Tourism: Tongo, its majestic hills and mysterious shrine

Alexander Bombande August 29, 2023 0

 

Tongo is a small town near the Upper East Regional capital, Bolgatanga. It is the capital of the Talensi District. People know Tongo because of the Tengzug Shrine and the festivals they celebrate when they plant and gather crops.

Tongo Hills at Tengzug are full of big rocks, caves, and beautiful views. The village also has special places called shrines. These shrines are important to people from Ghana and nearby countries. They believe these shrines have special powers to help them with problems and give them advice. Because Tengzug is so pretty and has so much culture, people want it to be a special place recognized by the United Nations.

Archaeological endeavours have unearthed evidence of human interaction with these caves and shrines that traces back to 500 B.C. In the annals of history, the Tongo Hills provided refuge to those fleeing from marauding slave raiders during the 1880s to 1890s. Moreover, these hills stood as a steadfast bastion of resistance against British Colonial rule and the 1911 invasion.

Even today, students, researchers, and experts from all over the world visit Tongo Hills to learn and study. People also know about the Tongo Whistling Rocks, big rocks that make interesting sounds when the wind blows in November and December.

In the dry landscape of Tongo Hills, you can see big Baobab trees and large rocks. This place is interesting for tourists and people on religious journeys. Even though Tongo Hills are only 20 square kilometres big, they have lots of history, religious importance, and great places to walk.

The Tongo Hills are very special to the Talensi people. There are three important shrines - the Tona'ab, Bona'ab, and Nyoo. These hills have many things to see, like the Cave School, the Chief’s Palace, caves where people used to hide, and even special houses for animals like donkeys and hyenas.

When tourists come, they can see the mud houses at the Tengzug Chief’s Palace. These houses are all connected and look like a maze. Each house has a special place outside called a shrine. These shrines have rocks with chicken blood and feathers, or sometimes animals filled with leaves and charms.

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If you go up to the highest part of the Chief's Palace, you can see a great view. You'll see round houses with small doors, all connected by short walls. These walls help protect the people inside from intruders.

Tongo remains an amazing tourist destination in West Africa.