{{Short description|Historical title in West Africa}} '''Tindana''' (Plural Tindamba/Tindaanima) is a title for historical rulers of the Dagbon and many other related peoples of West Africa.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2-23: Tindanas |url=https://www.adrummerstestament.com/2/2-23_The_Priests_of_the_Land_web_chapter.html |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=www.adrummerstestament.com}}</ref> The tindaanima ruled over these lands before the centralisation of the states by Naa Gbewaa and his descendants.<ref>{{Cite web |title=State and Non-State Actors in Land Appropriation: Colonial Land Policy and the Role of the Tindana in Northern Ghana |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/234674402.pdf}}</ref> Their historical roles had been religious and spiritual, although this has been changing, with Tindaanima like the Tamale Dakpema, actively engaged in traditional political rulership.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Imam |first=Haruna Abdallah |title=Tradition and Religion in Africa: Exploring the Changing Roles of the Tindana in Dagbon |date=2012-07-10 |publisher=LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing |isbn=978-3-659-17810-8 |language=English}}</ref> The Tindaanima are not appointed by the Yaa Naa, although they are under his authority.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Abdulai |first1=Ibrahim Abu |last2=Enu-Kwesi |first2=Francis |last3=Agyenim Boateng |first3=Joseph |date=2022-02-01 |title=Landowners' willingness to supply agricultural land for conversion into urban uses in peri-urban Ghana |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13549839.2021.2002288 |journal=Local Environment |language=en |volume=27 |issue=2 |pages=145–159 |doi=10.1080/13549839.2021.2002288 |s2cid=244497820 |issn=1354-9839|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
== Etymology == Tindana is derived from the Dagbanli words: Tiŋ/Ting (Land/Town/City) and Dana (Lord/Owner).<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Kendie |first1=Stephen B. |last2=Guri |first2=Bernard Y. |date=2013-10-24 |title=Indigenous institutions and contemporary development in Ghana: Potentials and challenges |url=https://www.un-ilibrary.org/content/books/9789210563338c013 |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=www.un-ilibrary.org |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
== References == {{Reflist}}
Category:Dagbon Category:Dagomba people Category:Dagbaŋ culture