Paga Ghana
crocodile village Paga
The ’sacred crocodile village’ of Paga in Ghana is located in the far north-east of the country on the border with Burkina Faso. The surrounding savanna grasslands are dotted with fresh water ponds and lakes covered in water lilies and reeds. These are home to the hundreds of sacred crocodiles regarded by the local inhabitants of the Kassena tribe as the embodiment of their ancestors and creator spirits.Kassena mythology tells of the first crocodile that traveled from Jaliwangu to Paga to settle there after a dispute. White fowls are regularly sacrificed to the crocodiles which in turn are called from the ponds by guardians, appointees of the local Paga chief entrusted with the welfare of the crocodiles. A shrill whistle sees the creatures skimming through the water and trampling up the banks to lunge at their feast with one almighty smack of their jaws.Another delight of the region surrounding Paga is the beautifully decorated mud brick huts, traditionally round in shape, though this is giving way to modernization and nowadays huts are frequently rebuilt in a rectangular shape. Each household has a series of huts known as a compound which are connected by mud brick walls. The walls and the huts are periodically decorated by the women of each household with black and white geometrical patterns each design with its own significance. *During the wet season the ochre coloured huts are hidden behind lush green stalks of millet up to 5 metres in height. The contrast of the ochre and the nature’s greenery adds to the magical beauty of the region.
Traditionally during the dry seasons the locals sleep out under the stars on the flat roof of their hut to catch the cool breeze. Historically this was a way of escaping capture during the slave raids that took place, as once the carved tree branch which acted as a ladder was pulled up onto the roof, enemy tribes could not reach them. Specially thatched mats made from local reeds are used both as mattresses and double as blankets as they can be wrapped around the sleeper during the early morning cold.
The area being far from the capital, Accra, retains much of its traditional culture including: traditional music and dance, organically grown food, millet wine, weaving and indigo dyeing and local markets. It’s all there to be discovered, if you’re brave enough to venture off the beaten track.Local guide Alhassan Yidana will facilitate your adventure and has been receiving tourists to the area with very warm and welcoming hospitality since 1982. He can be found on the main road leading from Paga market to the border and right opposite the principal crocodile pond . He has constructed several huts in the local architectural style which are available for guests. He is also available for the following adventures:
· Cycling in the area
· Rock climbing at nearby Nahouri Mountain
· Visits to local markets including the famous Tiebele and Jaliwangu markets made famous by Burkinabe film director of ‘Yaaba’ fame
· A trip to the nearby Elephant Reserve over the border in Po.
