Homowo
To hoot at hunger
Homowo is derived from two Ga words 'homo" meaning hunger and 'wo' meaning to hoot at. Homowo, therefore, means hooting at hunger. According to the legend during the process of migration, the Ga people experienced famine and severe hunger. However, they mustered up the courage to till the land, planted corn and called upon Ataa-Naa Nyonmo, Dzema Wodzi and Sisadzi, the ancestral spirits through libation to bless the farms to yield in abundance. In response to their prayers, rain followed, the crops grew and yielded in abundance.
Every year the Ga celebrates this abundance of food and victory over hunger with a specially prepared diet from fermented corn powder called kpokpoi and palm nut soup with fish. The Village heads then go round the streets of Accra and sprinkle Kpokpoi on the streets and every door in the village to signify the beginning of the feast, thank the gods and pray for more blessings in the new year.
The Homowo is celebrated to commemorate the day when hunger was defeated and holds a week before Chale Wote.
