Stories and facts
Celebrated with great fervor and enthusiasm, the Kwafie Festival is a time of communal gathering and jubilation. Visitors from far and wide are warmly welcomed to partake in the festivities, sharing in the abundance of food and drink while donning traditional attire.
The highlight of the celebrations is the grand durbar of chiefs, where dignitaries convene to honor the heritage and customs of their respective communities through vibrant displays of dancing and drumming.
In Dormaa Ahenkro, Berekum, and Nsoatre, the Kwafie Festival takes on added significance as it commemorates the ancestral journey of bringing fire to the region.
Lasting approximately three days, this solemn occasion begins with an evening torchlight procession from the palace to the sacred site where ancestral stools are kept. Here, rituals and libations are offered in reverence to the ancestors before the procession returns to the palace.
The following day, the community gathers once more for the ceremonial "laying of logs," known as Nkukuato, wherein officials present logs to the chief as a symbolic gesture of gratitude and respect.
From these logs, the fire is kindled for a ritual meal, marking the culmination of the sacred ceremonies. Later, a grand procession carries the ancestral stools to a nearby body of water for ritual purification, further honoring the legacy of the ancestors.
The final day of the Kwafie Festival is marked by exuberant dancing, music, and feasting on the palace grounds, as the community comes together to celebrate their shared history and cultural identity.
Beyond the festivities, the Kwafie Festival holds profound significance as a commemoration of past events and ancestral achievements.
For the Dormaas, in particular, the festival is marked by the burning of a large bonfire, symbolizing their claim to bringing fire to Ghana, thus underscoring the enduring importance of this annual tradition in preserving and perpetuating the rich heritage of the region.
Explore the list of festivals in Ghana below.
