nomadic in april

Homowo

(This excerpt is from a Ghanaian paper, "The Spectator, Your Weekend Companion")

PRAMPRAM CELEBRATES HOMOWO

"The chief and people of Prampram in the Greater Accra Region on Tuesday started activities marking their two-day annual Homowo festival. Homowo of the Ga-Adangbe people, which literally means "hooting for hunger," traditionally signifies a period of abundant harvest after a prolonged famine.

Paramount Chief Nene Tetteh Djan III accompanied by his elders enter the "La Luwe" shrine to perform rites and to seek the blessing of gods before starting the sprinkling of the kpokpoi (festival meal of maize meal and palm nut soup.)"

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At the time I was happy I came across this article, because I spent the day in confusion. The procession of brightly dressed and high spirited dancers meandered through the main street of Prampram. I didn't understand what was being said and I was being pushed and pulled along by two journalists that I rode with from Accra. People in the procession would push me forward into the suffocating crowd so that I could be in prime position for photos and video. I think they assumed I was media and they wanted to be sure they were documented. It was searing hot and the crowd was rambunctious. We moved along stopping at several historically important sites to give offerings of thanks. Two teenagers at the front of the procession held carved objects that had been fashioned like guns. They stuffed gun powder inside and ignited it. More than once my ear drums felt like they were being shattered as they set off their guns at less than arms distance from where I stood. They took their role very seriously and I am sure I have some photos that without knowing the context you would swear they were hardcore gangsters.

After a couple of hours the group began to dissipate and people went back to their homes to begin the feast. I was in the company of Chief Linguist Attah Lartey. He wanted to be sure that I saw the whole of Prampram and escorted me from family compound to family compound. I was tired, hot and very hungry. He assured me that we would stop at his family's compound to eat the maize and palm nut soup. At first I did want to try it, but after sitting in one compound and understanding that all 12 people would be eating from the large bowl on the floor (where the flies had already begun to feast) I decided I had been in Africa less than a week and perhaps my stomach couldn't handle it. So I told him that I wanted to head back to Accra. But he had to stay because of the festival. So I was on my own. I would have find my way to Accra, alone. I assured him that I would be fine, though I was anything but fine. I figured, I came to Africa alone, so I better get used to the unexpected.

The trip back required that I transfer from one taxi to another at a town midway to Accra. I was nervous, but all went well and I made it safely back to Accra in an hour and a half.

I think only the video footage can show the true spirit of this Homowo festival. It was all about sound and motion.