News
Damba: The festival that unites Northern Ghana
Few festivals in Ghana carry the weight of history, colour, and unity like the Damba festival.
What began centuries ago as a religious commemoration has today blossomed into the largest cultural festival in Northern Ghana, celebrated across the Northern, Savannah, North East, Upper East, and Upper West regions.
From the palaces of Dagbon, Mamprugu, and Nanumba, Damba resonates with the sound of drums, praise-singers, and the spectacle of tradition.
Its significance has even transcended borders, drawing Ghanaians and foreign admirers to international editions held in Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
The name Damba is rooted in the Dagbani language, though it appears in other tongues, Damma in Mampruli.
Observed in the third month of the Dagomba calendar, which coincides with Rabia al-Awwal in the Islamic calendar, Damba was originally celebrated to mark the birth and naming of Prophet Muhammad.
Over time, it has evolved into a grand festival celebrating chieftaincy, kinship, and the resilience of Ghana’s northern kingdoms.
The festival unfolds in three major stages that is Somo Damba, Naa Damba, and the grand Belkulsi or farewell procession. In the early days, the Yila Bohambu, or nightly musical rehearsals, fill the palaces with song.
Women of the royal courts lead these performances, keeping alive the traditional chants and rhythms that set the tone for the celebrations. The Somo Damba is a solemn time of prayer, drumming, and dignified dancing.
It is followed by the youthful exuberance of the Binchera Damba, where young men and women take to palace grounds in worn yet stylish smocks, showcasing creativity and spirit in a torn couture display.
Another revered rite, the Shinkaafa Gahimbu (picking of rice), sees clerics, led by the Yidan Moli at the Gbewaa Palace, offering symbolic rituals of blessing and prosperity.
The Nahu Glibu, or rounding of the cow, performed by chiefs, demonstrates wealth, unity, and the continuity of life. But it is the Naa Damba, the King’s Damba that truly crowns the festival.
Here, the atmosphere reaches its peak: chiefs ride majestically on horseback, praise-singers proclaim ancestral glories, and the air explodes with musketry from warriors, signalling strength, protection, and bravery.
One of the most breathtaking spectacles of Damba is the procession of the queens. Adorned in regal cloths and glittering ornaments, they gracefully carry golden-coloured bowls, abolition cans, utensils, sandals, and animal skins, the very seat and symbols of authority for the chiefs.
Each item tells a story, each step a reminder of the sacred duty queens play in preserving heritage and continuity.
Their slow, elegant movement is met with admiration from the gathered crowds, reinforcing the balance between royalty and community. No Damba is complete without the vibrant dances that fill the courtyards.
The housing dance, performed with synchronised grace, captures the essence of belonging, while the warriors’ displays, accompanied by fierce drumming and bursts of musketry in the skies is to celebrate resilience and courage.
These performances not only entertain but also remind communities of their history, values, and collective identity.
The festival’s climax, Belkulsi, bids farewell in a grand procession. Families exchange visits, gifts are shared, and friendships renewed.
Streets and palace grounds explode with colour, sound, and movement, leaving behind memories that last until the next Damba.
From Gonja, Dagbon, Mamprugu, Wali and Nanumba, Damba has remained a symbol of identity and unity.
Its international editions in Cologne, New York, and London highlight the festival’s growing role as a cultural ambassador, projecting Ghana’s northern traditions to the world stage.
Damba is a living archive of history, an affirmation of heritage, and a celebration of the bond between people and tradition.
In its rhythm, regalia, and rituals, one sees not only the past but also the promise of continuity for generations to come.
From Geoffrey Buta, Yendi
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU2
Local mattress manufacturers have raised serious concerns over the influx of substandard mattresses, warning that these products pose significant health risks to consumers and threaten the sustainability of Ghana’s mattress industry.
At a press briefing held in Kumasi on Tuesday, manufacturers accused unregistered foreign entities, particularly Chinese firms, of flooding the market with cheap mattresses made from polystyrene.
Mr Yaw Ampem Darko, a spokesperson for the local manufacturers, warned that prolonged use of substandard mattresses, especially those made with polystyrene, could result in chronic back pain, musculoskeletal disorders, poor posture, and diminished sleep quality.
These health implications, they stressed, were not always immediately evident but accumulate over time, especially among vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly.
This material, typically used for packaging, is considered unsuitable and unsafe for bedding.
According to industry leaders, these sub-standard products have been circulating for at least five years, gaining traction among unsuspecting consumers due to their unusually low prices.
“These mattresses are being sold at suspiciously low prices, luring unsuspecting consumers who are unaware of the health dangers.”
“We are not just protecting our businesses; we are protecting Ghanaian lives. The government must act swiftly to stem this tide before more citizens fall victim to these dangerous products,” Mr Yaw Ampem Darko stated.
The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has acknowledged the issue and, in response, announced a nationwide enforcement campaign aimed at clamping down on the production, distribution, and sale of substandard mattresses.
The campaign, which was scheduled to take effect from September 30, 2025, was empowered by the GSA Act, 2022 (Act 1078), which authorises the Authority to seize and seal non-compliant products and impose sanctions on offenders.
In a statement signed by the Director General of the GSA, Professor George Agyei, the authority cited Sections 29 and 43 of the Act, reiterating that all mattresses sold in Ghana must meet established national standards or face confiscation.
The statement further emphasised that mattresses failing to meet these standards not only compromise sleep quality but also contribute to long-term health complications, including spinal and neck pain.
Despite the GSA’s commitment, manufacturers have expressed frustration over delays in implementation and called for stronger enforcement mechanisms.
They urged the GSA to work in close collaboration with the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and national law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute violators of Ghana’s quality standards.
Manufacturers are also appealing to consumers to remain vigilant and prioritise their health by verifying that any mattress they purchase bears the GSA certification mark.
Moreover, they caution the public against purchasing suspiciously cheap mattresses that lack proper labelling or identifiable branding, as these were often indicators of substandard or counterfeit products.
As the official enforcement deadline had expired with no show, the local producers insisted that much more than business interests were at stake.
They argued that without swift and sustained action, the health and safety of Ghanaian consumers would continue to be compromised.
“Public awareness, strict enforcement, and collaboration among regulatory bodies are essential if we are to protect the integrity of the local industry and the wellbeing of the Ghanaian people,” Mr Darko indicated.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
The Founder of the Raissa Child Protection Initiative, Ms Raissa Sambou, has urged authorities to impose severe punishment on individuals, including teachers and guardians, who sexually abuse young girls.
Speaking in an interview to mark this year’s International Day of the Girl Child (October 11), Ms Sambou condemned the increasing cases of sexual exploitation involving minors, describing such acts as “heartless, criminal, and a total betrayal of trust.”
She noted that those entrusted with the care and education of children must not be the same people who violate them, stressing that “anyone found guilty of abusing a girl child must face the full rigours of the law without leniency.”
The International Day of the Girl Child is observed annually to promote the rights of girls, empower them to reach their full potential, and draw attention to the challenges they face worldwide.
Ms Sambou lamented that poverty continues to push many young girls into vulnerable situations, exposing them to exploitation.
She expressed concern that some headmasters, teachers, and community members who should protect girls rather take advantage of them.
“This must stop immediately. The safety of every girl must never be compromised,” she said, urging the public to report all forms of abuse to the appropriate authorities and called for swift action by law enforcement agencies against perpetrators.
Addressing girls directly, Ms Sambou encouraged them to take their education seriously and to believe in their potential.
“It is possible to be young and responsible. Your future is bright, protect it, believe in it, and never let anyone dim your light,” she advised.
She further urged girls to choose their friends wisely, stay disciplined, and speak up if anyone makes sexual advances toward them.
Ms Sambou concluded with a rallying call for collective action, saying “speak up, protect them, and empower them. Together, we can end the sexual exploitation of girls.”
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
