User:Abiriwman

Bold text== Heading text == AKPE ODWE FESTIVAL OF ABIRIW-AKUAPEM, GHANA

'''Bosompra is a god of the people of Abiriw. Abiriw is one of the oldest towns in Ghana. Bosompra, their god is the leader of all the gods (godhead) in Akuapem. This makes Abiriw the traditional capital of Akuapem. As far back as the beginning of the 17th century, there was no chieftaincy administration in Akuapem so Bosompra’s priest (Ͻsↄfo), who also doubles as the head of all the seventeen chief priests in Akuapem, was the leader of the town. Akpe Odwe (god’s yam) is a festival of new yam. It is celebrate in honour of Bosompra (the godhead of all the seventeen gods in Akuapem). This festival opens the way for the eating of new yam in the town. Also, it paves the way for other towns such as Akropong and Adukrom to celebration Odwira. In the Akan calendar, forty days make a month (Adae) and nine Adaes make a year. Preparation towards the celebration of Akpe Odwe festival begins on the last Wednesday in the fourth Adae after Ohum (Eba). The people of Abiriw celebrate Akpe Odwe before the Akyem Abuakwa’s Ohumkan, making it one of the oldest festivals in Ghana. On the last Friday in the fifth Adae, the Asafo groups clear the traditional footpath that connect Abiriw and Konko (a village down the valleys of Akuapem) for easy passage of gods from Akyem and Asante. Other footpaths that links Abiriw to Krobo, Ningo, Akwamu and Ga are not cleared because is believed that the gods from these areas walks on rocks to Akuapem. The path clearing activity is partition into sections according to the five clans in Abiriw. The Asafohenes in each clan leads his group amid singing, drumming, eating and drinking. Bosompra’s priest (now Abiriwhene) provides the Asafo groups with food and drinks. Whiles this activity goes on in the bush, Bosompra’s priest, clad in white calico waits in the forecourt of the shrine, with pots of palm-wine to welcome the Asafo groups. Upon arrival from the bush, the priest presents to them the palm-wine through their leaders as sign of appreciation to end the day’s activities. The following Saturday is called Memeneda Dapaa (Holy Saturday). This day is observed as a traditional holiday. Thus, no one is supposed to work in the farm. The next Sunday, is Akwasidae. At dawn on this day, the palace horn-blowers blow their horns until sunrise. Abiriwhene meet his elders at the palace to discuss important matters. As this is going on in the palace, the Asafo groups with their leaders are preparing themselves for the sacred path clearing amid jubilation. This path leads to the Bosompra Sacred Forest, few kilometres away from the town. It is a rocky forest reserve that covers an area of about 400 square kilometres. Before this activity, principal elders and clan heads from the five clans meet at the palace to witness the pouring of libation. Jubilation follows to about 12:00 pm. Abiriwhene leads the Asafo groups and their leaders to the edge of the forest. The Asafo groups starts the clearing activity untill they reach a point where they hand over to the nnadifo (the seven stewards of Bosompra) to continue. This is because they only have the right to enter the inner forest. Upon finishing, the nnadifo (singular: Adadi) pour libation on behave of Abiriwhene, his elders and Okuapeman as a whole, using palm-wine or any non-alcoholic local wine. They ask for bumper harvest, peace, strength, fertility, and long life. During the libation, anyone who wants blessing from the gods has to present a token. From there, they move straight to Bosompra Banmu (Bosompra’s Shrine) and Abosomfi (Bosompra’s house) in the town and clean there. Abiriwhene present a sheep and bottles of schnapps to the priest for purification of the town. After libation by the priest, the sheep is slaughter. The liver, some meat, and intestine is given to the priest and he in turn sprinkles them at certain areas for the gods and ancestors. A concoction is prepared and given to Abiriwhene for self-cleansing. After that, it is sprinkle on whoever is present. The rest of the concoction is sprinkle at certain vantage points in the town as a sign of purification. This purification exercise is what is termed Odwira. The priest recites incantation while performing this exercise. These are the words and their translations in the incantation:

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Guan (Okere) “Miεdwira ! Miεdwira ! Miεdwira ! Miεdwira ama εsε ! Miε amantε! Miεdwira Abiriw Okro Miεdwira Akuapem Pεεε!!!”

English “Am cleansing ! Am cleansing ! Am cleansing ! Am cleansing the indigenes ! Am cleansing the community ! Am cleansing Abiriw Township ! Am cleansing Okuapeman entirely !!!”

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The rest of the meat is present to Bosompra’s priest to prepare “Nnwokrubi” (yam porridge) for everybody. The following Monday morning, the chiefs from the other sixteen towns in Akuapem or their representatives come to Abiriw to worship or pay homage to Bosompra. Usually, Adukromhene or his priest represents the five-kyerepↄn (Okere) groups while Okuapehene or his representative represents the entire Okuapeman. A lad carrying a pot of palm-wine leads Adukromhene into the abosomfi. Okuapehene on the other hand comes to the abosomfi with a sheep and bottles of schnapps. The seven nnadifo or two of them carrying pots of palm-wine and holding palm-front enters the inner-shrine. The chief-priest of Adukrom carrying his own pot of palm-wine follows them. Abiriwhene, Abiriw Mankrado, Akwamuhene and the townsfolks also gather at the forecourt of the shrine. The seven nnadifo enters the inner-shrine with palm-wine presses on the new yam while libation is been offered. After the libation, the new yam is knife into two halves. If the back of one or both halves faces the sky, it mean bad omen will befall the town thus the need to select a delegation to Kete-Krakye to consult Krakyε Dεntε. History has it that it is only Krakyε Dεntε who understand and can interpret Bosompra’s language. The facing of the inner-part of both halve to the sky, means good deed and prosperity. The nnadifo then shout “Enumde εmase ε!” meaning: “Elders smile”. Then they all respond “Yeeeeiiiiiiiiiii!” The youth then run to any available place where they will get a new yam. The believed is that whoever gets a new yam will experience bumper harvest that year. When they bring the yams, they hit it to test their strength. This ritual is call “Kuruw bi ε” The broken pieces of the yam are sent to Bosompra’s house to prepare nnwↄkrubi (yam porridge) for the god. The sheep presented by Okuapehene is slaughter and used to prepare feast for the gathering. Okuapehene and Adukromhene or their representatives make marks on their chest and right arm with white-clay to signify victory. On their way home, Adukromhene who is also the Nifahene of Akuapem raise his arm upon reaching Dawu to show that Okuapeman is pure and thus can celebrate Odwira. He repeats it at Awukugua. Apirεdehene comes to Adukrom for the good news. Okuapehene also does the same in Akropong. In the evening, the youth entertain themselves. Bosompra’s priest prepares both plain and oiled ↄtↄ and sprinkles them in the town for the next one week. On the following week’s Monday, the indigenes sweep all the ashes in the town and dump them on the cleared Abiriw-Konko path meaning they are blocking Akwamus who were once their masters from any harassment. Upon examining this festival critically, you will find out that, Abiriw was the traditional capital of Akuapem before the arrival of the Akyems (Akropong). Significantly, the festival is use to feed the gods in Akuapem with new yam. It also teaches us that no one can touch a new yam in Akuapem before this festival. Furthermore, this festival is use to cleanse (purify) Akuapem and paves the way for Okuapehene to celebrate Odwira. Moreover, the festival is use as a reference point in calculating the traditional months in a year. This festival is the first to celebrate in every year before all major festivals in Ghana. The most important thing is that, this festival unites all the seventeen towns in Akuapem. Last but not the least, it tells Akuapem history.