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determined by either counting days or weeks from the initial day designated by the Dantu Priest as the inaugural day of the Native Year. At times, often midway or near the end of the year, the Dantu Priest may shift the
Calendar either forward or backward by a week or two. This adjustment can be made either by the directive of the Ga Mantse or at the discretion of the Dantu Priest, often without a specific reason. Consequently, the Calendar is not fixed, leading to variations in the timing of the Homowo Festival.
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the authority of the Priest of the Dantu Fetish, conducted the Homowo
Harvest Custom, complete with the customary rituals. Upon the Ga Mantse's return, a second Homowo Harvest Festival was held, in which all Ga people were encouraged to participate. This second celebration, while commemorating the Ga Mantse's return, became an integral part of Ga cultural history.
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The Homowo
Festival features several cultural elements, including rituals and traditions that hold historical significance. The closing and opening of the Korle Lagoon for fishing are central components. The Korle Priest performs ceremonies involving libations, prayers, and the removal of palm leaves
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area Homowo celebration and before the main Homowo celebration on
Saturday. On this day, twin Ga people wear white and celebrate with feastings, music, and dancing. This festival stems from the Ga belief that twins live different lives compared to their non-twins counterparts and behave differently.
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of the Damte Dsanwe people. The Ga Native Year commences either on the last Monday of April or the first or second Monday of May. This period is when the
Nmaadumo takes place, and marks the beginning of the Homowo season which ends in September after the crops are harvested. The start of the year is
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An intriguing aspect of the Ga Homowo tradition is the dual celebrations that occur within the Damte Dsanwe community. The tradition suggests that, in the Ga people's history, the
Paramount Chief or Ga Mantse temporarily left Accra for eastern Ga territories. During his absence, the community, under
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that once happened in their history in precolonial Ghana. The Ga Homowo or
Harvest Custom is an annual tradition among the Accra people, with its origin tied to the Native Calendar and the Damte Dsanwe people of the Asere Quarter. Asere is a sub-division of the Ga Division in the Accra District of
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This rite involves housewives presenting logs to mothers-in-law. This act marks the cordial relationship between a daughter-in-law and mother-in-law. This rite is also exchanged between sons-in-law and fathers-in-lawyer . The logs are used to make bonfires for the souls of dead relatives that are
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The Ga year begins on the first Monday after the
Saturday feast. This practice is rooted in the belief that starting on Saturday is inauspicious. On this day, the Dantu Priest observes his Grand Custom by feasting and creating specific leaf mixtures in a traditional bowl. These mixtures are then
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The climax of the festival arrives on the 13th day, Saturday, with a grand feast where palm soup and kpokpoi are prepared and enjoyed. On the 14th day, Sunday, visits are exchanged, and the people engage in various practices to commemorate the departed and express well-wishes for the New Year.
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area to share the festal food with them. On this day there is traffic and roads are blocked off to accommodate the festival. The ingredients for making
Kpekpele are simple and few; ground corn/maize, palm-oil, onions, salt and in some Ga houses there’s the inclusion of okra which is optional.
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It is important to clarify that while two Ga Homowo celebrations appear to transpire within a single year, the original and authentic Ga Homowo is the first one, known as the Damte Dsanwe Homowo. This celebration marks the culmination of the native year and aligns with native law and custom.
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This rite involves plastering two side doors with red clay (Akpade) on the Friday of the Twins Yam
Festival. This act is carried out by the elderly women of families, however the elderly men of the families fire musket bullets to expel evil spirits on the same day.
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Traditional celebration of Homowo includes marching across cities while drumming, singling, and dancing. This celebration is further multiplied during the Gamashie Homowo celebration as the Soobii people join in. They sing songs with lyrics such as
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Villagers and townspeople gather in Accra Town for the Homowo Festival. An evening gong signals the prohibition of debt collection, legal actions, and claims until the conclusion of the Homowo Festival. Violations of these injunctions are met with
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Ga people living in Portland, Oregon host the "Portland Homowo & Twins Festival" to celebrate alongside their native counterparts. In 2011, the Ga community in the UK took a laudable initiative to join in on the Homowo celebration.
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Typically, the Homowo Festival is observed in August, occasionally falling in July or September. It is noted that in 1888, the entire Accra community celebrated the Homowo Festival as late as September 27th or 29th.
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is prepared from the millet that is grown by the seven priests during Nmaadumo. It is turned into dough and eventually steamed. Once it cooks, it is kneaded in a wooden bowl and mixed with
27:. Many people from nearby neighborhoods and the surrounding area flock to the city center in order to attend the celebration of the Homowo Festival, the annual main festival of the
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begins, and five weeks and four days later, the celebrations of Homowo begin. Different cities celebrate their Homowo at different dates, with Lante Dzanwe beginning, followed by
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is set in place. This is to ensure that the crops grow without distractions. This lasts for four weeks and two days, and at the end of this period, specific drum beatings called
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Farmers refrain from working, and some areas prohibit any farming activities according to Native Law and Custom. Preparations continue for the general Harvest Festival.
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are brought out to be used for ritual ceremonies. The twins are expected to wear the same clothing, share their gifts, and react similarly in given situations.
404:(the harvest is white/plentiful) to celebrate fruitful harvests. The celebration continues into the early hours of Friday when preparation for cooking begins.
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Overall, the Native Year and its associated customs are deeply interwoven with the Ga culture, reflecting both practical considerations and spiritual beliefs.
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and other misfortunes along the way and upon settlement. The people attributed their mishaps and misfortunes to the displeasure of a god or
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This marks the preparation for the general Homowo Harvest Festival. Fishing is halted, and in certain regions, farming activities cease.
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The Ga people celebrate Homowo Festival in the remembrance of the famine that once happened in their history in precolonial Ghana
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172:, a sowing rite of wheat takes place to mark the beginning of the Ga Calendar and the celebrations that occur within it.
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Cooking for Homowo Saturday begins around 4am on Saturday in most Ga homes to ensure it is ready for sprinkling at 7am.
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taken by adherents and the Damte Dsanwe family, who sprinkle water with the leaves and share visits with one another.
299:(Thursday people) as they arrive on Thursday to join other Ga people in celebrating Homowo during the Homowo week at
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303:. Once the Soobii people arrive at the city for the festival, they diverge into their localities to march together.
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120:- hoot) can mean "to hoot (or jeer) at hunger" in the Ga language. It is said that as the
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Homowo is celebrated in all the cities in the Ga state with celebrations climaxing in
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soup. During the celebration on Saturday, people go around many Ga households in the
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Notably uneventful, this day lacks significant occurrences until the 11th day.
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begin their part of the festival. The last place to celebrate the festival is
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Celebrators living and working in neighboring towns and villages are called
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on the following Tuesday. During wheat-sowing, a strict ban on noise called
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Considered inauspicious, no significant tasks are undertaken on this day.
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On this day, a pair of buffalo horns that are typically preserved in a
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136:. To restore balance in their society, the Ga people sacrificed
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Homowo Festival Ban on Singing & Drumming Ritual Ceremony.
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starts. The Ga people celebrate Homowo in the remembrance of
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are played to announce the end of the noise-making ban.
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to mark the cycles of opening and closing the lagoon.
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Farmers rest on this day as per Native Law and Custom.
907:"HOMOWO FESTIVAL: CELEBRATING HARVEST AND MIGRATION"
895:. Accra, Ghana: Sedco Publishing Limited. p. 8.
275:) begins eight days after Tema, and ten days after,
168:. Prior to the actual celebration of the festival,
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481:(May we eat the fruits of Gbo and that of Gboenaa)
247:A week and five days after Odadaa is played, the
971:"UK CELEBRATES ITS FIRST JOINT HOMOWO FESTIVAL"
719:'s article on Homowo. Retrieved 08 September 07
435:The head of the family traditionally sprinkles
875:. Ghana: Ghana Publishing Company. p. 52.
818:. Accra, Ghana: Advance Accra. pp. 11–13.
331:The key milestones of the Native Year include:
16:Traditional festival in Ghana by the Ga people
780:"History and significance of Homowo Festival"
497:(May no black cat (ill omen) come between us)
8:
927:"The Ingredients For Preparing Kpekpele"
893:Ga Homowo and other Ga-Adangme Festivals
697:"Asere Mantse Sets up Educational Fund"
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503:Wosee afi bene wotrashi neke nonu noon
1006:Promoting and celebrating Homowo with
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465:(May the new year bring us together)
418:said to have arrived during Soobii.
473:(May we live to see the eighth day)
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734:"Hunger-Hooting Festival in Ghana"
314:falls on the Friday following the
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505:(May sit like this the next year)
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58:Nungua Homowo Festival Painting.
829:Quartey-Papafio, A. B. (1920).
513:(Hai! Hail! Hail! May peace be)
176:or millet is sown by the seven
1:
947:"Homowo & Twins Festival"
622:Homowo Festival Palm nut Soup
951:Homowo & Twins Festival
891:Ammah, Charles Nii (1982).
232:The native calendar of the
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495:Alonte din ko aka-fo woten
236:is provided yearly by the
732:Lokko, Sophia D. (1981).
511:Tswa Tswa tswa Omanye aba
831:"The Gã Homowo Festival"
479:Woye Gbo ni woye Gboenaa
50:Homowo festival rituals.
814:Ammah, Charles (1968).
98:the Gold Coast Colony.
449:Prayer During Libation
312:The Twins Yam Festival
144:to pacify the gods or
103:Etymology & Origin
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51:
43:
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738:The Drama Review: TDR
471:Gbii kpaanyo anina wo
457:(Long life Long Life)
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1002:at Wikimedia Commons
871:Opoku, A.A. (1970).
374:11th Day (Thursday):
350:3rd Day (Wednesday):
140:, prayed and poured
79:Greater Accra Region
717:Library of Congress
441:(a process called "
368:6th Day (Saturday):
356:4th Day (Thursday):
184:people who perform
1029:Festivals in Ghana
873:Festivals of Ghana
489:(May we live long)
344:2nd Day (Tuesday):
307:Twins Yam Festival
249:Twins Yam Festival
69:celebrated by the
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1044:Ga-Adangbe people
998:Media related to
673:"Homowo Festival"
413:Shaayo Laitso Kee
362:5th Day (Friday):
337:1st Day (Monday):
287:four days later.
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91:rainy season
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23:A street in
487:Wofee moomo
422:Akpade Rite
391:Celebration
204:on Friday,
192:on Monday,
1018:Categories
976:2023-09-07
956:2023-03-21
932:2023-09-07
912:2023-09-07
785:2023-09-07
702:2023-09-07
682:2023-10-14
652:References
377:penalties.
267:Osu, Accra
202:Naa Afieye
116:- hunger,
847:0368-4016
816:Ga Homowo
758:0012-5962
234:Ga people
218:Koninfemo
198:Naa Korle
142:libations
138:livestock
122:Ga people
108:The word
71:Ga people
1009:Obo Addy
640:See also
552:Diaspora
545:Gamashie
537:palm-oil
526:Kpekpele
443:Nishwamo
438:kpoikpoi
431:Libation
316:Gamashie
301:Gamashie
281:Gboogbla
263:Gamashie
210:Naa Dede
182:Gamashie
170:Nmaadumo
166:Gamashie
83:festival
67:festival
766:1145377
634:kpekple
561:Gallery
532:Kpokpei
518:Cuisine
180:of the
178:priests
146:deities
77:in the
1000:Homowo
855:716030
853:
845:
764:
756:
321:shrine
297:Soobii
291:Soobii
272:Teshie
265:(from
259:Nungua
222:Odadaa
194:Sakumo
186:Shibaa
130:famine
110:Homowo
95:famine
87:millet
81:. The
63:Homowo
40:Teshie
851:JSTOR
762:JSTOR
408:Rites
285:Awutu
277:Nungo
238:Damte
190:Dantu
134:deity
126:Ghana
75:Ghana
65:is a
25:Accra
843:ISSN
754:ISSN
715:The
541:okro
539:and
279:and
254:Tema
200:and
174:Nmaa
114:Homo
746:doi
269:to
214:Nai
206:Gua
73:of
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