The Dagomba people of Northern Ghana are a patriarchal society and they exhibit a patrilineal system of inheritance. However, there exist also a number of female chiefs or Pag Naa. The Pag Naa is the female traditional leader of an area or community.
The Paramount female chief of Dagbon is the Gundo Naa, the chief of Gundogu. All-female chiefs in Dagbon are subordinate to the Gundo Naa and hold their authority and influence in relation to hers.
Unlike the Yaa Naa, who is the king of Dagbon, the Gundo Naa is the highest female authority among the dagomba.
The well known female chiefs in Ghana are the “Queen Mothers” from the Southern part of Ghana but they can’t be compared to the female Chiefs in Northern Ghana. Dagombas don’t have “Queen mothers” they have female Chiefs.
The lists of female chiefs in hierarchical order according to Saeed Armstrong
- Gundo Naa
- Kpatu Naa
- Kuɣ loɣ’u
- Gunduɣ mungoli
Saeed Armstrong
However, Kuɣ loɣ’u
and Gunduɣ mungoli are titles(to mean they don’t rule over an area or community). But they form a decision making body, that is to say Gunduɣ mungoli has a role at the Gundo Naa’s palace, and Kuɣ loɣ’u has a role At Yani. However there are other titles given to women in Dagban in whom many think is chiefdom Titles but in actual fact they are not. They are mostly names for brave woman who could follow men to war amidst the scary nature of those days, or women who were spiritually fortified. E.g Tipariga!
Kpatuya is an area under Yendi. It shares boundaries with Kuga. And houses one of the Biggest decision making chief in Dagbang. Tugri Nam. The Chief you normally see with one ear ring. Which is believed that the ear ring vanishes to the next successor after his demise. The kpatuya also houses, Dagbang state secondary technical school and Yendi Senior high school respectively. The Kpatu Naa remains the custodian of the land there anyway under the auspices of Ya Naa.
Gunduɣ However, is at an outskirt of Yendi on the Gushegu road. She has a vast land too. Made up sub communities. The late Gundo Naa Bibata gave the infamous Zoo Simli that title.
