Shai-Hills-Ghana, April 11, GNA – Journeying on the Tema-Akosombo highway either to Krobo land or the Volta Region, about 1.2 kilometers after the Army Recruit Training School, travellers are forced to slow down to appreciate spectacular guard of honour mounted by baboons along the road.
Scores of baboons line up along the road, some carrying their babies at their backs, and some just jumping around, is free choreographic entertainment travellers enjoy as they approach the entrance of the Shai-Hills Resource Reserve located at the Shai-Osudoku District.
The presence of these primates in the immediate surroundings of the Resource Reserve gives the impression that the place is full of baboons and nothing else.
An expedition into the reserve, however, shows that it has more than what meets the eyes from the outside as it has a rich experience to offer the public with its natural features laden with culture.
History of the Shai-Hills Resource Reserve
According to information displayed at the Reserve which is being manned by officers of the Forest Commission, it was declared a Forest Reserve in 1962 with an area of 46.7 km2 (4,700ha; 18 sq. mi), and was made a Resource Reserve on November 05, 1971, by a Legislative Instrument (L.I) 710.
The Reserve, in 1973, was extended to 51km2, and it forms the Western end of the Dahomey gap, an area of low grass and savannah.
The hills are a series of inselbergs (mountains that have been largely worn out), with the highest peak rising to 290m, and are surrounded by savannah-covered plains at about 60m elevation.
Its hills, according to management, are a series of inselbergs (mountains that have been largely worn out), with the highest peak rising to 290m and surrounded by savannah-covered plains at about 60m elevation.
Cultural History of the Reserve
History has it that the Reserve was the ancestral home of the Dangme-Shai people between AD 1000 to 1892. They are said to have migrated from Nigeria (Ile Ife) and settled at the current location of the Shai Hills Resource Reserve after settling in different areas such as Sayo, Manya Yo, Adwuku, and Hieweyo.
They relied on the arable land in the reserve for resources, while the surrounding hills provided a natural defense against enemies who might invade their settlements.
Hunting was an occupation for the people as they took advantage of their special environment.
Their days in the reserve (their ancestral home) brought out the artistry in them as they were skilled in pottery, and bead making, which they still exhibit up to date.
They were expelled from the hills by the British Army in 1892 for various reasons including not paying taxes to the central government (British), their involvement in ethnic wars, and invading and trapping people who used their trail in the Reserve for barter trade.
As the various Shai clans relocated to nearby towns, they could not carry their gods out of the Reserve, thereby leaving behind many of their original and most significant shrines which are located in the Reserve. These include the Kotoko and Makpem which Management of the Reserve indicate are located on the slopes of the Hioweyo Hill. They however visit the park annually to pay homage to their ancestors.
Exploring the Reserve
On entering the reserve, a tourist is greeted with garden benches arranged circularly under large trees on both sides of the park to give revellers a place to relax and eat the food they may be carrying along. It also has an Eco Bar where you can buy some small chops and drinkables while waiting to be taken to the various hotspots of the reserve.
Tourists can choose from a range of fee packages which range from general entry, tertiary students, second cycle – JHS, and primary pupils. Additional charges apply for bird watching, rock climbing camping, commercial photography, video shooting, and drone usage among others.
Mogo Hill.
To explore the park, a tour guide, such as beautiful Smiling Francisca who showed dexterity in her work will be assigned to you round.
A tourist told the Ghana News Agency, “I started our tour by driving through the park where we saw antelopes peacefully grazing and lovely birds flying around.
“We soon got to the Mogo Hill which is said to be the home of birds, baboons, and green monkeys”.
According to the tour guide, Mogo Hill is an isolated hill that was used by the Shai people to camp their young ladies who were of age to go through puberty rites known as Dipo. According to the management of the reserve; “history has it that, young girls are camped for six mounts on this hill.”
“One by one we took our turns to climb the first batch of the rocky hill with the help of ropes and the direction of Francisca who guided the children on how to climb without slipping off.
“As we conquered this, we expressed joy as we all thought we have completed our journey, but no, a steeper one was ahead, amidst screams, grips of ropes, and pushing our bodies alongside, we finally reached the top of the hill,” a Contractor who was on tour with his family told the GNA.
Another tourist exclaimed “Wow what beautiful scenery, from the top of the hill, one can see the vast savannah-covered lands of the reserve. The beauty of nature can also be seen in the way the rocks were arranged with some being supported by tiny rocks and some lying on each other without falling off.
“Cultural wise there are shallow, oval indentations carved into the rocks near the caves that were believed to be the sleeping place of the girls who were camped there”.
According to Francisca the tour guide, the huge baobab trees found on the rocky hills, were believed to be sacred and have powers, the secret behind this she said, was that in the olden days, the people hid their pieces of jewellery and precious items under the trees, cover it and smear animal blood around it making it look like a god thereby scaring people from tampering with them.
Other hills and caves that can be explored at the reserve are the Sayo cave (bat cave), Manya Yo, Hieowayo, and Adwuku which have other cultural evidence of ancestral existence there in the past.
Animals
The Shai-Hills Resource Reserve gives the opportunity to its visitors to see some animals including reptiles, zebras, and different species of antelopes, tortoises, and ostriches, among others.
It currently has two ostriches, a male, and a female. They are said to have a lifespan of 70 years in caged areas, their eyes and eggs respectively measured up to five centimeters and 15cm.
Zebras, which have been classified as endangered species are also available, the reserve has the plain type of zebras which can run up to 65kilometer per hour, weighing between 175 kilograms to 385kg. Their stripes are unique and distinctive a human fingerprint on each of the individuals.
Patrons of the reserve also have the opportunity to hold or have a royal python around their necks, these snakes are said not to have venom in them.
Museum of Natural and Cultural Heritage
Another feature of the Shai-Hills Resource Reserve is its museum which showcases a number of items to show the natural and cultural antecedent of the place.
The museum has on display the skins and skulls of Africa Rock Pythons, Bush Buck, Dwarf Crocodiles, antelope, baboons, hippopotami, leopards, and others.
Other things on display are the elephant’s thighbone, jawbone, huff, and skull. Preserved tortoises, hedgehogs, ostrich eggs, bush cats, grass cutters, reptiles, and arthropods can also be found at the museum.
A collection of pots and earthenware products retrieved from the reserve and the hills as evidence of human life there are also on display.
Conclusion
Some patrons of the reserve have expressed joy at the experience they had exploring the place, and have called on management to advertising the reserve to attract more people as there is a lot to learn and see at the place.
Ghana has many tourist and historical places that need to be well packaged to attract both internal and external tourists, this will not only generate resources for the country and the various institutions but will also provide people with practical knowledge to back what they have learned theoretically over the years.
The next time you drive on the Tema-Akosombo Road doesn’t only slow down to throw a banana at the baboons in front of the Shai-Hills Resource Reserve, enter the place, and explore its beauty as you learn from the natural and cultural blend it offers.
If you are as daring as some of the tourists, wrap a royal python around your neck just like the ancestral kings did in the past.
