Apoka Karenyanne one of the Warrior Queen of Northern Part of Ghana , West Africa.
Monday, May 23, 2022
Apoka Karenyanne also known as Apoka Kayianne or Apoka Akariyanne was one of Ghana’s Unknown Warrior Queen who hailed from what is Present day Bolga Bukere in the Upper East Region in the Northern Part of Ghana, West Africa .
Warrior Queen Apoka was from the Frafra Ethnic group which can be found in Ghana , Burkina Faso , she can be ranked or compared to the likes of Yaa Asantewaa of the Asante Nation , Maama Yakagbe of Anlo Nation , Dodi Akabi of Ga Adangme Nation , Kaku Ackah of Nzema , Zabeth of the Mandinka or Mandingo , Nzinga of Mbundu , Angola , Muhumuza of Rwanda and Uganda, Queen Amina of Hausa , Northern Nigeria , Nehanda of Shona Nation of Zimbabwe, Moremi Ajasoro of Yorubaland , Queen Amanirenas of Kush , Kimpa Vita of Kongo , Maria Chinquira Diaz of Ecuador , Idia of Edo Nation, Dedan Kimathi Meru and Kikuyu of Kenya , Mkwavvinyika of Tanzania , Sekhukune of South Africa , Bai Bureh of Sierra Leone , Samori Toure of Guinea , Toussaint Louverture of Haiti , Zumbi Dos Palamares of Brazil , Lat Dior Diop of Senegal , Shaka Zulu of South Africa , Harriet Tubman of USA, Behazin of Dahomey , Amazons of Dahomey , Nana Badu Bonsu of Ahantaman , Francois Mackandal Maroon of Haiti , Dutty Boukman Maroon a Houngan or Bokor of Haiti , Bayano Mandinka Maroon of Panama, Gaspar Yanga of Mexico , Nat Turner of USA, Boni of Suriname , Bussa Igbo Maroon of Barbados.
Breffu Akwamu of West Indies , Queen Nanny Maroon of Jamaica and other unknown Afrikan Warriors who rebelled and fought European bundits .
Apoka Karenyanna also known as Apoka Akayariyanne according to other sources, She is believed to be linked as Part Frafra and Waala by ethnicity or ethnic groups .
Warrior Queen Apoka fought and rebelled against the European bundits and as well murdered the European slave bundits and as well as Slave raiders in Bolga Bukere in Upper East Region of Ghana , Apoka freed many of her people including Frafra and Waala which is claimed , It is believed men of the Village had escaped into hiding while she stood up for her people , she represent bravery , courage and power and eye of resilience who refused Colonial administration and Oppression she is the warrior Queen and daughter of the Frafra Soil which must be celebrated and honoured .
According to Oral Historical narration , Her Grandparent was called Atinawarega or Atinawalenga who came from Yuwa or Yurwa after moving North and finally settled at Bolga , Warrior Queen Apoka ‘s family were considered to be the Originators or founders of Bolga areas as well as Ti Na ma.
It is said Nomogo , Atinamorega gave birth to 4 Children while other sources claimed that her grandparents joint early two settlers in Bolga . Apoka was the founder of the Ti na Ma in Bolga , Nadure , Atinasaburuga , Namoreko and Namore all formed the Ti Na ma which it is believed were the 4 Children of Apoka Kayianne.
Atinawarega gave birth to 3 children to 3 children their names were Adongo , Ayo , Akaseka or Akaseca , some claimed she might have ancestral links apart from Frafra with an Unknown Waala Hunter who sorjourned to Bolga . It is believed Akaseka or Akaseca gave birth to Warrior Queen Apoka Kariyanne , Ankare , Akuluwoko .
Apoka Kariyanne led her people the Frafra to freedom or another word Liberation , she fought and revolted against the European Slave raiders or bundits .
It is said Apoka Kareyanne , decades ago , have migrated from neighboring Upper Volta Present day Burkina Faso to Present day Ghana , where her and the family settled at Bukere a suburb of Bolga precisely at the Bogiss sport stadium with some of her brothers , while others also settled where at Junor Staff Quarter is located.
It is believed there were also two well known slave raiders described as being notorious at that time , Samori and Babatus , who terrorised the people with other Europeans of the region and other parts of the Northern regions . It is said they raided the region , caught able bodied men and sometimes women , sold them into Slavery.
Aware of risking being caught and sold into Slavery , they dared or determined staued around while the raiders were around , the men always fled into the bushes for safely on one of the raiding expeditions , the raiders or bundits did not meet any men but Apoka who was back then could not speak any of the Opressor language which is English but she could only understand what the slave raiders were asking her about .
Warrior Queen Apoka fired a shot and pointed her pistle by directing it indicating where the men were , just as the slave raiders turned to go and hunt for the men , Apoka quickly turned and crashed the head of the Chief agent with the pistel . He collapsed , and died instatntly . This frightened the rest who ran away never to return . Apoka Karyanne then made alot of noise to indicate their victory or liberation over the slave raiders , this brought out all the men from their hideouts .
Apoka Karenyane was honored and held high esteemed for her bravery , she was also being described as a courageous woman who fought other slave raiders and European Slave raiders or bundits. There is a song dedicated to her which is Tanduga Legbe Ziin in Frafra language meaning which means pestle turned into blood .
Credit : Ancestral wall for the Images.