nzema not just a Ghanaian language but a cross-border heritage tongue. --- Dialects Nzema has several dialects, including: Evalue – spoken around Axim, Agyamra, and surrounding areas Ellembelle Jomoro – often considered Nzema proper Despite minor differences in pronunciati...

When we speak of Ghana’s linguistic wealth, our minds often drift to Akan, Ewe, Ga, or Hausa. Yet tucked along the southwest coast, from Sekondi to Takoradi to Princes Town, lives a language that has sailed through centuries of trade, colonial encounters, pressure and cultural exchange, and that is the Ahanta language. Who Speaks Ahanta? Ahanta natively known as Ayindaa is the native tongue of the Ahanta people, a Guan-Akan related ethnic group with a proud maritime heritage. Historical records show that the Ahanta formed a powerful coastal confederacy long before colonial rule. Today, an estimated 175,000–300,000 people still speak the language, though many are also fluent in Fante or Nzema. Family & Origins Linguistically, Ahanta belongs to the Tano subgroup of the Kwa languages branch in the Niger–Congo family. This means it shares distant roots with Akan languages like Twi and Fante as well as Guan languages like Larteh, Efutu, Ntsumburun yet it has its own distinct vocabulary,...

Dangme Language: The Voice of The Eastern Part of The Greater-Accra Region  By Huniah Tetteh In the eastern stretch of Ghana’s coastline, beyond the bustling streets of Accra, you’ll find a language that sings with history, identity, and tradition — Dangme. Spoken by the Dangme people, this language connects communities, preserves ancient wisdom, and stands as a proud marker of cultural heritage. Let’s dive into the origins, uniqueness, and present-day life of the Dangme language. Dangme is more closer to the Old Ga language than the modern Ga. Dangme is the original soul of the Ga language.  It is a Kwa languages in the Niger-Congo family. It is closely related to Ga, though the two are not mutually intelligible. Together, Ga and Dangme make up the Ga–Dangme group, reflecting shared ancestry and historical ties. For centuries, the Dangme language has been the primary medium of expression for communities along the eastern part of Ghana’s Greater Accra and Eastern Regions. Dang...

The Ga Language: The Heartbeat of Accra By Huniah Tetteh When you walk through the streets of Accra, you’ll hear the sounds of many tongues. But one language in particular carries the soul of the city and that is the Gã language. It’s more than just a language. It’s a living piece of history, a symbol of identity, and a rich cultural legacy passed down through generations. In this post, we explore the fascinating world of the Ga language — where it comes from, who speaks it, and why it still matters today. --- Ga is one of the major indigenous languages of Ghana, spoken mainly by the Ga people who live in and around Accra. It’s part of the Kwa branch of the Niger-Congo language family — one of the largest language families in Africa. While Ga is closely related to Dangme, the two are not mutually intelligible. Together, they form the Ga–Dangme group, a linguistic reflection of the Ga-Dangme people’s shared heritage. --- 🗺️ Where Is Ga Spoken? Ga is spoken primarily in: Jamestown Osu L...

The people of Badu, also called Nkoraen by the Bono people, call their language Kulange or Kulango. They are a group of Senufo speakers found within the Tain district of the Bono-Ahafo region of Ghana. They originated from Angayi and Gyeribaba in the ancient Bouna Kingdom in present day Ivory Coast; where they left due to constant fighting. They were not the only tribe that left but then other tribes followed. Oral history of the Badu names one Seikwa who has been entrusted with particular duties to assist the paramount chief administrate a kingdom.   When they migrated from Bouna, Seikwa in the course of time established his own kingdom. From Bouna-Angayi, they settled at Nyimpeano near Sampa (present day Nafaana land) under the leadership of Nnyenge Sagbani who was their first chief. He died of old age and was succeeded by Singe Hennie (alias Aduro Barima) who also died of old age and was succeeded by Samade (or Akrosuma-Agyentadua). Samade fought many kingdoms in other to e...