Homowo is a festival celebrated by the GA people of Ghana, located at the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. As a result of the festival’s celebration in Accra, the capital city of Ghana, the festival has attracted lots of international recognition.
Homowo is celebrated to remember how the ancestors of the GA-People were about to survive the severe famine and hunger that plagued them as they were migrating to Ghana. According to Oral tradition, the GA people acted industriously and planted cereal crops like maize and millet to combat the hunger.
As they worked hard to farm, the gods rewarded them bountiful with rain and bumper harvest. So after harvesting the crops, they jubilated and initiated the celebration, “Homowo”! “Homowo” simply means “hooting over hunger” or “hooting at hunger”. The festival is celebrated annually to express the cultural value of being industrious, creative and resourceful—as a way of ensuring the younger generation picks up these rich values of the ancestors.
The celebration of Homowo usually begins in May when the Ga people begin planting maize and millet. The period and date for the Homowo festival celebration is selected and announced by the Dentu Priest or the Ga-Mantse (King of the Ga People). During the celebration period, there is a ban in Accra on drumming, singing, PA systems and wild noise making.
It is believed that the serenity, calmness and silence in the Ga-Traditional Area would give the gods the peace of mind to prepare for the harvest, bless the people with bumper harvest and protect them. The festival is celebrated at various quarters of the Ga Traditional Area before the final celebration is celebrated by the entire area. Homowo festival is marked with parading twins on the streets of the Ga Traditional area who are being dressed in white calico.
While the celebration date varies, the festival is usually celebrated in the month of August, the same month where the cereal crops like maize and millet are harvested. The harvested maize is used to prepare a traditional food called “ kpokpoi.” Kpokpoi is spread through the Ga Traditional area by the chief priest accompanied by the “Kpanlogo” dance.
The festival is climaxed with a grand durbar, attended Ga Mantse and other ethnic chiefs, Ga-chief priests, people of origin, national delegates, politicians and foreigners. The Ga-Mantse gives his annual speech, advises the Ga people to work hard and develop the community. The chief priests also pour libation to pray for the people, ask for blessing and protection from the gods. There is merry making, dancing, drumming and socialization with the streets of Accra being heavily trafficked.
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