Architectural Narrative of the Dagara House in Northern Ghana

Abstract

The Dagara House is a heritage asset which is under the threat of extinction due to internal and external factors. The essence of this paper is to highlight the architectural integrity of the Dagara House and discuss the changing character and constraints affecting this cultural heritage. The research was conducted in the Lawra and Nandom districts of the Upper West region of Ghana through field surveys and interview of rural folks regarding the facing-off of the architecture. The research found that there is a growing disinterestedness for the Dagara House because of influences emanating from changing aspirations and taste. The study recommended the need to preserve the integrity of the Dagara House for posterity through the adoption of the open-museum concept backed by a vigorous stakeholder intervention with the necessary resource input for its sustainability.

Keywords: Architectural, Narrative, The Dagara House, Heritage, Northern Ghana