25/04/2023
Few Days to Winneba
Explore Winneba
Are you a wanderlust? You're ready for an adventure? Come explore the charming town of Winneba and experience all it has to offer! From stunning beaches to exhilarating hikes, Winneba is the perfect destination for any nature enthusiast.
Aside the two major festivals this town is known for, there are more that has not been heard about yet. Let talk about the Aboakyere Festival.
In late April to the fall of the first week in May, Winneba celebrates its Aboakyere Festival. This is elebrated to honour god's of the land. People from all walks of life find their feet in this town during this season.
The Aboakyere Festival has warriors catching live deer by bare hands and clubs as is done in the stone age. The catch is hunted in the Yenku forest. At their catch, these warriors with joy and celebrations, run back home as every living soul at home joins in jubilation. This deer is dedicated to the chief god called Penkye Otu. Interesting isn't it? It is interesting, that in the modern age, there is a god to be adored. But as I have always believed, these gods must be made soldiers to protect, the natural things in our environment so man does not destroy them. Taboos and myth are needful in our days to protect the ecosystem we find ourselves. Man, the authority on earth can designate that check and balance to god's if people in power won't respect rules and laws. Because definitely these gods can't be bribed.
But it matters who does the catch first. There are two warrior groups who in a competing spirit go in hunt for deer. It matters who brings it first. There therefore is a tacit among them (two competing groups) of who will since the group that catches the deer gets to have his sacrificed to Penkye. The one who does first, in pride hands it to the paramount chief to step on it and sacrifice it to Penkye.
Insider's reportage:
From now till days after the celebration is another opportunity to see who the natives of Winneba are. I have always believed that like Librarians whose vocation are hair plaiting, Americans oratory, natives of Winneba have theirs as music composition.
With carefully chosen words of national interest or in the media, to their own carved words, to words from the Effutu language, a bit of English, they weave them into war songs, lunk songs, satirical songs, comedy to create tarcit among themselves as two Asafo groups. Old women and old men, young women and young men, in white, in red or in multicolours, calm and aggressive, dark and fair, pink skin and bronze skin, in all these they appear. One can only laugh and smile in amusement to every dint of creativity I see and hear. Although, I haven't joined in their ever, I am aware there are new recruit who join for the fun if it as their minds can't fathom how that could be in this age. From the experienced, the lern strategies to hunt and club down a live deer, cross the Muni Lagoon, mimic the look of the forest or a particular animal. You must be eager to join, I think. For eight good days, the town is on fire! There are activities packed for each day like Canoe Racing, akosolotoba( special dance) and others curious minds can only know.
Away from this festival in every day are places to tour.
To Be Continued!
