Homowo

Homowo Festival

festival

Languages edey speak, rep anaa sign	Ga
Ethnic group	Ga
Continent	Africa
Country	Ghana
Edey de administrative territorial entity insyd	Greater Accra Region

Street for Accra. plenta people from around Accra cam dey celebrate de festival of Ga, around 1900.

Homowo festival rituals

Nungua Homowo Festival Painting

Homowo be festival wey de Ga people for Ghana for Greater Accra Region insyd dey celebrate.^[1] De festival dey start end of April take enter May wey dem dey plant crops such as (Millet dems) before de rainy season start. De Ga People dey celebrate am take remember sam famine wey e happen some tym back for dema precolonial history for Ghana.^[1] De Ga Homowo or Harvest Custom be annual tradition wey dey among de Accra people, plus say ein origin dey tie plus Native Calender den de Damte Dsanwe people of de Asere Quarter. Asere be division of de Ga Division for Accra District for de Gold Coast Colony.^[2]

Etymology & Origin

De word Homowo (Homo - hunger, wo - hoot) dey mean say “to hoot(anaa jeer) at hunger” for de Ga language insyd.^[3] Dem say dat as de Ga people dey travel cam Ghana, dem face famine plus oda misfortunes for road top den as dem cam settle. De people all attribute de mishaps den misfortunes as de work of sam god anaa deity. So before dem go free dema body de people sacrifice livestock den prayers wey dem pour libation make dem pacify de gods anaa deities.^[4]

One aspect wey dey boss brain for de Ga Homowo tradition be de dual celebrations dat dey occur within de Damte Dsanwe community. De tradition dey suggest dat, for dema history insyd, de paramount chief anaa Ga Mantse temporarily left Accra go de eastern Ga territories insyd. During ein absence, de community, under de authority of de Priest of Dantu Fetish, conduct de Homowo Harvest Custom, plete plus de customary practice. Upon de Ga Mantse ein return, dem organise second Homowo Harvest wey dem encourage all de Ga people make dem celebrate. De second celebration cam dey commemorate de Ga Mantse ein return so e cam make integral part of de Ga cultural history.^[5]

E make Important to clarify say while de two Ga Homowo celebrations dey cam within de same year, de original den authentic Ga Homowo be de first one dem dey bell Damte Dsanwe Homowo. Dis celebration dey mark de culmination of de native year wey edey align plus native law den custom.^[1]

Pre-festival

Dem dey celebrate Homowo for all de cities wey dey de Ga state insyd wey de celebrations dey climax for Ga-Mashie. Before de actual celebration of de festival, Nmaadumo, sowing rite of wheat dey take place to mark de beginning of de Ga calendar den de celebrations wey dey occur within am. Dem go sow Nmaa anaa millet by de seven (7) priests of de Ga-Mashie people who dey perform Shibaa, de rite of digging.^[6] De priest go sow de wheat for specific order insyd plus Dantu for Monday, Sakumo for Tuesday, Naa Korle den Naa Afieye for Friday, Gua for Saturday, Naa Dede for Sunday, den Nai for de following Tuesday. During de wheat-sowing, dem get strict ban for noise dem dey bell am Koninfemo. Dis dem do make e ensure say de crops grow widout distractions. Dis dey last for two weeks den two days, for de end of dis period, sam specific drum beats dem dey call Odadaa dey play to announce de end of de noise-making ban.^[6]

Timeline/Dates

De native calendar of de Ga people dem dey provide yearly by de Damte Fetish Priest of de Damte Dsanwe people.^[7] De Ga Native Year de commence either for de last Monday of April anaa de first anaa second Monday of May.^[8] Dis be de period de Nmaaduma dey take place, wey edey mark de beginning of de Homowo season wey dey end for September insyd after dem harvest dema crops. Dedm dey determine de start of de year by say dem go either count days anaa weeks from de initial day dem designate by de Dantu Preist as de inaugural day of de Native Year. For sumtyms, for midway anaa near de end of de year, de Dantu Priest fi shift de calender go forward anaa backward by week anaa two. Dem fi make dis adjustment by either by de directive of de Ga Mantse anaa de discretion of de Dantu Priest, more tyms widout specific reason. Consequently de calender no be fixed, so different vaiations dey de timing for de Homowo Festival.

Week den five (5) days after dem play de Odadaa, de Twins Yam Festival go begin, den five weeks den four days later de celebrations of Homowo go begin. Different cities dey celebrate dema Homowo at different dates, Lante Dzanwe go start, den Tema six days later. Nungua, howeva dey celebrate Homowo soon afta dem play de Odaada for de first Sunday for July. De general Homowo celebration for de entire Ga-Mashie (from Osu, Accra, go Teshie) dey begin eight days afta Tema, den ten days afta, Nungo den Gboogbla go begin dema part of de festival. De last place wey dey celebrate de festival be Awutu four days later.^[6]

Soobii

Dem dey bell de celebrators wey dey live den work for neighboring towns den villages insyd Soobi (Thursday People) as dem dey arrive for Thursday make dem join oda Ga people as dem dey celebrate Homowo, during de Homowo week for Ga-Mashie. Once de Soobi people arrive de city insyd for de festival dem all go diverge go dema localities so say dem go march togeda.

Twins Yam Festival

De Twins Yam Festival dey fall for de Friday wey dey follow de Ga-Mashie area Homowo celebration den before de main Homowo celebration for Saturday. Dis day, twin Ga people dey wear white wey dem dey celebrate plus feastings, music, den dancing. De festival reason be say de Ga people wey be twins live different lives compare to dema non-twins counterparts wey dem sanso dey behave differently. For dis day, dem go bring pair of buffalo horns wey dem preserve for shrine so dem go use am for ritual ceremonies. Dem dey expect make de twins wear de same clothing, share dema gifts den react similarly for given situations.^[8][9]

Typically, dem dey observe Homowo for August insyd, occasionally edey fall for July anaa September. Dem note say for 1888 insyd, de entire Accra community celebrate de Homowo Festival as late as September 27th anaa 29th insyd.

De key milestones of de Native Year dey include:

1st Day (Monday): De Ga year dey begin for de first Monday after de Saturday feast. Dis practice dey dema beliefs dat de starting Saturday be inauspicious. For dis day, de Dantu Priest dey observe ein Grand Custom by feasting den creating sam specific leaf mixtures for dema traditional bowl insyd. Dis mixtures be de adherents den de Damte Dsanwe Family, wey fo sprinkle de water plus de leaves wey dem dey share visits plus one anoda.

2nd Day (Tuesday): Dis dey mark de preparation for de general Homowo Festival. Dem go shun fishing den for certain regions dem go shun farming activities too.

3rd Day (Wednesday): Dem dey consider dis day inauspicious, no important tasks dey dis day.

4th Day (Thursday): Farmers go shun wey dem prohibit sam areas from any farming activities according to dema Native Law den Custom. Preparations for de general Harvest Festival go continue.

5th Day (Friday): Farmers go shun work den rest for dis day per de Native Law den Custom.

6th Day (Saturday): No important event dey dis day insyd, edey lack significant occurrences till de 11th day.

11th Day (Thursday): Villagers den townspeople go gather for Accra Town for de Homowo Festival. Evening gong go signal de prohibition of debt collection, legal actions, den claims until de conclusion of de Homowo Festival. Violating dis rules get serious penalties.

De climax of de festival dey for de 13th day, Saturday, plus grand feast where dem go prepare palm soup plus kpokpoi den enjoy am. For de 14th day, Sunday, dem go visit each oda, den de people go engage in practices dem go take commemorate de departed den express well-wishes for de new year.

Overall, de Native Year den de customs e get are deeply interwoven plus de Ga culture, wey edey reflect both dema practical considerations den spiritual beliefs. De Homowo Festival dey as testament give de community ein shared heritage den traditions dem observe thru rituals dat dey contribute to de cultural tapestry of de Ga people.^[10]

Celebration

De Homowo Festival get different cultural elements, wey dey include dema rituals den traditions wey dey hold historical importance. De closing plus opening of de Korle Lagoon for fishing all be central components. De Korle Priest dey perform ceremonies wey dey involve libations, prayers, den de removal of palm leaves to mark de cycles of opening den closing de lagoon.

De traditional celebration of Homowo dey include marching across cities while drumming, singing, den dancing. De celebration dey jom add as de Soobii people all cam insyd. Dem dey sing songs such as “Nmaayi eye” (de harvest be white/plenty) make dem celebrate dema fruitful harvests. De celebration dey continue go early Friday dawn as dem dey start dema cooking.^[9]

Rites

Shaayo Laitso Kee

Dis rite dey involve housewives as dem dey present logs to dema mother-in-laws. E dey mark de cordial relationship wey dey between daughter-in-law den mother-in-law. Dis rite dey between son-in-laws den father-in-laws. Dem dey use de logs make fire for de souls of dema dead relatives as dem believe say dem arrive during Soobii.^[6]

Akpade Rite

Dis rite dey involve plastering two side doors plus red clay (Akpade) for de Friday of de Twins Yam Festival. Ebe de elderly women of de families wey dey do am, howeva de elderly men for de families go dey fire musket bullets so dem go scare evil spirits away for de same day.^[6]

Libation

De head of de family traditionally dey sprinkle kpoikpoi (process dem dey call “Nishwamo’) wey he dey pour drinks for de ground as honor give de ancestors wey dey follow de preparation of Homowo food for Saturday.^[6][9]

Prayer During Libation

Noowala Noowala (Long life Long Life)

Afi naa akpe wo (May de new year bring we together)

Gbii kpaanyo anina wo (Make we live den see de eighth day)

Woye Gbo ni woye Gboenaa (Make we chop de fruits of Gbo den Gboenaa)

Wofee moomo (Make we live long)

Alonte din ko aka-fo woten (Make no any black cat (ill omen) cam between us)

Wosee afi bene wotrashi neke nonu noon (Make we tap lyk dis for next year insyd)

Tswa Tswa tswa Omanye aba (Hai! Hail! Hail! Make peace dey)^[4]

Cuisine

Cooking for Homowo Satuday dey begin 4am on Saturday for most Ga homes to make sure say e ready by 7am for sprinkling.^[6]

Kpekpele

Dem dey prepare Kpoikpoi from millet dat de seven priests grow during Nmaadumo. Dem go turn am go dough insyd wey later dem go steam am. Once e cook, dem go beat am for wooden bowl insyd den mix am plus palm oil den okro soup. During de celebration for Saturday people dey go round chaw Ga houses insyd de Ga-Mashie area make dem share de festal food plus dem. Dis day plenty traffic dey wey dey dey block chaw roads.^[1][6] De ingredients dem dey make Kpekpele be few den simple; ground corn/maize, palm oil, onions, salt wey for sam Ga houses insyd dem dey add okra, dat one be optional.^[11]

Diaspora

Ga people wey dey live for Portland, Oregon host de ”Portland Homowo & Twins Festival” make celebrate alongside dema native counterparts for Ghana.^[12] For 2011 insyd, de Ga community for UK join de Homowo celebration.^[13]

Gallery

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  De Ga people dey celebrate Homowo Festival for de remembrance of de famine wey once happen for dema history for precolonial Ghana insyd
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  Homowo Festival
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  Homowo Festival
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  Homowo Festival
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  Homowo Festival Palm nut Soup
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  kpekple

References

1. "Homowo Festival". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 2023-10-14.
2. "Asere Mantse Sets up Educational Fund". Retrieved 2023-09-07.
3. The Library of Congress's article on Homowo. Retrieved 08 September 07
4. Lokko, Sophia D. (1981). "Hunger-Hooting Festival in Ghana". The Drama Review: TDR. 25 (4): 43–50. doi:10.2307/1145377. ISSN 0012-5962.
5. "History and significance of Homowo Festival". Retrieved 2023-09-07.
6. Ammah, Charles (1968). Ga Homowo. Accra, Ghana: Advance Accra. pp. 11–13.
7. Quartey-Papafio, A. B. (1920). "The Gã Homowo Festival". Journal of the Royal African Society. 19 (74): 126–134. ISSN 0368-4016.
8. Opoku, A.A. (1970). Festivals of Ghana. Ghana: Ghana Publishing Company. p. 52.
9. Ammah, Charles Nii (1982). Ga Homowo and other Ga-Adangme Festivals. Accra, Ghana: Sedco Publishing Limited. p. 8.
10. "HOMOWO FESTIVAL: CELEBRATING HARVEST AND MIGRATION". Retrieved 2023-09-07.
11. "The Ingredients For Preparing Kpekpele". Retrieved 2023-09-07.
12. "Homowo & Twins Festival". Homowo & Twins Festival. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
13. "UK CELEBRATES ITS FIRST JOINT HOMOWO FESTIVAL". Retrieved 2023-09-07.

External links

• Wikimedia Commons
• Promoting and celebrating Homowo with Obo Addy