By Isaac Arkoh, GNA
Cape Coast, Aug. 31, GNA – People from all walks of life thronged the banks of the Fosu Lagoon in Cape Coast to witness rites performed at the ridges of the lagoon to officially lift the one-month ban on fishing in the lagoon.
The rites begin the weeklong celebration of this year’s Oguaa Fetu Afahye, an annual festival celebrated in the first week of September by the chiefs and people of Cape Coast to remember their ancestors and to unite families both at home and abroad.
The colourful event, which sought to invoke the gods’ and ancestors’ intervention and blessing for bumper fishing and crop harvests, attracted residents, visitors and tourists.
The ceremony began with a procession of chiefs and queen mothers, traditional priests and priestesses through some principal streets of Cape Coast with brief stops at sacred shrines where purification ceremonies were performed.
The chiefs and queen mothers arrived at the banks of the lagoon dressed in black and red cloth with green bitter guard leaves tied around their heads and necks.
It was followed by the casting of the net of the Omanhen, the Paramount Chief, which was done three times, amidst the firing of muskets and incantations to determine whether there would be a bumper harvest for the coming year.
Libation was poured to ask for the blessing of the gods on Oguaaman, the Oguaa State and its people for a fruitful and successful year.
A royal procession leading to the chief’s palace amid traditional music ended the colourful event as the traditional priests went to offer the fish caught by the Omanhen’s net to the gods as a symbol of appreciation for the harvest.
Speaking at the event, Nana Kwodwo Adai, the Chief of Abura who represented the Oguaa Omanhen, thanked the people for their unalloyed support and appealed to the youth to desist from engaging in violence and acts that would mar the beauty of the festival.
He said culture and tradition gave a country its identity and helped to foster development and urged the youth to learn about the country’s rich history and customs.
Earlier, there was a regatta on the Fosu Lagoon by three of the seven Asafo companies- Bentsir, Nkum and Anaafo.
GNA