Homowo

The word Homowo (Homo - hunger, wo - hoot) can mean "to hoot (or jeer) at hunger" in the Ga language.[4] It is said that as the Ga people traveled to Ghana, they faced famine and other misfortunes along the way and upon settlement. The people attributed their mishaps and misfortunes to the displeasure of a god or deity. To restore balance in their society, the Ga people sacrificed livestock, prayed and poured libations to pacify the gods or deities.[5]

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 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.[6]

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.[7]

Homowo is celebrated in all the cities in the Ga state with celebrations climaxing in Gamashie. Prior to the actual celebration of the festival, Nmaadumo, a sowing rite of wheat takes place to mark the beginning of the Ga Calendar and the celebrations that occur within it. Nmaa or millet is sown by the seven priests of the Gamashie people who perform Shibaa, the rite of digging.[8] The priests sow the wheat in a specific order with Dantu on Monday, Sakumo on Tuesday, Naa Korle and Naa Afieye on Friday, Gua on Saturday, Naa Dede on Sunday, and Nai on the following Tuesday. During wheat-sowing, a strict ban on noise called Koninfemo 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 Odadaa are played to announce the end of the noise-making ban.[8]

The native calendar of the Ga people is provided yearly by the Damte Fetish Priest of the Damte Dsanwe people.[9] The Ga Native Year commences either on the last Monday of April or the first or second Monday of May.[10] 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 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.

A week and five days after Odadaa is played, the Twins Yam Festival 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 Tema six days later. Nungua, however, begins celebrating Homowo soon after Odadaa is played on the first Sunday in July. The general Homowo celebration of the entire Gamashie (from Osu, Accra to Teshie) begins eight days after Tema, and ten days after, Nungo and Gboogbla begin their part of the festival. The last place to celebrate the festival is Awutu four days later.[8]

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 to mark the cycles of opening and closing the lagoon.

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 "Nmaayi eye" (the harvest is white/plentiful) to celebrate fruitful harvests. The celebration continues into the early hours of Friday when preparation for cooking begins.[11]

Cooking for Homowo Saturday begins around 4am on Saturday in most Ga homes to ensure it is ready for sprinkling at 7am.[13]

Ga people living in Portland, Oregon host the "Portland Homowo & Twins Festival" to celebrate alongside their native counterparts.[17] In 2011, the Ga community in the UK took a laudable initiative to join in on the Homowo celebration.[18]

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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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  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

• Culture of Ghana

• Media related to Homowo at Wikimedia Commons
• Promoting and celebrating Homowo with Obo Addy