Episode 1: Toha Zei, The Red Hunter, Is A Myth But Naa Gbewaa Is A Historical Reality

Brethren, I wish to come your way with the most discussed topic of Dagbamba history largely found in written archives. This topic about the legend has assumed much relevance since the late 1800 that our present generation appear confused about the Dagbamba origin. It is this Legend who the lazy-lame theorists of historians have used as the main character in epic tales to connect the ALL the Dagbamba to Egypt or Chad or Zamfara origin.

Before I delve into the main discussion, let me define Dagbamba, anglicized as Dagombas in most of these written accounts i.e. largely authored by non-Dagbamba. Dagbamba as a name is used to refer to the present generation who descend maternally or paternally, or both, and live the culture and language defined for them by their ancestors. This definition more specifically includes those we refer to as Nanumba and Mamprusi, and more broadly Mossi, Dagaaba, Waala, Talinsi, Nabdam, Booni, Frafra, Kusasi and all groups within the Voltaic basin whose languages are each estimated to be about 80% Dagbani i.e. according to language experts. Within the confines of the specificity, one would agree that both the Nanumba and Mamprusi profoundly refer to themselves as Dagbamba than those recent names. This can be felt in how they present their proverbs and how they refer to their indigenous medicine.

It is apparently also relevant to introduce two concepts; aboriginal Dagbamba and modern Dagbamba. By aboriginal Dagbamba, one refers to Dagbamba who predated the arrival or adventure of the ancestors of the present rulers of the Gbewaa States. Modern Dagbamba, on the other hand is used to refer to the current generation of Dagbamba who trace their lineage in one way or the other to either the aboriginal Dagbamba or the ancestors of the rulers or both. These modern Dagbamba are the present 'hybrid' who, through assimilation and amalgamation, have become completely one group highly impossible to separate. They are likened to two buckets of water sourced from two different rivers but mixed up in one drum. It is impossible to separate them up after the mixing.

Back to the main topic in this episode. The Toha Zei story is undoubtedly a myth constructed originally by our colonial masters, regurgitated by modern writers and some non-griot oral narrators. Presently, our generation of historians who have depended on the written accounts and the internet have assumed so much knowledge that they become so 'mad' at any attempt to demythologize the Red Hunter Legend. Those who have either read from the internet or written accounts populated by these foreigners and modern Ghanaian historians have attempted to push it down the throat of everyone of us. They read and come out to narrate to us as though it is oral history originating from Dagbamba griots. My research has revealed rather stunningly that the Dagbamba griots generally are unaware of the Toha Zei myth. In one of my radio discussions in Tamale, I threw a challenge to the narrators to point to elderly drum historians i.e. lunsi, indeed with titles, who shared the knowledge of the Toha Zei chronicle as passed down to them by their line of ancestry.

Since it is important that we do our own research and more importantly share knowledge so that we all can unlearn this 'received history' about the Legend, is possible to face a general rivalrous resistance from the obstructionists. They will do everything possible to tie the Dagbamba origin to the Toha Zei mythology but most assuredly they will fail when asked about their source and when the questions linger on and on.

Many, especially the obstructionists, are those who became more indignant for opening up this topic in radio and tv discussions. Others had little idea why I am pushing for a more understanding of the Toha Zei myth and how that myth has connected the umbilical cord of ALL MODERN DAGBAMBA to Zamfara or Chad or Egypt origin. Some have generally suggested I stop opening up this topic for a reason which I do not agree with them. If our past history in written archives were distorted there is every need to correct the distortions for future generations to understand our history better.

The suggestion to leave this topic is long gone because I already discussed the Red Hunter legend in my book i.e. "The Untold History of the Dagbamba People." I explained three theories which narrators of the legend give and I drew my conclusions on the three. The first and second theory are almost the same, except that one views Toha Zei as a lone legendary figure. The other one views the Legend as a leader of an arriving group of invaders. Both theories center on the Legend and narrate that he arrived to request water from an old woman. The old woman informed the Legend that their village had no water because their only water source was taken over by a buffalo/Bush cow/beast and the Legend went and killed it, brought home the tail and was rewarded a princess who happened to be a cripple i.e. Mali Nabi'puginga or Pag'wobga. Some have suggested that the real name of Toha Zei is/was Abdul-Aziz. For some, it was Nedega or Ndenga, a supposed Kushite fathered by TIYAWUMYA. The narrators go on that Tiyawumya, the father of Toha Zei, was born in Massari in Egypt i.e. from the lineage of Kushite King Neferkare Shabako. Some accounts have chronicled that Tiyawumya left Massari and traveled to Tungi or Tonga or Tanga from where he migrated to Morocco, moved to Chad and finally to Gombe in Zamfara (Nigeria) where he gave birth to Toha Zei. The narrative goes on that Toha Zei grew up as a HUNTER who was light-skinned and traveled to Mali where his adventure continued.

I, like many other modern Dagbamba, grew up to meet this narrative about the Light-skinned or Red-Skinned Hunter Legend. We all read from written accounts authored by non-Dagbamba and we all accepted it without questioning. Those who could read English, from the earliest times (1960s or earlier), had undoubtedly passed on this narrative to their young ones and the chain of narration continued up to our present generation; overwhelmingly proud that our supposed ancestor, Toha Zei, was a brave warrior from Chad or Zamfara and we all i.e. modern Dagbamba in Nanun, Dagbon, Mamprugu and Mossiland are therefore from that region. What over the years contributed to this bane of distortions of the modern Dagbamba history is the general attitude of our trained keepers of our history. They generally would not talk to correct the distortions. If anybody claimed he knows the history and sat on TV or radio to distort it, they would look on without saying such and such are wrong. If anybody wanted to know any subject, you had to go to them with patience and service, sometimes for a long time, before they would teach you the nuggets of history. You had to also visit as many griots as possible because of the marked difference in the narration sometimes with MERGING POINTS to help you synthesize the main events.

Through out my research, I have come to uncover major distortions which originally emanated from the non-griots. The books by the Whiteman did the magic of distortions. Many accounts present something else yet the modern Dagbamba in the Gbewaa States are bound by those early accounts because according to some, an attempt to challenge some of these early accounts means you are trying to rewrite history or alienate old historical thoughts. What has contributed to this situation is that the griots generally are resentful of attempts to document the Dagbamba history. From the earliest contacts with the British, French and Germans, the Dagbamba, and by extension all indigenous African societies, disliked the Whiteman's interest in writing down the history. It was not only the griots, the Rulers and the commoners would do everything possible not to share what the colonial masters were looking for to write in their books.

What was the option left for the whiteman to satisfy his thirst? They had an opportunity which I will turn to in my next episode. If the griots, the chiefs and the commoners denied them the opportunity, the option had lived with them much earlier. By the griots, I mean the bindili gmeriba i.e. gourd or calabash drum musicians (largely originating from around the Mali or Mossi territories but found in Gurmaland and early parts of some of the Gbewaa States), katei pebriba i.e. those blowing the flutes (may have originated from Burkina Faso or the Gbewaa States), the goonjinima i.e. fiddlers (largely originating from Hausaland with variant types found in Mali, Burkina Faso and the Gbewaa States of Nanun, Dagbon, Mamprugu and Mossiland, the lunsi i.e. tomtom beaters (appear to have originated from Dagbon and spread to the Gbewaa States of Nanun and Mamprugu but also found in Gonjaland and Mossi States).

Generally, these griots have their strengths in chanting the exploits of the rulers although some of them have mastered the art of musical tunes presenting codes of prose and and past happenings which the decoder must understand. Most of the musical instruments and the singing are marked by sacrifices during or before the singing and playing of the tunes. Their gifted art have been the indigenous way of storing past events in memories of the trained singer and player of those instruments. They are clans which a singer must be born into before being trained the African art of preserving the history. Generally, their creed is protected by certain African medicines which they give to newly born babies. They have great voices and memory which the non-griot cannot contest.

As I said earlier, I shall be back to reveal the option which British, French and Germans used in penning down the earliest histories for English, French and German readers.

Asalaamu alaikum!
Shalom!
Peace!
Author: The Untold History of the Dagbamba People.

Abubakari Is-haq Motariga
Yendi
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Email: [email protected]