Celebrate Homowo in Modesty to Preserve it’s Importance – MP for Amasaman urges Ga Youth
The Member of Parliament for Amasaman , Hon Akwasi Owusu Afrifa-Mensa has called on the youth of Ga states to celebrate the upcoming Homowo Festival with modesty to preserve the importance and significance to the country.
According to him, Homowo Festival has played a significant role in modern day development despite it being an overaged festive.
He said the Festival which is celebrated to give thanks to God for good harvest and hoot at hunger is celebrated annually in August.
Full Statement
STATEMENT ON HOMOWO FESTIVAL AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE ON THE GA PEOPLE BY AKWASI OWUSU AFRIFA-MENSA, MP AMASAMAN
Rt. Hon. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to deliver a statement in commemoration of this year’s Homowo.
Homowo is a festival celebrated by the Ga adangbe people and means hooting at and ridiculing hunger. It is an annual festival to commemorate the day the ancestors won victory over hunger, hooted at and mock it with songs and dancing. It is celebrated in memory of bumper harvest, which saved the Ga people from a famine they experienced when they first settled in Ga land. This festival is a harvest festival, which marks the beginning or harvesting of maize (corn) and fish.
Before the festival takes place, a ban is placed on any form of noise making. From the first Monday in May to the first Thursday in June, when the ban is lifted. Before the ban, the chief priests and priestesses clear some specific areas that have been designated for the growing of millet or corn (Nmaadumo), which lasts for thirty days.
Mr. Speaker, the Gas in Nungua are the first to celebrate the festival and this occurs on the first Saturday in July every year. This is followed by the Lante Jan We on the fourth Saturday in July every year. Those of Ga mashie celebrate theirs on the second Saturday in August.
The importance of the Homowo festival to the Ga people cannot be over emphasized. It marks the beginning of the traditional year and the harvesting of a staple foods. It is a period when people remember and mourn those who had died during the year. Besides, it reviews the past year’s mistakes and plans for the future, and helps to uphold and continue the tradition.
Mr. Speaker, the Homowo festival gives the youth the opportunity to know and educate themselves about their tradition. Religiously, the festival is a period of purification. The chiefs and traditional priests perform the customary purification of the land to strengthen everyone spiritually and socially in order to face the coming year successfully.
Two days before the celebration, on Saturday (that is Thursday), the Gas who had left home to other areas in Ghana due to their occupation come home for the celebration. Since it is a harvest festival, those who are coming from afar (the Soobii) bring along foodstuffs (maize, palm nuts, and firewood), while those at home, especially those along the coast, buy fresh fish from the shore which is smoked and allowed to dry up for about a week.
On the day prior to the celebration, the twin festival is celebrated. This is a celebration, which involves much singing. Twins are much revered among the Gas because they believe that twins are always a blessing from the gods. On the Friday morning, the twins’ wake up, bath and put on their clothing that has been specially sown for the occasion. The horns of the first ram, which is used for the first ritual, are kept as a contact and dwelling place for the souls of the twins.
Mr. Speaker, On the morning of the festival, they perform what is known as abawobaa. Here, leaves such as nyanyara, gbo, hiatsobaa and other assorted herbs, are mixed together in a basin made of wood and filled with seawater and ordinary water. This water is used to wash the horns (kodjii). The kodjii are then rubbed with white clay (ayilo) and the white clothing covering them is also changed.
Before the water is used for bathing the horns, there is some pouring of libation and the blood of the lamb is poured into the water. Afterwards, the water is put on the floor and anyone who needs ‘divine favours’ will put some money (coin) into the water and paper under the bowl and bath with some of the water in the bowl and put his or her petitions before the gods.
The first food the twins eat in the morning on this day is mashed yam and boiled eggs (oto). Also, the chicken or goat that was killed will be used to prepare some light soup with fufu which would be dished out to twins and everyone around. Then in the afternoon, there is the pouring of libation (nkpai) and the twins again change their clothing into another nice one. A family member then carries the water basin (sese) and pours it away. In Asere, the water is taken into the Korle naa, previously ‘Galoway’ – present day Agbogloshi. But those who are not near the sea pour the water at a refuse dump. Most of the time, the spirit of the twins possesses the one who carries the basin until he comes back home and washes his face. A party is then thrown for the twins.
Again, before the festival day, all the chiefs and wulomei go to Okai Koi in Ofankor, where they believe is the death place of Okaikoi, who was once a king of the Gas. Here, they perform some rites in his memory. When they are returning, they gather at the same ‘Galoway’, where the twin water is poured. This is where they see the Asafobii (warriors), Adowafoi, and Bintimfoi and other members of the community. Then, they make a famous procession from there through some principal streets of Gamashie area and end at the Asere Mantse palace at Agbon. During the procession, the three groups sing and there is firing of guns by the Asafobii. This is to show the superiority of the king.
Rt. Hon. Speaker, On the actual day for the Homowo festival, that is, the Saturday, the women start cooking at dawn. The Odehe (those from the royal houses) for instance, cook overnight in order to finish on time and carry the meal to the king’s palace early in the morning.
The king and his people then move out to sprinkle the food in various houses and particular junctions along the way in the area. The chief and his people are accompanied with an atumpan drummer who drums as some women sing along side. Normally, it is those who belong to the royal family or a particular clan who have their houses sprinkled with the kpoikpoi (the festival food). The chief is not supposed to sprinkle the kpoikpoi in a house that does not belong to the group. Going against this rule may cause conflicts between both parties.
During the sprinkling, the chief and his people fetch some of the meal in each house they enter and add it to theirs for sprinkling in other houses ahead. The sprinkling is purposely to feed the ancestors. This is because of their belief in life after death. The chief and his entourage then return to the palace after this exercise.
Mr. Speaker, apart from the Chief, some individuals also do the sprinkling. The elder of a particular house may choose to sprinkle kpoikpoi in each door in his own house. After the sprinkling, some drops of locally brewed gin made of fermented maize (nmedan) are poured on the doorposts, and then everyone comes together to eat from one bowl. Those who may not be part of the family or children around who cannot eat with the elders are served separately. To the Gas, the eating of kpoikpoi in one bowl is a way of showing their oneness.
Then, on the next day, which is a Sunday, there is a family gathering in the family houses in the morning. Normally, the purpose of this gathering is, first of all, to remember the dead. Secondly, there is an exchange of greetings among the various families who attended the festival. The elders bless the younger ones. Then lastly, there is some sort of reconciliation.
The celebration of the Homowo festival continues after this day for about a month. During this period, the Gas enjoy themselves through singing, dancing, eating and drinking.
Rt. Hon Speaker, I want to appeal to the Ministry of Tourism to fully institute measures to make festivals in Ghana particularly Homowo, attractive to the citizenry and boost the tourism industry. On this gracious occasion, I salute the Ga Mantse, the Ga traditional council and the Ga people. To the Chief of Amasaman, Nii Amasa who celebrates his 50th year as chief of Amasaman, I say Ayekoo, Afi oo Afi a warm congratulations to him. I cannot resume my seat without appreciating the the Ga chiefs, elders and people of Amasaman Constituency
Oyiwala doŋ
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