7 popular Ghanaian festivals you should know about

With the different tribes that encompass the length and breath of this country, festivals are mostly unique to a particular set of people.

There re over 50 known festivals in Ghana, however, we took a look at 7 of the most popular ones and their origins.

Odwira Festival

The Odwira Festival is celebrated by the people of Akropong-Akuapim, Aburi, Larteh and Mamfi in the Eastern Region. This is celebrated annually in the month of September

Odwira Pulse Ghana

This festival dramatizes the tradition myths and legends of the people, and commemorates a period of remembrance and thanksgiving to the gods for their mercies in the past year, and renewal of family and societies.

A durbar of chiefs crowns the celebration amidst drumming and dancing.

Aboakyer Festival

The Aboakyer festival is a bushbuck hunting festival celebrated by the people of Winneba in the Central Region.

The name "Aboakyire" translates as 'hunting for game or animal' in Fante dialect.

Aboakyer Festival ece-auto-gen

The festival is celebrated on the first Saturday in May. On the first day of the festival, the two Asafo Companies (warrior groups) in Winneba take part in a hunting expedition.

The first troop to catch a live bushbuck from a game reserve used for this purpose and present it to the chiefs and people at a colorful durbar is declared winner and is highly regarded for bravery.

The bushbuck is sacrificed and this signifies the start of the Aboakyer festival.

Homowo Festival

Homowo recounts the migration of the Gas and reveals their agricultural success in their new settlement. According to Ga oral tradition, a severe famine broke out among the people during their migration to present day Accra.

Homowo ece-auto-gen

It begins with the sowing of millet by the traditional priests in May. After this, thirty-day ban on drumming is imposed on the land by the priests.

The festival is highlighted at varying times by different quarters of the Ga tribe

Hogbetsotso Festival

The Hogbetsotso festival is celebrated by the chiefs and people of Anloga in the Volta region.

The festival is celebrated annually on the first Saturday in the month of November.

Hogbetsotso festival Pulse Ghana

The name of the festival is derived from the Ewe language and translates as, the festival of exodus or coming from Hogbe.

Bungun Festival

The Bugum Chugu is the first Dagomba festival in the year. It is celebrated in the first month of the Dagomba lunar year, the Bugum Goli, and is celebrated on the ninth day of the month

Adae Kese Festival

The Adae Kese is a festival celebrated to mark specific milestones in the history of the Ashanti Kingdom.

Otumfuo Osei-Tutu II ece-auto-gen

Its first celebration was during the attainment of statehood by the Ashanti kingdom after they fought and defeated the Denkyiras in the battle of Feyiase also known as the Ashanti independence war.

Thus the people adopted the ripening of the fruit to start the celebration.

Bakatue Festival

The Bakatue Festival is celebrated by the chiefs and peoples of Elmina in the Central region.

The festival, established at least as far back as 1847, is celebrated on the first Tuesday in the month of July every year.

The Dutch reported existence of the festival at least as far back as 1847 and was mentioned in a report by Governor Nagtglas in 1860.

Odwira Festival ece-auto-gen

The festival is used to mark the beginning of the fishing season in Elmina.

The name Bakatue is got from the Fante dialect which translates as draining of a lagoon.

The celebration of the festival was instituted to commemorate the founding of Elmina by the Portuguese in the early days of the colonization of the then Gold Coast.