Capital Yendi ISO 3166 code GH-NP-YE | Region Northern Region | |
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Time zone Greenwich Mean Time (UTC+0) | ||
The Yendi Municipal District is one of the twenty districts in the Northern Region of north Ghana. Yendi is the capital of the ancient Dagbon Kingdom. Yendi in the seventeenth century was the centre of commerce for the whole of Gold Coast till colonial rule. Bowdich, T. E. on his Mission from Cape Coast to Ashanti 1819 notes "177 7 days from Sallagah NE according to the Moors through the Inta town of Zongoo is Yahndi (Yendi) the capital of Dagombas.
Map of Yendi, Ghana
178 Yahndi is described to be beyond comparison larger than Kumasi, the houses much better built and ornamented. Ashantis lost themselves in the streets. The King Nana Taquanee, has been converted by the Moors, who have settled there in great numbers. The markets at Yahndi are described as animated scenes of commerce, constantly crowded with merchants from almost all countries of the interior. Horses and cattle abound. Yahndi is named after the numeral one, from its pre-eminence.
179 One day from Sallagha, towards Yahndi, and scarcely one journey westward from the latter is the river Laka, described to be as large and as rapid as the Volta which it joins below Odentee.
188 The bush or country people of Dagwumba have three light cuts on each cheek bone and three below, with one horizontal under the eye; those of Yahndi three deep continued cuts These cuts are made during infancy, to insinuate fetish liquids to invigorate and preserve the child.
D. The capital is Yendi.