Stories and facts

The Keta-Sometutuza, also known as the Keta-Sometutu Festival, is an annual event celebrated by the chiefs and people of Agbozume in the Ketu South District of the Volta Region, Ghana.

The festival takes place two weeks after the Hogbetsotso Festival and is marked by the Somey people of Agbozume, Denu, and surrounding communities.

The festival commemorates their migration from Keta between 1792 and 1794 following the Keta-Anloga War. Traditionally, it is celebrated on the third Saturday of November.

The festival is characterized by vibrant displays of pageantry and cultural pomp. Central to the celebrations is a grand durbar of chiefs and their subjects. The festivities begin with the performance of traditional rites in Keta, leading to the main durbar at Agbozume.

During the event, the chiefs pay homage to their paramount chief and renew their allegiance. A highlight of the festival is the display of various types of Ewe Kente and other traditional woven textiles, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the Somey people.

The Keta-Sometutuza is significant as it commemorates the exodus of the Somey people from Keta, their ancestral home, to their current settlements.

The festival not only serves as a reminder of their history and struggles but also as a celebration of their unity and cultural identity.

Explore the various festivals celebrated in Ghana below.