Festivals as we are aware are an essential part of the Ghanaian
culture and this makes festivals very colourful. Of all the existing festivals,
Homowo, Aboakyir, and Panafest are some of the most famous ones with a rich
history behind each of them.
Homowo translated as ‘hooting at hunger’ is performed by the Ga
people of Accra. They consider it as a time of honor since their fore fathers
were able to overcome famine through perseverance and cooperative effort. Some
of the features of the festival include sowing of seed planting and one month
of no allowed drumming. The main event consist of showering the ‘kpokpoi’ which
is a food made from maize to the gods and ancestors for a fruitful farming
season. Homowo is a very spirited event, involving eating and dancing and
singing and music to the families, communities and to the nation.
Aboakyir festival of
the people of Winneba in Ghana is one of the most colourful festivals in Ghana.
It goes back to the history of Effutu people and their first act of presenting
a human sacrifice to the gods. This was however changed with time with a real
deer hunt considered as part of this ritual. Two families, Tuafo and Dentsefo compete
to secure the life of a deer which is offered to the gods. Hunt is associated
with courage, cooperation, and power and the festival is replete with
attractive processions, rhythmic drumming, and dances.
The biennial event,
Panafest or Pan-African Historical Theatre Festival aim at rejuvenating the
festering unity of Africa celebrated in theatre. Thousands of Ghanaians from
the various regions of the disperse come together to converge in Cape Coast and
particularly Elmina which is historically proven. It is, therefore, the
festival that helps the societies to remember the atrocities of the
transatlantic slave trade while at the same time promoting the exportation of
culture, healing, and reconciliation. Like any art-based festival that seeks to
raise awareness on a certain theme or cause, Panafest through performances,
workshops and discussions is a forceful way of celebrating African defiance,
identity, unity and creativity.
Unlike many other
indigenous festivals, these festivals do not only parade the rich cultural
heritage of the people of Ghana, but as well foster unity among Ghanaians as
well as the outsiders who will be honored to be part of the Ghanaian festivals.
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