Cultural Tourism Potentials of Daŋi Traditional Pottery Art

Abstract:

Daŋi is one of the leading traditional pottery production hubs in Sissala East Municipality in the Upper West Region of northern Ghana. Traditional pottery wares of various types, decorative designs, cultural semiotics and relevance are produced in Daŋi. However, the cultural tourism potentials of these handiworks seemingly remain unexamined. The study therefore took a qualitative descriptive path in examining selected traditional pottery wares produced in Daŋi to reveal their cultural tourism potentials. Twenty (20) purposively sampled respondents were contacted with data collected through unstructured interviews, field observation and photography. The study finds the pottery receptacles produced in Daŋi as repositories of indigenous cultural heritage, artistry, philosophy, knowledge and skills of the people of Daŋi. Besides, the indigenous decorative designs and the premises of the deployment of pottery receptacles in Daŋi are underpinned by the sociocultural, socioreligious, sociopolitical and socioeconomic lifelines of the rural Daŋi people positing sufficient grounds and the need for the development of Daŋi traditional pottery art into an attractive cultural tourism destination for global patronage. Therefore, it is recommended that the key stakeholders (Chief, Queen Mother and Elders of Daŋi; Assembly Member of the Area; Municipal Chief Executive of Sissala East Municipal Assembly, the Regional Management of Ghana Tourism Authority, and the Municipal Directorate of Centre for National Culture) should collaborate to ensure that a quick reconnaissance survey of Daŋi traditional pottery art is conducted by the regional management of Ghana Tourism Authority. This would give birth to appropriate interventions required for the development of an attractive cultural tourism destination in Daŋi and the promotion of Daŋi traditional pottery wares on Ghana Tourism Authority’s Single Window Destination online portal for global patronage and economic empowerment of the rural potters in Daŋi.