Explore Ghana
Sirigu, in Ghana's Upper East Region near Bolgatanga, is a place where art is lived in rather than put on display. What ties these places together is the work of Kassena-Nankani women: the geometric murals painted on the mud walls of inhabited family compounds, the pottery and basketry sold through the Sirigu Women's Organisation for Pottery and Art (SWOPA), and the church walls at Martyrs of Uganda Parish Church, decorated by local women with traditional mural designs and filled with Gurune-language hymn singing.
They differ in mood and purpose. SWOPA, also known as the Sirigu Craft Village, is a community tourism centre with a visitor centre, gallery, workshop and guesthouse, founded in 1997. The Sirigu Traditional Arts Centre is a community-run arts centre with its own gallery, workshop and guesthouse. The Sirigu Painted Houses are homes, not exhibits. The Azukodaana Palace is the seat of the Paramount Chief of the Sirigu Traditional Area and the launch venue for the annual Azuko Festival. Come for the craft, stay for the welcome.
Good to know
Sirigu sits in the Upper East Region near Bolgatanga, so plan Sirigu as part of a northern Ghana trip rather than a quick detour. The painted houses are family compounds, so ask before photographing and go with a local guide. Several sites, including SWOPA and the Sirigu Traditional Arts Centre, have guesthouses if you would like to stay in the village. Check opening times and whether a guide is needed before you travel, especially around the Azuko Festival at the Chief's Palace, when things get busy. Carry cash for craft purchases, and remember that Sunday mornings at Martyrs of Uganda Parish Church are for worshippers first.
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Attraction · Sirigu
SWOPA is a community-based women's craft organisation in Sirigu, Upper East Region, founded in 1997, with a visitor centre, gallery, workshop and guesthouse.
Photo: shawnzam · Source
Attraction · Sirigu
Catholic parish church at Sirigu in Ghana's Upper East Region, known for church walls decorated by local women with traditional mural designs and for Gurune-language hymn singing.
Attraction · Sirigu
The Azukodaana Palace in Sirigu, Upper East Region, is the seat of the Paramount Chief of the Sirigu Traditional Area and the launch venue for the annual Azuko Festival.
Attraction · Sirigu
SWOPA is a women's craft cooperative and community tourism centre in Sirigu, Upper East Region, with a visitor centre, gallery, workshop and guesthouse.
Attraction · Sirigu
Sirigu, in Ghana's Upper East Region near Bolgatanga, is known for geometric murals painted by Kassena-Nankani women on the mud walls of inhabited family compounds.
Attraction · Sirigu
Community-run arts centre in Sirigu, Upper East Region, with a gallery, workshop and guesthouse showcasing local pottery, basketry and wall painting.