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Hello, Tamale! We're diving deep into the true history behind one of our city's most familiar names. Most people use "Sakasaka" to describe a major suburb, but the name is actually a living piece of history tied to a tiny, crucial room. Some may be wondering , but the true history is here to clear your doubts and misconceptions.
The areas you call "Sakasaka" today still have their own original names, known and used by residents.
For instance, the community you call "Sakasaka" by the Afa Ajura Mosque is actually named Salamba or some may say it's originally choggu, closer to Tishigu. The area around the Police Station is specifically known as Wariʒiɛhi, closer to "Gumbihini". And that stretch after the Filling Station, often thought of as Sakasaka? That is Mohi Yabihi, which beautifully translates to "the Mossis' small Homes."
The True Origin: "Sakasaka" Was a Checkpoint!
The original Sakasaka was not a neighborhood; it was a very specific, small structure, a single checkpoint room, located just behind where the Afa Ajura Mosque is situated today.
This checkpoint was an essential gateway into Tamale for travelers and traders coming from the wider region, especially those entering from Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali.
What brought about the Name (Sakasaka)
At this post, officials would administer a crucial procedure for public health and colonial administration: they would place a mark on the traveler's arm.
This mark was applied using a small, metallic tool to leave a permanent scar, typically for vaccination (like smallpox) or for registration purposes. Our elders, even today, carry this indelible mark on their arms, a tangible link to the history of this checkpoint.
The Name's Meaning: A Hausa/Dagbani Link
The name Sakasaka itself originated from the dominant language of the trans-Saharan trade routes: Hausa.
The Hausa verb is "Saka," meaning "to put on," or "to place (something on)." When repeated as "Sakasaka," it vividly describes this repeated or thorough action of marking: "the placing, placing" or "the marking, marking."
A deeper explanation from the old people from that time reveals that, the original name of Sakasaka was Sagasaga from Hausa ("Wurin Sagasaga"), which is the markings place or location.
The concept was perfectly understood in Dagbani as well:
In Dagbani, a mark is called "Chihili" (plural "Chiha").
Those carrying out the procedure were called "Chihiro Chihiro," which served as the local equivalent for the checkpoint's function.
The name of that small room, Sakasaka, stuck, eventually becoming the name for the entire area that grew up around it. It is a powerful example of how the function of a place can overwrite the original name of the territory.
Next time you are around this area, remember you are walking through a piece of history that determined who entered Tamale and why!
Did your parents or grandparents get their marks at this famous checkpoint? Share their story in the comments!
My verdict on Sakasaka history
After clarifying the history, some may still argue about certain parts of it. For example, someone may say the Afa Ajura Mosque is located in the Tishigu area, even though Salamba and Tishigu are close to each other. Others may claim the territory belongs to the Choggu area, but in this case, it is not a mistake. An old, late chief of Choggu, whose name was Choggu Naa Mahammaŋ, resided in this territory, and the house he used to stay in is today called Choggu Gbaŋlan' yili, which means “Choggu Regent’s House.”
In fact, Salamba, Mohi ya Bihi, Nyaanshegu, and the surrounding places are all under Choggu Naa’s “Tingbani ni” (owned land).
This is history preserved by Dagbon elders who lived through the 20th and 21st centuries and are still alive today to narrate it to us.
#Dagbon #Tamale #Sakasaka #GhanaHistory #Dagbani #Hausa #OralHistory #KnowYourCity See less
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