DW's African Roots series portrays 50 personalities from African history. Narrated in African voices, they serve as the basis for audience debates in social media, on the radio, or at historical sites.
Princess Yennenga: Ancestor of the Mossi people of Burkina Faso
When was princess Yennenga born?
Historians don t seem to agree about the exact birth date of princess Yennenga. However, many believe she was born sometime between the 11th and the 15th centuries. She was King Naba Nedega s favorite daughter. He reigned over the Dagomba kingdom which was located in modern-day Ghana.
What is so particular about princess Yennenga?
According to oral tradition, the horse had been the princess s favorite animal since her teenage years. After several attempts Yennenga managed to convince her father to let her ride. This was a privilege reserved only for men of the kingdom. The princess then proved she was not only a brilliant horse rider but also a formidable warrior.
DW s African Roots project: Making Africa s history tangible African Roots is celebrating 50 portraits of significant figures in African history. Narrated with African voices, they serve as the basis for debates on the web, radio, or historical sites.
A reverent mood prevails within the walls of Cape Coast Castle that fortress on the Ghanaian coast from which European traders and colonial powers once shipped hundreds of thousands of slaves across the Atlantic. Before the eyes of schoolgirl Gloria Ekweagu, the fortress with its dark dungeons conjures up images of torture, of people screaming. I actually felt the pain they were feeling, Ekweagu says in conversation with three other students, a historian, and DW moderator Isaac Kaledzi. If we want to teach the history of slavery, we have to take people to historical places, says history professor Kwame Osei Kwarteng.