Ga Mashie Homowo Festival Begins with Kpokpoi Ritual, Drawing Large Crowds

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The Ga Mashie Homowo festival officially started on Saturday, August 10, with a series of traditional ceremonies led by the Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II. The festival, which celebrates the overcoming of a historical famine, is one of the most significant cultural events in the Ga community.

The day’s activities were highlighted by the traditional Kpokpoi sprinkling ceremony, a key ritual in the Homowo celebrations. The Ga Mantse, as the spiritual leader of the Ga people, took the lead in this ceremony. He sprinkled Kpokpoi, a sacred meal made from cornmeal and palm oil, in 21 houses that symbolize the Ga stool. This ritual was accompanied by the lively sounds of drumming, spirited dancing, and the firing of muskets, which together created a vibrant and festive atmosphere.

The festival’s activities, following tradition, began under the leadership of the Gbese Mantse, Nii Ayi-Bonte II, who holds the title of Adobten, or Head of Military, within the Ga State. As per custom, the Gbese Mantse initiated the Kpokpoi sprinkling ritual from his palace.

He then led a procession through the main streets of Ga Mashie, a historic area in Accra, before concluding the ritual at Usher Fort, a landmark that holds historical significance for the Ga people. The Homowo festival, which translates to “hooting at hunger,” is a commemoration of a time in Ga history when the people endured and eventually overcame a severe famine. This year’s event attracted a large crowd, including both local participants and visitors from the diaspora who had traveled to Ghana to take part in the celebrations. The presence of tourists further underscored the festival’s importance as a cultural event that continues to draw attention from people around the world.