Gadangme Delaware USA Homowo Festival

The Gadangme Delaware Association celebrated its annual Homowo Festival on August 6th, 2016. This year’s unique Agricultural festival of the “Ga’s, took place at Pavilion 3 of Glasgow Park, off the Pulaski Highway in Newark Delaware. Homowo, which means “Hooting at Hunger”, is the agricultural festival of the Ga people of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana, and it is symbolic of the joyous celebration that followed the severe famine that struck the Ga’s some hundreds of years ago.

Despite the severe catastrophe, the Ga’s tilled the soil and planted corn amidst prayer and fasting accompanied by a ban on noise making which lasted till harvest time. This action yielded much dividend – a bumper harvest, hence the “Hooting at Hunger”. This year’s ceremony attracted people from all walks of life.

Speaking on the theme “Understanding, A Valuable Tool for Development”, the Chairman of the GaDangme Association, Mr.Edmund Odartei-Laryea advised that, time is ripe to show “understanding” for each other’s view and learn to control our emotions in the face of controversy. He emphasized that, Gadangmes are blessed with enviable customs, cultures and traditions, which must positively be put to use, to impact all aspects of human life; and that, the Ga language, around which these laudable tools for development revolve, must be projected.

Mr. Odartei-Laryea stressed the need to exercise “understanding” and respect for opposing political views to promote unity among the citizens of the United States of America and of the Republic of Ghana, as they go to the polls to elect their leaders in November and December 2016 respectively.

Mr.Odertei-Laryea advised members of the association to continue to keep up the spirit of togetherness. He expressed gratitude to Mr. Raphael Quaye-Mensah Laryea (Markor Maha M’ wenuu) and his wife, Augustina Odartso Ralph-Laryea, for their immense contribution to the growth of the association. The newly established Gadangme Dance Ensemble, a wing of the association, treated the gathering to Gadangme traditional drumming and dancing.