The historic traditional community of Ankyease in Mampong came alive on Sunday, September 13, 2026, as chiefs, traditional priests and enthusiastic residents gathered to officially open this year’s Ohum Festival with the sacred Asafo Nsa rituals.
The vibrant ceremony, marked by traditional drumming, singing and a rich display of cultural heritage, has set the tone for the commemoration, drawing the attention of the entire traditional area to the significance of the occasion.
The Asafo Nsa — the warrior’s or community libation and communion — serves as a vital spiritual precursor to the main festival events, invoking the protection and blessings of the ancestors for a peaceful and successful celebration. It is regarded as one of the most solemn moments on the Ohum calendar, a time when the living commune with those who came before them and seek guidance for the days ahead.
The Ohum Festival itself is celebrated to honour the ancestors, give thanks for community sustenance, and reinforce unity among the people. At Ankyease, the observance drew traditional leaders from across the Mampong enclave, who converged to witness the pouring of libations and to perform rites dedicated to safeguarding the land and its people.
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Sunday’s gathering carried deep symbolic weight. Chiefs and traditional priests, dressed in regalia befitting the occasion, led the procession of rites as drummers and singers filled the air with ancient rhythms. For residents, the ceremony was more than a spectacle; it was a reaffirmation of shared identity, a moment to renew ties with tradition and to seek divine favour for the year ahead.
Following the opening rites at Ankyease, the festival lineup will feature a series of traditional events, community gatherings and cultural displays designed to draw citizens both at home and abroad. Elders have urged participants to use the occasion to foster peace, communal development and cultural preservation, particularly among the younger generation, who are seen as the custodians of the traditions handed down by their forebears.
Organisers say the week-long celebration is expected to attract dignitaries, tourists and cultural enthusiasts to the traditional area, offering a boost to local businesses and reinforcing Mampong’s standing as a vibrant centre of Ghanaian tradition. The influx of visitors also presents an opportunity to showcase the area’s history, customs and hospitality to a wider audience.
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Throughout the week, the focus will remain on the values that underpin Ohum: gratitude for the harvest and sustenance of the land, remembrance of the ancestors, and the unity that binds the community together. For many, the festival is a homecoming — a chance to reconnect with family, participate in communal activities and contribute to the development of the traditional area.
As the drums continue to sound across Ankyease and the wider Mampong enclave, the message from the elders is clear: the Ohum Festival is not merely a celebration, but a living inheritance, one that must be protected and passed on with care. With the opening rites complete, attention now shifts to the main events, which promise to deliver a colourful and memorable week of tradition, togetherness and cultural pride.
