Who told you? (Homowo Special)
Who told you that Ghanaians are losing their culture and adopting European culture?
Who told you that traditional festivals are losing their appeal?
Who told you the youth are not embracing their culture?
These were the questions I kept on asking my Ga friends who had come home from the States to witness, participate and enjoy the Homowo festival. As we stood at Koloko in Accra on a street I have never before seen in my life , we watched a grand procession of the Akwele Suma;a rite that is done for twins in the Ga communities on the Eve of the Homowo festival. Charlie, the pomp and the pageantry cannot be overemphasized. I really had fun.
As we stood by the streets watching, I was greatly amazed and baffled at the enthusiasm of the crowd in the the procession which encompassed every class in society because I have been misled to think that the rich, the educated and youth are shying away from their culture and from what I saw which is just an isolated case, I am still convinced we are not getting the right picture. My idea of homowo is limited to what I read in I think in a class 4 reading book and the bits and pieces I see on TV.I know you guys all read that and watch TV so you get my drift.
After what I saw I can hit my hand on my chest and tell you that is not true and the people who say that have a skewed view on life.They do not know what they are talking about. I also thought as much till I saw with my eyes “Feelli” “Feelli” “ghani” “ghani”.
They were so much into what they were doing and there were some people carrying what looked to me like a pile of rubbish but was actually peelings of some foodstuffs and some grass and herbs .There was this dazed look on the faces of those who were carrying this pile and it was obvious some supernatural power was at play.
I now really believe that what you believe in is what would work for you and that there is nothing good or bad but your way of thinking makes it so with regard to what I saw because they really believed what they were doing was right and it was really working as a sociology student I started asking around whether these people go to church and everyone who I asked said oh yes yes yes but were giving to Caesar what belonged to Caesar and gave to God what belongs to God.
African traditional Religion is soooooo rich and I was impressed. I have led a pretty sheltered life being in Kasoa always in my room watching the latest Hollywood movies, lots of American bestsellers from John Grisham to J.K Rowling to Sidney Sheldon and lots of others. I love to read, write, watch, listen and I am very adventurous.
I therefore jumped at the opportunity without my parent’s knowledge of course because my parents are staunch Christians who would not allow us to witness or celebrate what they have been led to think is pagan or even gone to my hometown since I was 6 months old. I plan to go very soon though by hook or crook . This has spurred me and I am now seriously learning my mother tongue in readiness. I do not blame them though because they are the best, I blame it all on society.
Please if you are like me go and see a festival, try visiting your hometown and you would be soo surprised. Life is too good to sit down moping and not do anything but listening to what other people are saying. Go find out for yourself. Get up and do that thing you have always wanted to do.
This article was originally published on Facebook on September 14, 2013 .
https://www.facebook.com/notes/emelia-afi-agblevor/who-told-youhomowo-special/152410804779429
Who told you that traditional festivals are losing their appeal?
Who told you the youth are not embracing their culture?
These were the questions I kept on asking my Ga friends who had come home from the States to witness, participate and enjoy the Homowo festival. As we stood at Koloko in Accra on a street I have never before seen in my life , we watched a grand procession of the Akwele Suma;a rite that is done for twins in the Ga communities on the Eve of the Homowo festival. Charlie, the pomp and the pageantry cannot be overemphasized. I really had fun.
As we stood by the streets watching, I was greatly amazed and baffled at the enthusiasm of the crowd in the the procession which encompassed every class in society because I have been misled to think that the rich, the educated and youth are shying away from their culture and from what I saw which is just an isolated case, I am still convinced we are not getting the right picture. My idea of homowo is limited to what I read in I think in a class 4 reading book and the bits and pieces I see on TV.I know you guys all read that and watch TV so you get my drift.
After what I saw I can hit my hand on my chest and tell you that is not true and the people who say that have a skewed view on life.They do not know what they are talking about. I also thought as much till I saw with my eyes “Feelli” “Feelli” “ghani” “ghani”.
They were so much into what they were doing and there were some people carrying what looked to me like a pile of rubbish but was actually peelings of some foodstuffs and some grass and herbs .There was this dazed look on the faces of those who were carrying this pile and it was obvious some supernatural power was at play.
I now really believe that what you believe in is what would work for you and that there is nothing good or bad but your way of thinking makes it so with regard to what I saw because they really believed what they were doing was right and it was really working as a sociology student I started asking around whether these people go to church and everyone who I asked said oh yes yes yes but were giving to Caesar what belonged to Caesar and gave to God what belongs to God.
African traditional Religion is soooooo rich and I was impressed. I have led a pretty sheltered life being in Kasoa always in my room watching the latest Hollywood movies, lots of American bestsellers from John Grisham to J.K Rowling to Sidney Sheldon and lots of others. I love to read, write, watch, listen and I am very adventurous.
I therefore jumped at the opportunity without my parent’s knowledge of course because my parents are staunch Christians who would not allow us to witness or celebrate what they have been led to think is pagan or even gone to my hometown since I was 6 months old. I plan to go very soon though by hook or crook . This has spurred me and I am now seriously learning my mother tongue in readiness. I do not blame them though because they are the best, I blame it all on society.
Please if you are like me go and see a festival, try visiting your hometown and you would be soo surprised. Life is too good to sit down moping and not do anything but listening to what other people are saying. Go find out for yourself. Get up and do that thing you have always wanted to do.
This article was originally published on Facebook on September 14, 2013 .
https://www.facebook.com/notes/emelia-afi-agblevor/who-told-youhomowo-special/152410804779429
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