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Our Culture<br />
ancestors and all loved ones who passed away<br />
are remembered. This is also the day to bury all<br />
those that died during the six week ban. This<br />
is a sad day and usually people wear red/black<br />
clothes to mourn the dead.<br />
Thursday<br />
The feasting begins on Thursday; the royal<br />
families prepare mashed yams with eggs to<br />
be sent to a shrine for the ancestors to eat.<br />
This food is carried on the head by women<br />
guarded by men through the principal streets<br />
to the shrine. These women, who look drunk<br />
and tired, walking and staggering in an<br />
uncontrollable manner, are believed to be at<br />
this moment “possessed” by the ancestors.<br />
On the Thursday, people exchange foods and<br />
other gifts. Some people also pay homage to<br />
the chief and queen mother and give them all<br />
sorts of presents.<br />
Friday<br />
Friday marks the climax of the Odwira Festival.<br />
A Grand Durbar is held. This is targeted at<br />
all participating towns and their chiefs. This<br />
brings together inhabitants, dignitaries, chiefs<br />
and queen mothers from all over Ghana. It is a<br />
colorful event full of glamour; at this moment,<br />
the Okuapehene and Queen mother wear<br />
their full traditional regalia, flanged with gold<br />
ornaments. They dance and exhibit meaningful<br />
gestures whiles the bounce in the air, they are<br />
carried by their attendants in a palanquin (a<br />
boat-like chair). Guns are fired by the ‘Abrafo<br />
and the chief is then sent to the durbar grounds<br />
to be seated. On the durbar grounds, the chief<br />
and queen mother receive homage from all sub<br />
chiefs, queen mothers and dignitaries amidst the<br />
drumming, dancing and ritual performances.<br />
Miss Odwira Beauty Contest is held, with the<br />
Odwira state dance being held in the evening.<br />
Saturday and Sunday<br />
Saturday and Sunday is all about fun, fun<br />
and more fun and culture. Soccer matches,<br />
scrabbles competitions and other field games<br />
are held on Saturday. Sunday is actually the end<br />
of the entire celebration; the ‘Manwerehene of<br />
Akuapem graces the celebration by holding a<br />
grand yet special durbar as part of the Odwira<br />
Festival. On this day, you would witness the<br />
trouping in of tourists, young folk from the<br />
cities etc. to partake of the fun activities that<br />
are organized.<br />
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