By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
Homowo, which literally means “hooting at hunger” in the Ga language, has long been seen as a ritual festival, rooted in memory of famine, prayers for rain, and thanksgiving for harvest. But in 2025, Homowo has evolved into something bigger: a cultural bridge that connects the past with the present, spirituality with modern economy, and tradition with global tourism.
From Famine Memory to Urban Identity
What began centuries ago as a response to drought has now become a defining marker of Ga identity in a fast-changing city. In today’s Accra, where skyscrapers rise beside fishing villages, Homowo reminds Ghanaians that culture is not lost in modernity—it adapts and thrives. Celebration Across Ga Communities
Observed widely across Ga towns such as La, Teshie, Nungua, Osu, Ga-Mashie, Tema, Kpone, Prampram, and Ningo, Homowo culminates in vibrant celebrations in Ga-Mashie (Greater Accra). Each locality marks the event with its own schedule and communal rituals.
The Noise-Making Ban
To prepare spiritually and ensure the success of the festival, a ban on drumming and noise-making is strictly observed. In 2025, the Ga Traditional Council declared this ban for Monday, 12 May through Thursday, 12 June 2025 . Within this window, residents of various towns maintain local variations in observance. The ban forbids loud music, clapping, parties, funerals, megaphones, and other noise-making public acts and is enforced by regional security teams.
Festival Timing for 2025
While Homowo doesn’t follow a uniform date across communities, varying from late July to early September.
Rituals & Practices
The festival begins with Shibaa, a sacred clearing of fields, followed by Nmaadumo, the planting of millet by designated priests. The strict noise ban begins during these rites. At the climax, Odadaa, a specific drum signal, marks the lifting of the ban .
The iconic dish, Kpekpele (also known as kpokpoi), is prepared—fermented cornmeal served with palm-nut soup and smoked fish—and sprinkled in the community as an offering to ancestors .
Festivities include street parades, traditional drumming, dance, chanting, face-painting, and durbars of chiefs, open to all ethnicities. Even though it’s a Ga tradition, people from other communities are warmly welcomed partakers.
Economic & Social Impact
Food Culture: The famous Kpokpoi dish continues to serve as a cultural emblem. Local vendors and caterers see a spike in sales during the season, while restaurants in Accra add traditional Homowo meals to their menus.
Sports & Youth Development: The Accra Inter-City Homowo Marathon returns in 2025, drawing athletes from across West Africa and merging tradition with modern fitness culture.
Creative Arts: Face painting, drumming, and dancing are not only performances but avenues for young creatives to preserve and monetize Ga culture.
Homowo as Cultural Diplomacy
With the rise of cultural tourism in Ghana, Homowo now plays a role in soft power. Visitors, particularly from the diaspora, flock to Accra to witness the rituals, the kpokpoi sprinkling, and the vibrant street celebrations. For them, Homowo is more than a festival—it is an open window into Ga history and African resilience.
Looking Ahead
In 2025, Homowo’s significance lies not just in remembering famine and celebrating harvest, but in proving that tradition can coexist with modernity, even in a rapidly globalizing city like Accra. It is not simply the hooting at hunger, but a defiant hooting at cultural erasure.
Homowo 2025 is no longer just about “hooting at hunger.” It is about hooting at cultural erasure, urban chaos, and disconnection from our roots—while celebrating the resilience of tradition in a modern world.
