South Tongu: Residents of Agave celebrates Dzawuwu festival

The people Agave in the South Tongue District of the Volta region have celebrated their annual traditional Dzawuwu festival to mark and perform some sacrifices to purify their land for better future ahead.

It was the original festival of the Agave people from Hogbe to the present abodes in the traditional area in South Tongu.

The festival is essentially the cleansing and feeding of the gods led by Togbe Gborbleh and Adzemu with their various cults.

The festival as usual starts from November every year on any Dabala market day that falls on a Thursday and ends on any Dabala market day that falls on Thursday in January.

From the January market day on Thursday, Togbe Adzemunua, the Head of all the Chief Priests and Chief Priestesses leads all priests to the seven principal shrines of Agave to perform the customary celebration with citizens of the clans and the cults.

The activity which lasted for seven days visitation to the seven principal shrines, after which the Paramount Chief enstooled on the Gborbleh Ivory Stool and cult was invited by the Adzemunua for the closing and thanksgiving together with the Chief priests for prayers and sacrifices in the Agave State.

Further information gathered by ModernGhana News indicates that there is no other confirmed paramount chief or Acting chief for Agave since 2009. This means that the annual mini durbar has since been performed by the Stool Father of Togbe Yelu Keteni, the Senior Divisional Chief of Tsiala clan and the owner of the Agave Paramount Stool on behalf of the Agave State.

Togbe Yelu Keteni and his Stool Father have been in charge of the festival for the past 10 years.

Though this year's festival has witnessed a little confusion among some youths and other elders of the traditional area, the peace pipe was finally smoked which allowed for it to be celebrated.