The Ga-Dangmes living in North America, will celebrate this year’s annual National Homowo Festival on Saturday, September 22, 2018 in Virginia.
The event, which is marked with pomp and pageantry, with splendour, glamour amid traditional flourishes of drumming and dancing, is scheduled to take place at the Joseph Hensley Park, 4200 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia.
The age old post-harvest festival traces back to centuries, and is celebrated by the people of Ga-Dangme to commemorate their arrival and settlement of their ancestors in Ghana from their ancient migratory journeys. The name, HOMOWO, literally translates “hooting and jeering at hunger”.
Due to the travails of the migration and intermediary sojourns on the way, the ancestors instituted this festival to commemorate the days of plenty when they overcame, hooted and jeered at hunger.
Since then HOMOWO has been a major annual ritual among the Ga-Dangme people both in Ghana and in communities throughout the world.
This grand festival in Virginia will be attended by the various Ga-Dangme Associations in North America, namely: Ga-Dangme Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Charlotte NC, Atlanta GA, Florida, Cincinnati OH,
Raleigh NC, Toronto CA, Greensboro NC, Denver CO, Washington Metro, Delaware, New York, and a sizeable representation from Illinois will be the Wogbe Dzeke of Chicago.
In attendance in full cultural regalia will be the “Unity Cultural Ensemble” of Virginia.
Speaking about the event, the President of Ga-Dangme Association of Virginia, Nii Amoo Dodoo, said this year’s festival will be climaxed by an awards night at which people who have contributed immensely to the Ga-Dangme cause in America and Ghana will be honored.
Among such people will be the late Dr. Nii Darkufio Dodoo whose selfless and dedicated service is now a profound legacy.
The President further said, “The purpose of this celebration here in North America is to promote, maintain and remember our traditions and culture, while at the same time promoting togetherness among our people as we contribute our quota to on-going development projects in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.”
Such activities, he added, will also teach and inculcate the spirit of patriotism and a keen sense of their cultural heritage and values among GaDangme children born abroad.
The sprinkling of “Kpokpoi”, the traditional festive food for the occasion, will l be performed alongside drumming, dancing and ‘Kpashimo’ . Kpokpoi is prepared from unfermented, steamed cornmeal and is eaten with palm nut soup.
Special guests being invited to grace the occasion include Abiasuma Boni King Tackie Adama Latse II - King of the Ga Traditional Area in Ghana. Others in the entourage are Nii Ayi-Bonte, Nene Atsure Benta III, Naana Akumtu Bisensu I, Nii Borketey Asuade I, Nii Lantei Otanka II, Nuumo Nikoi Amasah II, H.E. J. Ayikoi Otoo, Patience Naa Ashorkor Quaye, the former Mayor of Alexandria - William D. Euille, Mayor of Alexandria - Allison Silberberg, Hon. Ishmael Ashitey - the Regional Minister of the Greater Accra Region in Ghana, ‘Ewulu’ Nii Adjei Klu of Obonu FM in Ghana and Bishop T. Evans (Radio host of Hot digital Radio in London).
Proceeds from the festival, according to the President of the Association, will benefit school-age children in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.
The grand festival in Virginia will be attended by various Ga-Dangme Associations in North America