The earliest known states in what is now Ghana were the Mamprusi and Dagomba kingdoms in the north which flourished in the twelfth and fourteenth centuries. The Mamprusi are part of the Na Gweba people originally from what is now Togo. Of the four people groups descended from Na Gweba, the Mamprusi are the leaders. The Dagomba, Nanumba, and even the Mossi recognize them as the final authority among themselves.
Location
Most Mamprusi live in their homeland, Mamprugu, an area of northeast Ghana between the Dagbani in the south and Frafra in the north, . There are also small communities of Mamprusi in towns in southern Ghana.
Topography
Located on the Gulf of Guinea just five degrees north of the equator, Ghana is surrounded by Burkina Faso, Togo, and Côte d'Ivoire. Lake Volta, the largest man-made lake in the world (in area), is in Ghana.
History
In the eighteenth century, the Mamprusi people organized forces to protect the trade in slaves and goods with mercenaries from the Ivory Coast (now Côte d'Ivoire) . The Frafra, Nabdem, Talensi, and Kusasi are subject to the Mamprusi .
Culture
Two-thirds of marriages are polygamous. Children are given both Mamprusi and Muslim names, and are circumcised. When a person dies, Mamprusis dig a temporary grave near the compound. At the next dry season they hold a special funeral, with food, dancing, and the determination of the cause of death, to honor the person. At this time the dead person’s spirit is finally released.
Education: There are secondary middle schools in the main towns and a secondary school in Nalerigu,Bawku and many villages have primary schools. Many Mamprusi children don't get the opportunity to attend school because their parents need them to help with herding the animals and with the chores at home. The literacy rate among the Mamprusi is less than 15%.
Religion
Eighty-two percent of Mamprusis practice traditional religion. Naa-wuni is the supreme god, whose name is used by Muslims. In the traditional religion he is not worshiped or referred to except in exclamations. Ancestors are believed to help in a crisis through various diviners who live in each village. The Mamprusi communicate with their ancestors through sacrifices and offerings. Fourteen percent of Mamprusis are Muslims, and four percent are Christians. Great social pressure is put on any who want to change.
source: A.R.K Bawku
