Dangomba youth to celebrate Damba festival in Obuasi

A youth group in Obuasi known as the Dagomba Youth has lined up a series of activities to celebrate this year's Damba festival. The celebration is expected to bring together Dagombas and other sister tribes from Northern Ghana who reside in Obuasi and its environs.

The two-day celebration will begin on Saturday 26th February 2022 and end on Sunday, 27th February 2022 at the Obuasi Zongo Playing Grounds. Activities lined up include Cultural displays from the youth groups from the various Northern tribes on the first day (26th February 2022) and the grand durbar on 27th February 2022.

The theme for this year’s celebration is "Harnessing our cultural diversity for Job and wealth creation".

The celebration according to the Chairman of the group Shaban Ibn Bawa would also be used to foster peaceful co-existence amongst the northern tribes, merry-making, singing and dancing, eating, meeting the old, and making new friends.

The organizer of the Dagomba Youth who spoke with the media at a press briefing in Obuasi said the celebration will afford them the opportunity to educate the participants on the culture, tradition, and history of Northern Ghana. Numan Issahaku said they will seize the opportunity through the celebrations to empower the Youth, especially Zongo youth to gain employable skills.

Among the dignitaries who will grace the celebration are; Alhaji Gibrin Ibrahim, Obuasi Chief Zongo, Nana Akua Dwom II, Queen-mother of Edubiase, Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama, Mp for Yendi, Municipal Chief Executive for Obuasi, Hon Elijah Adansi-Bonah as well as Hon. John Alexander Ackon l, Former Ashanti Regional Minister.

Fancy Gadam and Datz Gh( Obuasi Wura) are expected to entertain the people who will throng the Durbar grounds to mark the Damba festival.

This will be the 15th edition of the Damba festival to be celebrated by the Dagomba Youth in Obuasi.

The Damba Festival

The Damba festival is celebrated by the chiefs and peoples of the Northern, Savanna, North East and Upper West Regions of Ghana. The name Damba in Dagbani, Damma in Mampruli and Jingbenti in Waali.

The festival is celebrated in the Dagomba lunar month of Damba, corresponding to the third month of the Islamic calendar, Rabia al-Awwal. Damba is celebrated to mark the birth and naming of the Holy Prophet, Muhammad, but the actual content of the celebration is a glorification of the chieftaincy, not specific Islamic motifs. The Damba is also celebrated among the Gonjas of the Savanna region.

The Gonjas normally have a specific month of which they celebrate the festival. The festival is categorized into three sessions; the Somo Damba, the Naa Damba and the Belkulsi.

The festival starts on the 10th day of the month of Damba with the “Somo” Damba, followed by the ‘Naa’ Kings Damba on the 17th day, with the “bielkulsi”, which is the climax of the celebration, coming off on the 18th of the month of Damba. Within this period, prayers are offered to ancestors, drumming and dancing, families pay visits to friends and exchange gifts.