Guang people

The Guan or Guang people are an ethnic group found almost in all parts of Ghana, including the Krachi people, language-Kaakye people Nkonya tribe, the Gonja, Anum, Larteh, Akposo, Nawuri and Ntsumburu. The Guan are believed to have been the first settlers in modern day Ghana, migrating from the Mossi region of modern Burkina around 1000 A.D.[2]

They primarily speak the Guan languages of the Niger-Congo language family.[3] They make up 3.7% of the population of Ghana.[4]

However, some of the Guan languages have been influenced by major languages in Ghana, depending on the location of a particular Guan tribe. Guan in the Eastern region include Anum, Boso, Larteh, Okere, and Kyerepong. Guan in the Oti Region include Krachi, Buem, Nkonya, Likpe, Santrokofi, Akpafu etc. Guan in the Volta Region include Avatime, Logba etc. In the central region are the Efutu, Awutu and Senya and Bawjiase areas. The Gonja people are in the north and part of Brong Ahafo, Bono and Ahafo. The Nawuri people live in parts of North and parts of Oti Region, mostly at the eastern end of Salaga district, on the west bank of the Volta Lake/Oti River, some 70 kilometers north of Kete Krachi. As Guan were the first settlers in Ghana, some were assimilated into the cultures of the major ethnic groups in the various regions we have today. Thus, some indigenes of Kpeshie in Greater Accra and Nzema, Sefwi, Ahanta etc. in the Western and Western Noth region may also trace their roots to Guan people. The indigenes of most of the Fantes in the central region including Asebu, Edina (Elmina), Ogua (Cape Coast), Aguafo etc. as well as Agona can also trace their origins from Guan. At present it is accepted that the Guan people can be found in twelve (12) regions in Ghana: Oti, Northern, North East, Savannah, Bono, Ahafo, Central, Western North, Western, Eastern, Volta and Brong Ahafo Regions. They are very tolerant and live as commoners in their various environments. They speak the languages of the major ethnic group where they are found natively, speaking their distinct languages at home.