My wife and I just established a cultural museum and library in the Dwumana Clan Palace in Kukurantumi, 12 miles northwest of Koforidua. My Ghanaian wife became the chief of the Dwumana Clan (a sub-clan of Asona) last year and the palace in which the museum is housed is one of the oldest buildings in Kukurantumi, circa 1750s. It was rebuilt in 2019, retaining the design of the original. We decided to reserve one room for a cultural museum and one room for a cultural library.
We believe it would be of interest in travellers, especially since there are so few museums, and no public libraries that I know of, that focus on Ghanaian culture and history. Kukurantumi still has a small town flavour, and the library/museum is located right beside the lorry park in Kukurantumi. It is unique.
The library contains a collection of books on Ghanaian culture and history we started on in the 1960s and includes a number of out of print books. A full list is found on our website www.forafricalibrary.org.
The museum items we have collected from a number of places, but for the most part they reflect the life of the local Akyem Abuakwa culture.In this time of Covid-19 we only allow four people at a time into the library/museum. Of course this will change sometime in the future when the health risks are reduced. At that time, we also plan to offer cultural presentations of drumming and dancing by local traditional groups. As a local chief, my wife is in close contact with local drummers who perform at our Palace during our 40 day rites and the two annual festivals of Ohum and Hwie. Admission to the museum is free, and the library is GH 10.00 for expatriates and GH 1.00 for Ghanaians. The library has videos of drumming and dancing as well as the books.
Our address is: Akyem Cultural Museum, House # KB 1, Kukurantumi, E/R; our GPS address, now promulgated by the Ghana Government is EE500-4349
Our curator is Isaac Dokyi, +233-24-290-1537
My wife is Nana Afoakwa Kyerewaa I, +233-55-734-9815
There are a couple of places to stay in Kukurantumi for those interested
Green Door Guest House is a is a 10-minute walk from the palace: 054-102-6783; Manager Stephen Debrah: 024-318-0826; 8 rooms upstairs and restaurant/bar downstairs with Ghanaian food around GH 25 cedis a plate; GH 100 cedis: AC, Queen sized bed; TV, fridge, fan; GH 80 cedis AC, Double sized mattress; TV, fridge, fan; GH 50: fan, TV, fridge. All rooms have their own bathroom. Rooms are clean. Environment could by lively or noisy with bar downstairs and petrol filling station on site. Digital address: EE 0593-2505
Road Side Lodge is a is a five minute walk from the palace: 055-863-9445; 024-023-3329; 23 rooms, GH 120 AC, fan, Queen sized bed, fridge, TV, bathroom; GH 70 cedis: double sized bed, fan, TV, fridge. No restaurant but catering is available for large groups. Small bar on site. Environment quiet, but on the main street, garden in front; Digital addressEE-500-2431
Bradt Ghana Travel News 