Similar rules apply to many festivals in Ghana. What they have in common is the ban on noise.

While noise regulations are common at most festivals, the Asafotufiami Festival differs from other festivals by having specific bans on stray animals and noise pollution.

According to Ayiku Akuaku, a chair prince of the Kabiawe-Yumu clan in Ada, some traditional rituals are carried out before the festival, which involves sealing off the town. During this period, roosters are not allowed to crow and goats are not allowed to bleat.

In an exclusive interview on GhanaWeb TV’s People & Places programme, he explained that this was being done to cleanse the town of any spiritual filth and drive away any evil or bad spirits that had entered the area during the festival celebrations.

“In Ada, the special taboo before the festival is for the four high priests and the paramount chief to join hands so that there are five of them to perform some traditional rites at dawn and it is taboo to join them. After the festival, the most important taboo is to seal off the town, a process known locally as ‘Ayakyimanya’. During this process, 2 to 3 weeks may be spent sealing off the town to consult the gods.

“…When the paramount chief, after consulting the high priests, gives the order to seal off the city, the main taboo begins. During this period, no rooster will crow, no goats or sheep will patrol, no noise will be made, no drumming, no worship, etc.,” he explained.

He further explained that if your rooster crowed during this time, the high priest could claim it.

“The main symbol in Ada is a rooster standing on the chair. At this time, no rooster is allowed to crow. If he does, the high priest and his guards come and take it away from the owner without excuse.

“We have a special belief: if you own a rooster, you can put a corn stalk with a rope around its neck to stop it from crowing. Or you can take the rooster and the goat out of the city to the nearest communities. It can only be brought back after the purification tradition.”

The Asafotufiami festival is celebrated annually in August by the chiefs and residents of Ada in the Danube East of the Greater Accra Region.

MAG/ADG