Homowo Festival

The Homowo Festival is an annual celebration by the Ga people of Ghana, marking their triumph over famine and welcoming a new year. Celebrated primarily in the Greater Accra Region, the festival’s name means “hooting at hunger,” symbolizing their victory over a time of great hardship caused by failed rains and famine. The festival begins with a ban on noise, a period for prayers and rituals to ensure a good harvest. When the festival starts, people return to their ancestral lands, and activities include drumming, dancing, singing, and sprinkling the traditional dish, Kpokpoi, mixed with palm nut soup. The sprinkling honors ancestors and remembers those who suffered during the famine, even providing food for animals. Homowo is also a time for forgiveness, with families resolving disputes to start the New Year fresh. Each Ga town celebrates uniquely, with special events like Tema Sprinkling, Kpashimo in Teshie, and other rituals in La and Gbese. Learn more about the Ga people, their traditions, and land at (thegaadangme.com).