Asafotufiam Festival

Last updated

The Asafotufiam Festival is celebrated by the chiefs and peoples of Ada in the Danube East of the Greater Accra region of Ghana. [1] The festival is celebrated in the first week of August every year. [1] [2]

Contents

Etymology/origin

The word ‘Asafotufiam’ comes from the word ‘Asafotufiami’ which in Dangme means ‘Divisional Firing of Musketry’. [2] The name "Asafo-tu-fiam" consists of three-word name components. [3]

The 1st component is "Asa" which is the plural of "Sa", a noun. The original name "Sa", which is sometimes called "Osa", "Asa" or "Aesir", means the spirit body of the Supreme Divine Creator of the Universe. According to the Ga-Adamgbes, the name "Osa" or "Asa" is what has been corrupted to Osiris. [3] "Osa" was a Black Nubian man who was once worshipped in the world. He is one of the Holy Ancestral Divinities of the Ada people. [3]

The 2nd component is "Tu". "Tu" is the name given to a gun or a pistol in the Danube. [3]

The name "Tu" or "Tutu" means Spiritual Body Soul. The name "Tu" or 'Tutu" is the divine name of the conductor of the Ancient Nubians' Osa's Spiritual Doctrine. The full name of "Tu" or "Tutu" is "Tutu-Ani" who is also known in some cultures as the scribe "Ani". [3]

The 3rd component is "Fia" or "Fiam" which means to slap or to shoot or shot at or Shooting. "Tu-fia" or "Tufiam" literally means gun shooting. [3]

"Asafotufia" or "Asafotufiam" translates literally as, "The ordained Osa spiritual doctrine practitioners gun shooting".

The “Asafotu” are companies of warriors who fire their muskets in celebration. [4]

History

The Adangmes fought a lot of wars in a bid to establish a territory for their people. Most famous among these wars are the Katamanso war of 1826, the Glover war of 1876, the invasion by the Anglos in 1770 and the battle of Nonobe in 1750. [2] The people of Ada managed to withstand all these attacks and survived the wars, leading to the successful establishment and survival of the Ada kingdom. As the wars became frequent, rituals were put in place to welcome brave soldiers and war heroes back home. Some of these rituals included feet washing and the firing of muskets to announce their arrival. [2] [5]

In the 1900s, with no wars to be fight or attacks from other tribes, the rituals performed to welcome their brave soldiers were abolished as they were no longer needed. The people however, still felt the need to put in place a festival to celebrate their soldiers, ancestors and past chiefs who all contributed to the successful establishment of Ada. This paved the way for the establishment of the Asafotufiam Festival, as a replacement for the welcoming rituals performed for returning soldiers. [2] [5]

To re-enact the historic events of the Ada people, the "warriors" dress in traditional battle attire and stage a mock battle. It is also a time when the young men are introduced to warfare. [6]

There are two Asafo (companies) within the Ada State, namely, Akomfode and Asorkor, membership of which according to tradition is by matrilineal lineage. [7]

Celebration

According to tradition, the celebration starts from Thursday in the first week of August with the arrival of sons and daughters, well wishers and guests from other places to the town. The Thursday is devoted for house cleaning ceremony and pouring of libation at the respective shrines of the various families as well as keeping of vigil. [7]

At dawn on Friday, the two companies (Asafo) beat their respective drums to summon their members for the onward march to Luhuese which is on the outskirts of Big Ada where they are compelled. [7]

According to ancient custom, all young men who attain puberty age are then initiated into their respective Asafo companies by teaching them how to handle, load a gun and fire same for the first time. [7]

This is followed by war formation and the initiates being taught the ancient tactics of warfare. This continues until late afternoon when they return to Big-Ada dressed in traditional military attire and clad with leaves and palm branches signifying conquering heroes returning from the war fronts amid firing of musketry and war cries. [7]

Singing, firing of musketry and dancing continue until sunset when the procession continues to "Kpomkpo-Panya" (the place which served as the departing point for warriors going to wars as well as the landing point for soldiers returning from wars) [5] where the Asafo companies form a single file along the riverside and fire three consecutive volleys into the river, dip their feet into it and wash their hands to indicate the carrying away of all evil and bad omens of the years and looking forward to all the good in store for the years ahead. All the followers of the Asafo companies follow the custom of feet dipping and hand washing ceremony. The procession then disperses and everyone retires to their homes amid songs of jubilation. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ga language</span> Kwa language spoken in Ghana

Ga is a Kwa language spoken in Ghana, in and around the capital Accra, by the Ga people. There are also some speakers in Togo, Benin and Western Nigeria. It has a phonemic distinction between three vowel lengths.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape Coast</span> City in Central Region, Ghana

Cape Coast is a city, fishing port, and the capital of Cape Coast Metropolitan District and Central Region of Ghana. It is one of the country's most historic cities, a World Heritage Site, home to the Cape Coast Castle, with the Gulf of Guinea situated to its south. According to the 2021 census, Cape Coast had a settlement population of 189,925 people. The language of the people of Cape Coast is Fante.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of Ghana</span>

Ghana is a country of 33.48 million people and many native groups, such as:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater Accra Region</span> Region of Ghana

The Greater Accra Region has the smallest area of Ghana's 16 administrative regions, occupying a total land surface of 3,245 square kilometres. This is 1.4 per cent of the total land area of Ghana. It is the most populated region, with a population of 5,455,692 in 2021, accounting for 17.7 per cent of Ghana's total population.

The Ga-Dangbe, Ga-Dangme, Ga-Adangme or Ga-Adangbe are an ethnic group in Ghana, Togo and Benin. The Ga and Dangbe people are grouped respectively as part of the Ga–Dangme ethnolinguistic group. The Ga-Dangmes are one ethnic group that lives primarily in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. Ethnic Ga family names (surnames) include Nikoi, Amon, Kotey, Kotei, Adei, Adjei, Kutorkor, Okantey, Oblitey, Lartey, Nortey, Aryee, Obodai, Oboshi, Torgbor, Torshii and Lante. The following are names derived from the ethnic Dangme and common among the Ningos Nartey, Tetteh, Kwei, Kweinor, Kwetey, Narteh, Narh, Dugbatey, Teye, Martey, Addo, Siaw, Saki, Amanor, Djangba. These are aligned to the ethnic Ga as well: Lomo, Lomotey, Tetteh, Ankrah, Tetteyfio, Laryea, Ayitey, Okai, Bortey, Quaye, Quaynor, Ashong, Kotei, Sowah, Odoi, Ablor, Adjetey, Dodoo, Darku and Quartey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dangme East District</span> Former District in Ghana

Dangme East District is a former district that was located in Greater Accra Region, Ghana. Originally created as an ordinary district assembly in 1988, which was created from the former Dangme District Council. However on 28 June 2012, it was split off into two new districts: Ada East District and Ada West District. The district assembly was located in the eastern part of Greater Accra Region and had Ada Foah as its capital town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Languages of Ghana</span>

Ghana is a multilingual country in which about eighty languages are spoken. Of these, English, which was inherited from the colonial era, is the official language and lingua franca. Of the languages indigenous to Ghana, Akan is the most widely spoken in the south. Dagbani is most widely spoken in the north.

Articles related to Ghana include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akyem</span> Akan ethnic group in Ghana

The Akyem are an Akan people. The term Akyem is used to describe a group of four states: Asante Akyem, Akyem Abuakwa, Akyem Kotoku, and Akyem Bosome. These nations are located primarily in the eastern region in south Ghana. The term is also used to describe the general area where the Akyem ethnic group clusters. The Akyem ethnic group make up between 3-4 percent of Ghana's population depending on how one defines the group and are very prominent in all aspects of Ghanaian life. The Akyem are a matrilineal people. The history of this ethnic group is that of brave warriors who managed to create a thriving often influential and relatively independent state within modern-day Ghana. When one talks of Ghanaian history, there is often mention of The Big Six. These were six individuals who played a big role in the independence of Ghana. Of the big six, people of Akyem descent made up the majority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akropong</span> Town in Eastern Region, Ghana

Akropong is a town in South Ghana and is the capital of the Akuapim North District, a district in the Eastern Region of South Ghana. This town is known for producing snails and palm oil. Akropong has a 2013 settlement population of 13,785 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ada Foah</span> District Capital in Greater Accra Region, Ghana

Ada Foah is a town on the southeast coast of Ghana, where the Volta River meets the Atlantic Ocean. The town is located along the Volta River, off of the Accra-Aflao motorway. Known for palm-lined beaches and estuary islands, Ada Foah is also the capital of the Ada East District and the seat of the District Assembly.

Big Ada is a town in the Ada East District, a district in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. The settlement lies along the road from Ada Kasseh to the district capital Ada Foah, just off the Accra-Aflao motorway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Ningo</span> Town in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana

Old Ningo is a town in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.

The Fetu Afahye is a festival celebrated by the chiefs and peoples of Cape Coast in the Central region of Ghana. The festival is celebrated on the first Saturday in the month of September every year. The Fetu Afahye is celebrated annually by the Oguaa people of Cape Coast because in the past there was an outbreak of disease among the people that killed many. The people prayed to the gods to help them to get rid of the disease. Thus the festival is celebrated to keep the town clean and to prevent another epidemic befalling the people.

Dodowa is a town located in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana, it is the district capital of Dangme West district, now Shai Osudoku District.

Asafotu Festival is celebrated by the Ga-Adangbe people of Ghana and Togo. The Ada/Dangbe East people celebrate Asafotu which is also called 'Asafotufiam', an annual warrior's festival celebrated by Ga-Dangbe people from the last Thursday of July to the first weekend of August. It commemorates the victories of the warriors in battle, fought by their ancestor which were all won, those who fell on the battlefield. To re-enact these historic events, the warrior dresses in traditional battle dress and stage a mock battle. This is also a time when the young men are introduced to warfare to become warriors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akrafena</span> Ashanti swords originating from Ghana

An Akrafena is an Ashanti sword, originally meant for warfare but also forming part of Ashanti heraldry. The foremost example of an akrafena is the Mponponsuo, which belonged to Opoku Ware II. It has survived to the present day because it is still occasionally used in ceremonies, such as the Akwasidae Festival.

Kantanka Automobile, is a Ghanaian based automotive company that designs, manufactures, assembles and sells luxury cars. It was established in 1994 by entrepreneur and preacher Kwadwo Safo Kantanka. It was incorporated as a limited liability which is into the manufacturing of automotive components and their combination with other parts outsourced from component suppliers to form a complete built unit. In 1998, the first complete built unit (CBU) was manufactured using over 75% of local components, locally manufactured including the engine block. By 2006, the first SUV, the Onantefo, was manufactured. Kwadwo Safo Kantanka is also the founder of the Kristo Asafo Church, a seventh-day movement in Ghana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krobo people</span> Ethnic group in Ghana

The Krobo people are an ethnic group in Ghana. They are grouped as part of Ga-Adangbe ethnolinguistic group and they are also the largest group of the seven Dangme ethnic groups of Southeastern Ghana. The Krobo are a farming people who occupy Accra Plains, Akuapem Mountains and the Afram Basin.

References

  1. 1 2 "Festivals in Ghana". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "The GaDangme". thegadangme.com. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "ADA-ASAFOTUFIAM". ga-adangbe.com. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  4. ↑ "Asafotufiami Festival | Things to do in Accra". Time Out Accra. 22 July 2015. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  5. 1 2 3 "Asafotufiam Festival: Remembering The Soldiers With War Festival". Jetsanza.com. 2019-11-04. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  6. ↑ "Festivals in Ghana". touringghana.com. 2016-02-24. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mensah, Joseph Nii Abekar (2013). Traditions and customs of Gadangmes of Ghana : descendants of authentic Biblical Hebrew Israelites. Houston, TX. ISBN   978-1-62857-104-2. OCLC   863157099.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.