Tindana (Plural Tindamba/Tindaanima) is a title for historical rulers of the Dagbon and many other related peoples of West Africa.[1] The tindaanima ruled over these lands before the centralisation of the states by Naa Gbewaa and his descendants.[2] Their historical roles had been religious and spiritual, although this has been changing, with Tindaanima like the Tamale Dakpema, actively engaged in traditional political rulership.[3] The Tindaanima are not appointed by the Yaa Naa, although they are under his authority.[4]

Etymology

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Tindana is derived from the Dagbanli words: Tiŋ/Ting (Land/Town/City) and Dana (Lord/Owner).[5][4]

References

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  1. ^ "2-23: Tindanas". www.adrummerstestament.com. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
  2. ^ "State and Non-State Actors in Land Appropriation: Colonial Land Policy and the Role of the Tindana in Northern Ghana" (PDF).
  3. ^ Imam, Haruna Abdallah (2012-07-10). Tradition and Religion in Africa: Exploring the Changing Roles of the Tindana in Dagbon. LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing. ISBN 978-3-659-17810-8.
  4. ^ a b Abdulai, Ibrahim Abu; Enu-Kwesi, Francis; Agyenim Boateng, Joseph (2022-02-01). "Landowners' willingness to supply agricultural land for conversion into urban uses in peri-urban Ghana". Local Environment. 27 (2): 145–159. doi:10.1080/13549839.2021.2002288. ISSN 1354-9839. S2CID 244497820.
  5. ^ Kendie, Stephen B.; Guri, Bernard Y. (2013-10-24). "Indigenous institutions and contemporary development in Ghana: Potentials and challenges". www.un-ilibrary.org. Retrieved 2023-12-13.