Homowo: Ga Traditional Council Announces Ban On Drumming And Noise-Making Starts May 12
- The Ga Traditional Council’s ban on drumming and noise-making will run from May 12 to June 12 ahead of the Homowo Festival
- Areas like Osu, La, Teshie, Nungua, Ningo, Tema, Kpone and Prampram will not affected by the ban
- The annual ban among the Ga people is observed as a period of reflection ahead of the Homowo Festival
The Ga Traditional Council has scheduled the ban on drumming and noise-making from May 12 to June 12 ahead of the 2025 Homowo Festival.
Graphic Online reported that this ban will not cover areas like Osu, La, Teshie, Nungua, Ningo, Tema, Kpone and Prampram.
Source: Getty Images
Those communities are expected to announce their dates for the ban after June 12.
The annual ban, a significant cultural practice among the Ga people, is observed to create an atmosphere of peace, solemnity, and spiritual reflection ahead of the festival, which celebrates unity, resilience and gratitude for a bountiful harvest.
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On March 26, a spokesperson for the Ga Traditional Council, Sylvester Parker Allotey, reiterated the importance of the ban ahead of the festival during an event.
“This ban is a sacred tradition that allows us to prepare spiritually and reflect on our heritage as we approach the Homowo Festival. It’s a time for peace, unity, and quiet reflection before the celebratory festivities begin."
The Ga Traditional Council also argued that the ban is recognised under the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, which upholds the practice of customary law and cultural traditions.
Article 11(3) of the Constitution acknowledges customary law as an integral part of the country’s legal framework, while Article 26(1) guarantees communities the right to preserve their cultural heritage.
What the ban on noise-making will entail
During the ban, clapping, the use of tambourines, loudspeakers and other musical instruments will be prohibited.
Funeral rites and related activities will also be suspended until one week after the ban is lifted. Funerals will be allowed from June 20, 2025.
There will be task force comprising representatives from the Regional Security Council, local assemblies, and the Ghana Police Service to enforce the ban.
About the Homowo Festival
The Homowo Festival commemorates resilience during a famine that ravaged the Ga ethnic group and the harvest that followed. Homowo means hooting at hunger.
The period of silence leading up to the festival serves as a time of reflection before the joyous celebrations commence.
In 2024, there was also a pre-Homowo clean-up exercise. That was a one-month campaign themed “Let’s Keep Accra Clean” and it was aimed at promoting sound waste management practices.
Source: Twitter
The Ga Mantse warned against politicising the exercise and emphasised that sanitation affected everyone in Accra, regardless of political affiliation.
Shatta Wale's son lectures fans on Homowo
YEN.com.gh reported that Shatta Wale and Michy's son, Majesty, got his mother's fans reacting massively to a video he made.
The adorable young man explained the Ga Homowo Festival with his foreign accent and Ga.
Netizens could not stop reacting, as many shared heartwarming thoughts in the video's comment section.
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Proofreading by Edwina N.K Quarcoo, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
Delali Adogla-Bessa (Head of Current Affairs and Politics Desk) Delali Adogla-Bessa is a Current Affairs Editor with YEN.com.gh. Delali previously worked as a freelance journalist in Ghana and has over seven years of experience in media, primarily with Citi FM, Equal Times, Ubuntu Times. Delali also volunteers with the Ghana Institute of Language Literacy and Bible Translation, where he documents efforts to preserve local languages. He graduated from the University of Ghana in 2014 with a BA in Information Studies. Email: delali.adogla-bessa@yen.com.gh.
Edwina N.K Quarcoo (Copy Editor) Edwina N.K Quarcoo is a copy editor at YEN.com.gh with over 7 years of experience as a copy editor/proofreader. She graduated from UniMAC-GIJ with a diploma in Communications Studies and is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Public Relations with Marketing at the same university. Edwina previously served as a media monitor at IOM-Ghana and an assistant radio producer at Hechtech Audio Productions. You can contact her at edwina.quarcoo@yen.com.gh.
