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Traditional festivals are revered and cherished by various ethnic groups in Ghana. It is an integral component of Ghanaian culture. The Aboakyer festival is one of the most popular festivals in Ghana. The popularity of this festival is evident in documentary records dating as far back as the 1600s.

An image of a statue depicting a successful catch of deer at the Effutu Heritage Centre
Do you desire to know Ghanaian ways of life? Are you interested in understanding how and why the Aboakyer festival is celebrated? Have you ever wondered if the celebrations have changed over time? The answer to these questions inspired this piece. Before that, let’s unearth the identity of the people who celebrate this unique festival.

Source: I rep Cape Coast
Which people celebrate the Aboakyer festival?
The Aboakyer festival is celebrated by the people of Winneba. The traditional name of the people is Simpa. The word ‘Winneba‘, mostly now used to describe these people, was coined by Europeans who came into contact with the Simpa people. They describe the area occupied by the Simpa people as the “Windy Bay” on the Gold Coast, which metamorphosed over centuries into Winneba.
Simpa is located in the Central Region of Ghana. It is one of the dominant ethnic groups in the region. Simpa is about 60 km from Accra, Ghana’s capital.
Simpa belongs to the larger Guan ethnic group in Ghana. The Simpa people speak the Effutu language. This language makes them unique among their immediate Akan neighbours but similar to the Awutu. The Effutu language has borrowed words from their Akan neighbours (Fante, Gomoa, Agona, Etsii).
Simpa is a coastal community that is known for fishing. Most of their activities revolve around the sea. In their early contact with European traders, Simpa served as a roadstead port during the slave and legitimate trade epoch. This community grew to become one of the early urban centres on the Gold Coast. Incidentally, all port activities ceased in 1962.
What is the Aboakyer festival?
First, the Aboakyer festival is centred around the deity of the Simpa people called Penkye Otu. This is the most revered deity among the Simpa people. The Aboakyer festival is celebrated to honour Penkye Otu and appreciate his guidance through their exodus into Simpa. This honour is not limited to Penkye Otu but includes other lesser gods.
According to the oral tradition of the Simpa people, Penkye Otu enjoyed human sacrifice. Slaves were used for this purpose, but the demands of Penkye Otu changed over time. He later required a leopard, which proved more costly than human sacrifice. Penkye Otu now requires a live deer. The other lesser gods also have their respective demands, which mostly require domesticated animals like hens, sheep, and goats. Now that we know the main reason behind the celebration of this festival let’s learn what happens during the celebrations. However, before that, you should know that Aboakyer means ‘animal hunting’- This obviously reveals that before the hunt of animals, the festival was not called Aboakyer. The name evolved when the demands of Penkye Otu changed from human sacrifice.

Source: Aboakyer Gallery
This deer hunting adventure unearths the athleticism and the competitiveness of those who partake in it. It reveals strength and courage as participants who make the catch are wowed and duly appreciated by the leadership of the Simpa community and observers.
When is Aboakyer celebrated?
Today, the Aboakyer is celebrated on the Saturday in the first week of May. The Western Echo on 9 December 1885 published that the Aboakyer festival was celebrated on the first or second Saturday of April. Also, The Gold Coast Independent published on 21 March 1936 that the Aboakyer was celebrated on a Saturday, two weeks after Good Friday. The above dates for the festival reveal that for centuries, that celebration mostly happened in the second half of April, and it climaxes on a Saturday within this period with deer hunting. The official website of the Simpa people, Effutustate.net, in 2017 published that The Effutu Traditional Council in 1965 settled on the first Saturday of May every year. This has been observed to this day. Now, what happens on Saturday is what excites people the most! Let’s find out below.
How is the Aboakyer celebrated?
The deer-catching adventure is undertaken by the Asafo of Simpa. The Asafo is a para-military organization responsible for providing communal labour and social, political and military service for the entire community. The Akans say, “It takes a whole community to raise a child“. The Asafo is the community!
In Simpa, there are two Asafo groups, Tuafo and Dentsifo Asafo. Every indigene of Simpa belongs to one of these groups. Anyone born by a Simpa father automatically belongs to the Asafo of the father. These groups meet and frequently deliberate on affairs of the Simpa state and learn the customs and traditions of the respective groups.
The Otuano Royal House, which established Simpa, commences the festival with rituals aimed at consecrating Penkye Otu. This ritual is marked by sacrificing a ram two weeks before the deer hunting.
A week before the festival, the Asafo groups consult their shrines for clearance, protection, and early catch. Tuafo invoke the gods Eku and Katawer on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
During the week, Dentsefo also invokes their gods—Sakagya, Efirim, and Kofi. These gods are invoked indoors between noon and sunset in preparation for the deer hunting on Saturday.
On the Friday eve, before the Saturday adventure, tensions are high. There is much optimism among both groups. They sing, dance, and cheer in high spirits across the streets but within their jurisdiction.
Encroaching in other groups’ jurisdiction may spark provocation, which may result in fierce riots. In 1885, according to Turkson, in his paper Effutu Asafo: Its Organization and Music, an incident emerged from encroachment but was triggered after derogatory songs from both Asafo groups. This incident is still recalled in a song among both groups. During this time, the Tufuhene head of both Asafo groups ensures that both groups remain in their respective jurisdiction and avoid petty triggers of riots, which usually impair celebrations.

Source: Aboakyer Gallery
At dawn on Saturday, both Asafo groups were ushered into the right positions, with the Tuafo group leading. About 6:00 am, the hunt commences. The Asafo is structured: during hunts, the juvenile leads with the experienced members behind. They both have distinctive colours. The hunt is performed only by clubs which is aimed at crippling the deer. The deer was to be brought alive. The Asafo group, who can make the catch first, is permitted to undertake the ritual and is declared victors of the adventure. They proceed to the town and display their prowess in many ways.
The catch is paraded and sent to the gathering of the Simpa chief, his elders and the priests. The live deer is placed under the feet of the Simpa chief, which signifies approval of the catch and his authority in the Simpa community. The priest and priestesses of Simpa perform the sacrifices throughout Sunday. For more of the rituals, visit – Aboakyer Festival (effutustate.net)
As these rituals are being undertaken men and women of the Asafo play drums and dance. They display their beautiful and unique costumes to the amusement of observers. There are colourful displays of Simpa culture across the length and breadth of the community.

Source: I rep Cape Coast

I rep Cape Coast
This Aboakyer festival will happen in May. Join the Simpa people to celebrate! Don’t forget to enjoy the movement! If you have witnessed this festival, please share your experience.
Sources
The Western Echo, ‘The Deer Custom’, 9 December 1885.
The Gold Coast Independent, ‘The Deer Hunt Festival of Winneba’, 21 March 1936 by M.J. Abaka-Hammond
The Daily Graphic, “The Deer Hunt”, 25 April 1958,
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2023, 25 October). Winneba. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Winneba
Tonkin, E., Marees, P.D., Dantzig, A.V., & Jones, A. (1989). Description and Historical Account of the Gold Kingdom of Guinea (1602). Canadian Journal of African Studies, 24, 126.
Effutustate.net, Aboakyer Festival, 2017. Aboakyer Festival (effutustate.net)
Turkson, A. (1982). Effutu Asafo: Its Organization and Music. African Music, 6(2), 4–16. http://www.jstor.org/stable/30249754
Stephen Baidoo is a writer who loves to research about Ghana's past. He brings Ghana's history to life with each unearthed fact and forgotten narrative, transforming dry dates into passionate stories.
