The Ga Traditional song "Akwele Suma"

Pic source: Ecroaker
Although a general belief is that the Gas traditional songs are mostly songs about food, well if the was a history that talked about a certain period when the gas went through a period of severe starvation and later that famine was hooted by a heavy harvest that pushed the hunger and deliver the gas from hunger, just maybe we might understand why there is a need for the celebration of food in abundance. The Homowo festival is one of such festival that the Gas respect and keep sacred, it is celebrated annually with songs of celebration, chants songs and one of most kept the "Akwele Suma".



The Akwele suma is a song that is song to celebrate the twins during the homowo, before the homowo the twins both old and young are pamper to appease their spirit, it is a joyful to be blessed by a child, so imagine if that blessing is doubled. At such the Gas on this fateful day prepare special food for their twins and treat the to a special bathing and later a white apparel are worn on them.

The "yeyeeyi" or the Akwele Suma are not only song to celebrate the twins but also those who come after them, tawia is a name mostly given to a child that came after a twin, so whenever you walk into a ga community and come across tawiai just know he has elder siblings that are twins.

The songs expresses the the joy of having twins,who are believed to be a blessing to their parent and community as a whole. The song also expresses the journey of a nine month and the pains of labour.

 Story by Faustina Mensah


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