Stories and facts

Kpini Chugu, known as the Guineafowl Festival in Dagbani, is a cultural celebration observed in the fourth month after Damba in the Northern region of Ghana.

This festival is celebrated in the traditional areas of Dagbon, Mamprugu, and Nanung. It traces its origins back to Naa Zangina, who is recognized as the initiator of this festival.

Naa Zangina, according to oral history, played a significant role in bringing Islam to Dagbon. The folklore surrounding Kpini Chugu is linked to a story from the time of the Prophet Mohammed.

The tale recounts a journey in the desert where the Prophet, exhausted and parched, ran out of water. In his desperate search, he saw a guineafowl flying overhead, from which water dripped onto him.

When the Prophet asked the guineafowl where it found the water, the bird refused to reveal the source. Later, another animal led the Prophet to water.

As a result of the guineafowl's refusal, it was decreed that the bird would be punished by being slaughtered. Before its slaughter, a few feathers are plucked, and it receives a few lashes with a small fig branch while the phrase "A daa moŋ ti anabi kɔm" is proclaimed in Dagbanli, which translates to "you denied our prophet water."

Following this ritual, the guineafowl is slaughtered and prepared for a feast. This ritual forms the central element of the Kpini Chugu festival, symbolizing the community's cultural and religious heritage.