Origin, migration and settlement history of the Konkomba of Northern Ghana, ca. 1400-1800

Abstract

This article contributes to the depth of our historical knowledge about the origins and migrations of the Konkomba. Using Konkomba oral traditions collected by the author between 2009 and 2014, and supplemented with a range ofother written sources, the article presents a detailed account of Konkomba origins and migration. It traces Konkomba origins to areas outside the boundaries of modern Ghana and examines clan settlement histories to throw light on how the Oti valley was populated by the Konkomba in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. In doing so, the article interrogates the prevailing view that the Konkoma have no history beyond their encounter with the Dagomba in the Yendi area. At a general level, this article makes the case that it will be extremely beneficial for historians to revisit the oral traditions of hitherto neglected groups in Africa for the reconstruction of their histories.