Abora State Festivals

AmoakyerƐ Festival

A Celebration of Heritage and Spirituality The Amoakyerɛ festival is a significant traditional celebration observed by the people of Abakrampa in the Abura State. Typically coinciding with the Easter season, the festival takes place from Good Friday to the following week

During the festival, participants wear torn clothing and adorn their faces with charcoal and clay, symbolizing the ancestors' return from war. Some individuals also dress in humorous attire, with men wearing women's dresses and wigs, to commemorate the ancestors' clever disguise to conceal their identities from enemies. According to custom, participants must not look back while returning from "Osibir Pɔw mu", as doing so is believed to result in death before the next Amoakyerɛ festival. Similarly, anyone who falls during the journey is also thought to face the same fate. The visit to the Osibir shrine serves as a means of reconnecting with the community's ancestral heritage and seeking blessings from the divine. The chiefs and elders offer prayers and libations, invoking the protection and guidance of the gods.

Cultural Significance and Traditions

On the morning of Good Friday, rituals are performed at the state shrine at Kyɛkyɛkum and Pusuban (War shrine). Old women prepare a sacred dish of mashed yams with palm oil and eggs (Ɔtɔ). They then walk through the town, sprinkling the holy food amid incantations and singing on all shrines. Later that morning, the chiefs and residents of Abakrampa embark on a sacred journey to the revered shrine of Osibir, situated within the "Osibirpɔm mu". Each participant carries a palm frond as a symbol of peace, unity, and spirituality. The palm fronds are believed to possess purifying properties, cleansing the individuals and the community of past wrongs and negative energies. As the procession makes its way to the "Osibir Pɔw mu", the atmosphere is filled with prayers, chants, and traditional music, creating an air of reverence and devotion. Path weeding also takes place in the morning, and upon returning from "Osibir Pɔw mu", the palm fronds are sent to the state shrine (Posuban) for counting. The number of palm fronds counted determines the able-bodied men and women and the population needed for the defense of the Abora State.

Rituals and Ceremonies

Climax and Conclusion

The festival culminates on Sunday with a durbar of chiefs and people in the area. They converge at the premises of the Paramount Chief's palace to pay homage to the Omanhen, amid drumming, dancing, and cultural displays. Other social gatherings, such as harvest celebrations, football matches, concerts, and dance performances, are held to add glamour to the occasion. The Amoakyerɛ festival is a testament to the rich cultural traditions of the Abakrampa people, showcasing their deep reverence for their ancestors and the spiritual realm.