Hogbetsotso is an annual festival of the Aŋlɔ (Anlo) Ewe of Southeastern Ghana. It is celebrated to commemorate the migration of the Aŋlɔ and other Ewe to their present home .
How did Hogbetsotso come about?
‘HOGBETSOTSO’ is derived from the word ‘HOGBE’ or ‘HOHOGBE’ the day of exodus, the moment in time when the Ewes in the Dogbo quarter of the walled city of Nortsie in Togo , escaped from the tyrannical ruler Agorkorli by walking backwards.
Why do they celebrate Hogbetsotso?
Hogbetsotso is one of the indigenous festivals in Ghana. It is celebrated by the Anlo people to commemorate the escape from Notsie in Togo to their present abode in the Volta Region of Ghana , between the fourteenth and the fifteenth centuries.
What is the importance of festival?
Festivals contribute immensely to feelings of social cohesion . Many such celebrations focus on cultural or ethnic topics and seek to inform community members of their traditions. They involve community elders sharing stories and experiences; setting templates for maintaining unity among families.
Why do we celebrate Homowo festival?
Homowo is a harvest festival celebrated by the Ga people of Ghana. The festival starts in the month of August with the planting of crops (mainly maize and yam) before the rainy season starts. ... The Ga people celebrate Homowo in the remembrance of the famine that once happened in their history in precolonial Ghana .
How Hogbetsotso is celebrate?
At the durbar, the chiefs wear bright ceremonial clothing and sit in state, while citizens pay them tribute. The entire festival period is marked by singing, dancing and merry-making . Born of age-old oral legend, the Hogbetsotso festival has been celebrated for generations.
In what season is Hogbetsotso celebrated?
The festival is celebrated annually on the first Saturday in the month of November . The name of the festival is derived from the Ewe language and translates as, the festival of exodus. or “coming from Hogbe (Notsie)”. The celebration of the festival was instituted about four decades ago.
What is the biggest festival in Ghana?
Homowo is one of the grandest festivals in Ghana and it happens right in the capital, Accra, every year in May. Its history is one of a season of despair due to famine, which was eventually followed by a bumper harvest of plant food and fish, as such homowo – refering to the act of ‘hooting at hunger’.
Who led the ewes to Ghana?
Upon first arrival in Notsie, the current king, Adela Atogble, received them well, but after his death the successor, Togbe Agorkoli , ruled oppressively upon the Ghana Ewes.
Which tribe celebrates Damba?
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.
What do our festival teach us?
Festivals help us to keep connection with our roots, culture, origin and preserve it. They relieve us from monotomy of life. Festivals teach us forget enmity and embrace one another and create bond of love , an environment of cultural harmony. When time of festival comes, the aura changes, positivity all around.
Do you think festivals are important for a country?
A. Yes, I do believe that festivals are immensely important for a country and its people because these celebrations represent the cultural and national identity of this country. ... The important festivals also bring people together and eliminate the differences we have in our society.
What are traditional festivals?
FESTIVALS IN GHANA
There are over two hundred festivals, which is celebrated each year in Ghana. Among them are Adae and Akwasiddae, Dzwuwu, Apoo, Ngmayem, Dipo, Aboakyer/Antelope, Kundum, Fetu Afahye, Kobine, Odwira, and Sasabobrim and many others .
Where did the gas migrate from?
The Ga are descended from immigrants who came down the Niger River and across the Volta during the 17th century . The Ga-speaking peoples were organized into six independent towns (Accra, Osu, Labadi, Teshi, Nungua, and Tema). Each town had a stool, which served as the central object of Ga ritual and war magic.
Where did Ga people came from?
The Origin of the Ga People
According to some legends Ga people migrated from Nigeria , others that they were part of Israel that migrated southward through present day Uganda, then along the CongoRiver, westward through Cameroons, Nigeria, Benin, Togo and finally to Greater Accra.
What do we do at festivals?
There are numerous types of festivals in the world and most countries celebrate important events or traditions with traditional cultural events and activities . Most culminate in the consumption of specially prepared food (showing the connection to “feasting”) and they bring people together.
