Jirapa Municipal, Upper West
Jirapa Naa's Palace
The traditional seat of the Jirapa paramount chief, a Dagara chieftaincy centre known for its distinctive architecture and vibrant Kobine festival.
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Entry fee
GHS 20–30 (demonstration/performance fee, arranged locally)
Opening hours
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, by prior arrangement
Best time to visit
Dry season; check locally for festival dates such as harvest celebrations for the fullest musical experience
Address
Nandom Xylophone Centre, Nandom, Nandom District, Upper West Region, Ghana
From Wa, trotros run to Nandom via Lawra (about 2.5–3 hours, GHS 25–35). From Tamale, first travel to Wa (roughly 3–4 hours) before connecting on to Nandom.
Contact the centre ahead of arrival to confirm a performance or lesson, bring cash for craftsmen, and ask before recording performances.
My uncle is from Nandom so I already knew a bit about the gyil tradition, but seeing young kids being taught by elders here was special. Simple setup, no frills, just genuine music.
We showed up without booking ahead and there wasn't much going on, just a quick tour of the instruments. Would recommend calling first to catch a proper session.
Cool cultural stop, the gyil sound is unlike anything else. We watched a group rehearse and it was great even without a full performance scheduled.
The instructors were so patient with me, a complete beginner. By the end of the session I could play a simple pattern. They also do evening performances if you time your visit right. 50 cedis for a lesson.
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