The Palace in Nalerigu, the traditional seat of the overlord of Mamprusi Kingdom, is a center of cultural activities in the region.
NaYiri literally means “Chief’s House” in Mampruli (Naaba = Chief + Yiri = house]. Therefore, every village has a Naa Yiri or Chief’s house.
However, in Nalerigu the overlord (King) is referred to as the NaYiri because he embodies the institution that is in the Chieftaincy.
Ahead of the 2nd edition of the Cultural Oneness Festival, Nayiri (real name Naa Bohugu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga), the overlord of the Mamprusi Kingdom, on April 22nd 2024 received a team from The Taste Of Afrika led by Tengol K. Kplemani.
The overlord of the Mamprusi kingdom once again expressed his full support and commitment towards the upcoming second edition of the Cultural Oneness Festival powered by The Taste Of Afrika.
As a reminder, this year’s Cultural Oneness Festival is slated for November 13-16th in Northern Ghana.
The Taste Of Afrika team visit Nalerigu Defence Wall ahead of Cultural Oneness Festival
The Taste Of Afrika team as part of preparations for the upcoming Cultural Oneness Festival slated for November 13-16th of this year visited the great Nalerigu Defence Wall.
The objective was to explore the tourism opportunities within the region and how they can use Cultural Oneness Festival to attract tourists into the North-East region and how to develop the sector.
The NaJeringa Wall is easy and free to visit. It is located just off to the right of the main road into Nalerigu on the west side of the town’s reservoir.
It is located among an orchard of mango trees which were planted around it in recent decades to prevent erosion.
History of the Nalerigu Defense Wall
The Nalerigu Defence Wall is the remains of the Naa Jaringa Walls, which lie under a grove of trees.
Built in the mid-1600s by a legendary Mamprusi King to defend the capital of Nalerigu against raiders, the ruins of this wall still stand today.
Often called Nalerigu’s “Slave Defense Wall,” there is a lot of mystery and myth surrounding why and how it was built.
The wall is located in the village of Nalerigu in the East Mamprusi District, about 120 km south-east of Bolgatanga, about 156 km from Tamale and 8 km past Gambaga, in the Northern Region of Ghana.
This wall was built in the 16th century by Naa Jaringa (named after the African viper), a powerful chief of the Mamprusi ethnic group. The Defence Wall initially surrounded the entire village, but now only a few ruins remain.
The slave route, between Ouagadogou in Burkina Faso and Djenne in Mali, passed close by. The wall was erected for two reasons: firstly, to protect inhabitants from slave raiders, and secondly, to ensure that Naa Jaringa’s name would always be remembered.
According to local tradition, the wall was built with stones, mud, honey and milk.
Read more about the Cultural Oneness Festival at culturaloneness.com
