Identification And Documentation Of The Cultural Heritage Resources Of Kolon-Yiri, Upper West Region, Ghana

ABSTRACT

This research examined the cultural heritage and settlement history of an ancient settlement called Kolon-Yiri in the Nadolwli-Kaleo District in the Upper West Region of Ghana. The objectives of the study were to identify and document the cultural resources of the people of Kolon-Yiri as a means of safeguarding their cultural heritage in the light of socio-cultural and economic transformations. It has also examined some aspects of their indigenous religious belief systems and practices, including their worldview. Drawing on information gathered from oral traditions, documentary records, ethnography and archaeology, the study provided adequate information regarding the settlement history of Kolon-Yiri, and how the indigenes interact with their cultural heritage resources. The study has also highlighted the archaeological and tourism potentials of Kolon-Yiri, and recommends a major archaeological project in the area particularly in the ancient Pizaga rockshelter. Finally, the study has provided a date for the settlement of Kolon-Yiri which places it within a temporal context in relation to other archaeological sites researched in the region. A multi-disciplinary approach, combining archaeological survey and ethnographic research techniques, aided the collection and analyses of data.