Park History

Park History. Shai Hills Resource Reserve. , Shai Hills Resource Reserve (one of the smallest Protected area in Ghana) located in the Dangme West District of the Greater Accra Region, was declared a Forest Reserve in 1962 with an area of 46.7 km² (4,700 ha; 18 sq. mi.) and was made a Resource Reserve on 5/11/1971 by Legislative Instrument (L.I) 710. The Reserve was extended to 51 km² (5,100 ha; 20 sq. mi.) in 1973. It forms the Western end of Dahomey gap, an area of low rainfall which the West African coastal rainforest belt is interrupted and replaced by low grass and savannah. The hills are a series of inselbergs (mountains that have been largely worn out), with the highest peak rising to 290 m and are surrounded by savannah-covered plains at about 60 m elevation., Historically, the Reserve was the ancestral home of the Dangme-Shai between AD 1000 and 1892. The Shais' migrated from Nigeria (Ile Ife), walked on foot, settled at different areas until they settled at recent Shai Hills Resource Reserve. Four tribes occupied the various hills at the Reserve. Namely, Sayo, Manya Yo, Adwuku and Hieweyo. Though the clans were largely independent on each other, they had very similar cultures which are common to each other. They were reliant on the land for resources and the hills to provide natural defense against invading enemies. They were hunter gatherers who adopted their life style to the unique environment in which they lived. The Shais' were good in making potteries and beads during their days in the ancestral home. Originally, the Shais' were called 'Se' but due to difficulty in pronunciation by the British, they adopted the name Shai. They were able to maintain their lifestyle until they were expelled from the hills by the British army in 1892 with various reasons: , . Not paying taxes to the central government (British) , . Their involvement in tribal wars. , . Invading and trapping people who used their trail in the Reserve for barter trade., Each clan relocated to near-by towns where their descendants still reside. The towns are Agomeda, Kodiabe, Manya Jorpanya, Doryumu and its surrounding villages. At the time of expulsion, the Shais' could not carry their gods out of the Reserve. Many of the original and most significant shrines of the Shais' are located in the Reserve. Shrines such as kotoklo and makpem are located on the slopes of the Hioweyo hill (secret and sacred place for tourist)., The Shais' celebrate Manyem festival observed between August and September every year. They also perform Dipo Rites (Puberty) for their young ladies. Each of the clan visits the park once a year to pay homage to their ancestors.