The people of Accra (I’m talking about indigenes not we migrants) are one of the most vibrant, if not the most vibrant, group of people in this beautiful nation Ghana. From the intense way their language is spoken, passion for their heritage and their love for sports, the Ga people form part of the beautiful people of this country. This article may ruffle a few feathers and obviously the critics around going to pounce immediately (Feel free to make corrections and constructive criticism in the comment box).
The Ga people pride themselves on tracing their roots from the Holy Land, Israel. With their rich history, the Ga people, who happen to be mainly fisher folk, are great storytellers and will delight you. The Ga people are known for their staple food kenkey (k)mi) which is loved by most residents in the Greater Accra Region.
Traditionally, the Ga people celebrate Homowo annually. The word “Homowo” means hooting or jeering at hunger. History tells us that the Ga people were hooting at hunger because they had experienced a time of famine and they knew hunger was a bad thing (A.O.A., 2018). In August every year, this festival is celebrated throughout the Ga state. This period of celebration serves as a period for conflict resolution and fostering unity among the people.
One thing Ga people are famous for is their prowess in boxing. Former world champions such as Ike “Bazzoka” Quartey, Joshua “The Hitter” Clottey, Richard Oblitey Commey and the legendary Prof. Azumah “Zoom Zoom” Nelson are all Ga boys from Ga Mashi, Bukom or Jamestown and passed through the renowned Akotoku Academy. With history on Ghana’s side, it is highly believed that more world champions will come from Ghana’s hometown of boxing champions.
With Ga people, they are probably the group of people with the largest arsenal of insults which can easily get you depressed. For publication purposes, those words can’t be used here (but you know what I’m talking about right?). The least provocation of a Ga man and the famed four letter insult will be released. While this can be very disturbing for people who’ve never visited places like Chorkor, Jamestown, Korle Gonno, Agege and Ga Mashi, we the “experienced” ones understand the background. A great man once claimed that; “No matter how highly educated a Ga man is, if push comes to shove you’ll receive the four letter word.”
Whiles there’s a lot to talk about on the various topics, this article needs to be concise and easy to read since it’s not a history lesson. And while certainly this won’t go down well in all quarters, collaborations are welcome in order to improve the quality of the content of this long awaited series, Ghana My Motherland……
For a better understanding of the Homowo festival, I’ll recommend that you grab a copy of “Adaku at the Homowo Festival” written by Amy Owusua Asiedu and published by Afram Publications….
THE HUB 