During the past decade, Ghana has emerged and evolved on the map of the world as a prominent and largely visited African Country. Like the rest of Africa, Ghana is also renowned for its rich tradition, prominent culture and colorful festivals. One such festival that attracts the attentions of many European tourists and media is the”Homowo Festival”.

What is Homowo Festival?

This harvest festival is celebrated by the Ga people from the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. It begins with the sowing of millet by the traditional priests in May. After this, thirty-day ban on drumming is imposed on the land by the priests. The festival is highlighted at varying times by different quarters of the Ga tribe. The Ga-mashie group of the tribe will celebrate theirs’ a little earlier than the La group. Homowo recounts the migration of the Gas and reveals their agricultural success in their new settlement. According to Ga oral tradition, a severe famine broke out among the people during their migration to present day Accra. They were inspired by the famine to embark on massive food production exercises which eventually yielded them bumper harvest. Their hunger ended and with great joy they "hooted at hunger" this is the meaning of the word HOMOWO.

The unique and most impressive thing about Ghanaian’s or any African nation is that the people are so strong, so bold, so confident and so strong willed that nothing could ever stand in their way. If you turn back the pages of history and take a glance at the wounded endeavors, from Hunger, famine to salvation, there has been a series of hardships that the people of Africa have stood before and raised above. The history and festivals like “Homowo” are trails and secrets of the strength still visible in all young and old alike. As the name of this festival indicates “hooting on hunger”.

The word Homowo owes its derivation to two separate words “Homo” meaning “Hunger” and “wo” meaning “sleep”. The word “Homowo” means to hoot and jeer at hunger. It tells the story of the people who were not scared of the deadliest of natural disasters and fieriest of enemies. The tradition of Homowo started with a period of hunger leading to famine due to failure of the seasonal rains needed by crops in the Greater Accra Region, where the Ghana people predominately dwell. When the rains returned to normal, the Ghanaians celebrated by creating the Homowo festival hence it name and meanings are the traces of the event that gave birth to this colorful festival.

The colorful festival of Homowo is celebrated every year with full enthusiasm and spreads a sheer cheerfulness through out the country. It is also a means of keeping alive the traditions and values of true people of Ghana. The young and old are entwined with the rich drumming and dance traditions that were once a part of every day of life. The festival is characterized by rituals such as the sprinkling of "Kpokpoi" (the festival dish) to the gods and ancestors for spiritual protection, procession of twins through the principal streets, traditional drumming and dancing and general merry-making. A month before the celebration, there is a ban of noise making. A climax of the festival is that from 12 noon to 6:00pm any woman, no matter the status, should accept a hug from a man on the festival street. And this makes it a very interesting, open hearted and joyful event.

The festival starts every year with the month of May with the planting of crops just before the rainy season starts. The musicians and dancers of Homowo are living examples of the strength of African performing arts. The repertoire, featuring the yesterday, today and tomorrow of Ghanaian cultural arts, creates an acoustic and visual history of Ghana and brings the spirit alive in every Ghaian.

During May, when the festival is at its peak, many cheap flights are available as it is a low season. However, the best deals are still with only a handful of airline like Egypt, Ghana International Airlines or KLM. For more details visit: http://www.cheapflightsafrica.co.uk/ghana/

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