THE KPELE & KLAMA DEITIES OF THE GA-DANGME PEOPLE OF GHANA

INTRODUCTION

(stilll under writing by Huniah Tetteh. All rights reserved)

The Ga-Dangme people have inhabited the coast of Ghana for over eight (8) centuries. They speak the Ga and the Dangme languages respectively. Ga and Dangme are closely related languages which have diverged over time due to influences from neighbouring Guan, Akan and Ewe languages; not to forget the grand influence of English, Dutch and Portuguese on these two beautiful languages.

Kpele is the main religion of the Ga-Dangme people. There is the annual celebration of Kpele which is called Kpelejoo in Ga and Kpele domi in Dangme and they mean the same thing. During Kpelejoo or Kpele domi, spirits are called upon to descend so as to celebrate the end of the year  with mankind. This would definitely come as a shock to you so, we would now take our time to explain vividly, the concept of Kpele and its significance to the Ga-Dangme ethnic group of Ghana and Togo.

In the Ga and the Dangme languages, Kpele comes from the word Okpelejen which simply means ”The Almighty, Creator of the Universe” and “joo” or “domi” means “dance” in Ga and Dangme respectively. Thus, Kpelejoo means “dancing for the almighty.” It is also important to point out the fact that, in old Guan, Kpele means great. And the word Kpele is very existent in Nzema, Anyin etc. till date to mean grand, very big, huge. Nzema is a modern variant of the Old Guan language which was once spoken in Ghana.

In this write up, we shall be looking at the Kpelejoo of the Ga people and the Kpele domi of the Dangmes typically Gbugbla (also known as Prampram with Klama elements from Ada and Ningo.

Let’s begin with the concept of Kpele in some communities across the Greater-Accra Region.

Nuumo Ahunu Masaakwa (Man sɛi kwa) at Nungua Abele festival

THE CONCEPT OF KPELE

In Kpele, the Almighty is being worshipped but then, unlike the Christian religion and the Islamic Religion, which are monotheistic religions, the concept of Kpele is different. 

There are multiple spirits or gods that would descend to possess various oracles (traditional priests and priestesses) to worship the Almighty-Okpelejen. Every god is endowed with a specific duty or functions in a particular way. There are several of them and such include the god of the sea, god of fishing, god of the shores, god of the rivers, god of fertility, god of the thunder, god of hunting, god of harvest and many more.

In reality, the aboriginal Ga-Dangmes reverenced two main types of natural spirits called the “Kpele” and “Mey” deities. Kpele and Mey deities are still called Kpele deities by the layman but when delving into the specifics, they are different. Nonetheless, Kpele deities can still worship with the Mey dance whiles Mey deities also at certain points switch to Kpele dance. Kpele deities speak a form of Ga language with Awutu & Kyripon elements whiles the Mey deities speak Dangme with Ga and Awutu elements blended here and there.

Both Kpele and Mey deities are known as the Ga-Dangme Oboade deities (aboriginal deities). Mey and Kpele deities are not carved. They are not carved as statutes rather unseen spirits. There are temples and altars erected to their honour. Statutes of the deities are not placed in there because worshipping of the statutes deviates one from the original GaDangme worship. These deities with no images of them are called jeŋmawɔji in Ga and jemawɔhi in the Gbugbla dialect of Prampram and woje wɔhi in Standard Dangme.

Where there are images of them in the shrines and the images are worshipped, those are called wɔji or wɔhi or Tsofawɔji/Tsopa wɔhi. With these facts established that the GaDangme people only have altars of their deities without any statutes of them is one of the reasons why they have lost actual descriptions or pictorial representations of their deities at the moment. Only few of the deities can still be described but knowledge of how most look like has been lost over the years. The shrines serve as holy places that connect the divine with the physical beings. Prayers are offered at these shrines and the prayers are answered.

Each God has a wife called Afieye and the name of a God is attached to his “Afieye” to signify that, this Afieye is the wife of this particular God. So for instance, the wife of the God Lakpaa would be called Lakpaa-Afieye. Same applies to Tsawe whose wife would be called Tsawe-Afieye and it goes on like that. The 2^nd wife of a deity is called Afiorkor. The 3^rd wife is called Asemanyaa. So, at Kpone, we have the Oku deity with his wives Oku-Afieye and Oku-Afiorkor.

The deities are invoked during the Kpele season spanning from May to September to celebrate the Almighty Okpelejen with man.

·       For the month of May, it is Prampram that invokes their deities to dance Kpele led by Maa Lalue and Togbe Digbleh

·       In June, the people of Accra & Osu invoke their deities for Ngmaafaa

·       Early July, the people of Nungua invoke theirs for the Gborbu Kpele festival

·       Mid July-August, the people of La invoke their deities for the Afrimi yam festival and Lakpaa kpele

·       In Mid-July, the people of Ningo have their Maa Djange domi festival.

·       In September, the people of Teshie invoke theirs for the Osabu-Ayiku and Togbe Ligbene Meshwɛmͻ celebration

At this point, we shall talk about the type of dances of the GaDangme Kpele and Mey deities. We have established the fact that there are 2 types of the GaDangme Oboade deities. These deities have various types of dances which we shall only name the general ones in this chapter.

-        Obutu-Kpele dance is the type of dance mainly centred at Ga-Mashie and Osu. Its priests and priestesses speak the Ga Kpele language and they are able to speak whiles in training without fully initiated. They wrap themselves with white lining called Klala to signify that they are Obutu-Kpele priests.

-        Kpãa dance is principally centred at La. It is the dance of the Lakpaa deity and his family. La-Jobu of Ngmati we dances Kpele.

-        The Mey dance is centred at Teshie-Gbugbla, Kpone and Gbugbla.

-        The Kpele dance is principally centred at Nungua and Tema.

-        The people of Ningo and Ada have the unique Klama dance which is a little different from the Klama of Klo yet still, they worship their deities with the Klama dance. They have borrowed other dances like the Ayigbe dance (Agbee) and Kunii dances.

Other dances that have been incorporated into the Ga Kpele cult which are not of Ga origin are the Sakla, Kanja and Gome dance of a sect of the Tikali family. There are also dances like Ngmala, Otu, Larteh-Ada dance, Akom dance, Agbee and some few others.

MUSIC & DANCE

The Kpele and Mey deities respond to Music and Dance. Dance is usually achieved by drumming. This is where 2 very important Kpele deities come to play: the Ahwili deity and the Tele deity. Who are these 2 interesting deities? Let’s take time to learn about them.

Akɛɛ Ahwil’ oo mɛlomɛ

Ahwili ni atsɛɔ dani ajoɔ lɛ,

Opobi fifianku miitsɛ ahwi’

Oofu Ablimante miitsɛ ahwi’

Akɛɛ Ahwil’ oo mɛlomɛ,

Ahwili ni atsɛɔ ni ajoɔ lɛ.

The song above simply translates as “It is Ahwili that is invoked before one can dance Kpele. Oofu Ablimante is calling unto Ahwili. Nuumo Gborbu is also calling unto Ahwili.”

 

Indeed, at Nungua, before the Kpelejoo festival, Opobi Fifianku also known as Aklama-Opobi and Nuumo Gborbu, are the 2 important deities from that Amanfa clan that controls the entire Kpelejoo festival at Nungua. Aklama-Opobi, now Opobi Fifianku or Oofu Opobi, is the deity residing in the Osama drums of the Dangme deities used for the Mey dance.

Aklama-Opobi is a drumming deity and Nuumo Gborbu is the chief God of the Nungua Traditional Area. So, these 2 are acknowledged in the song to be those inviting Nuumo Ahwili to allow for music and dance to take place. To further elaborate, Ahwili, who is the God of music and dance, when not invoked, the celebration will never be successful because he can choose to take his sound away. Interestingly, every Ahwili priestess is a good singer with great singing voice.

It is quite interesting to note that, prior to the celebration of the Kpele festival by the people of Nungua, some pre-rites are performed such as the Dudonumliwoo, Abelewomor etc before the ban on drumming and noise making. After which 3 days to the actual Kpele festival at Nungua, which falls on a Thursday, Nuumo Ahwili is invoked in that period of the Ban on drumming and noise making because he is the God of drumming and everything about music concerns him. He is invoked that evening for a vigil Kpele where no human is to dance except the ancestors whose spirits are said to be present that night. Then, Ahwili is invoked. 3 days later, which falls on Sunday morning, there is the early morning Kpele and afternoon Kpel. In all, Ahwili is acknowledged before the actual kpele begins.

Ahwil’ miifo ha tetetsɛ ei,

Ani tetetsɛ bɛ lo?

Ahwil’ miifo ha tetetsɛ ei,

tetetsɛ bɛ lo?

Nuumo Tele, the deity of the Nungua Kpele drums go side by side with Nuumo Ahwili as the song above tells us. Tele and Ahwili are more than brothers. They are almost like twins. One has to complement the other else there is no kpele. The Tele shrine is in the Nungua Gborbu Koo mli likewise the Ahwili shrine. These 2 shrines are not found anywhere else in the Ga land. All the other Ga communities do not call the Tele drums as Tele drums rather Kpele drums. But it is interesting to note that, be it La, Teshie, Ga, Osu, Kpone, Gbugbla or Tema, they always acknowledge the Ahwili deity in their songs likewise Tele when they start their opening chant for the Kpele procession to begin.

Aso hikwɛ nyaŋpɔŋ, hikwɛ nyɔŋmɔ (I look unto the heavens & God),

Aso Oklenyaŋpɔŋ lɛ ji Onukpa (God Almighty is the eledest),

Ah! Ni Ahwil’oo mɛlomɛ!

//Akɛɛ Ahwil’ oo mɛlomɛ, Ahwili ni atsɛɔ ni ajoɔ lɛ.)

OKWANBISA DEITY

Okwaŋbisa ei, lɛ ji Gbɛtsɛ ei,

Gbɛtsɛ miiba oo, Okwaŋbisa yaa  bi Gbɛtsɛ!

Okwanbisa is the protector of the Nungua township. Back then, getting to Nungua (Ningo-wa), one will use a small path to get to the township. Upon getting to the township, the first shrine (Gbatsu) that you will meet is the Okwanbisa also known as Gbɛtsɛ. He is supposed to scrutinise you before allowing you access to the township. If you have evil intentions, the energy within the shrine would arrest you otherwise you would be allowed to go freely into the township. Now, the Nungua township is cosmopolitan making the Okwanbisa deity rather seem to be in the middle of the Nungua township.

Okwanbisa is also known as the Gbɛtsɛ. Growing up, there were stories from people who said they met the Gbɛtsɛ patroling the Nungua Township at Night. People who claim to have seen him believe that he has his face covered by clouds and only his body is seen and not his face. Among the Gbugbla people, there is the Agboshiagbo deity who functions just the same as Okwanbisa.

KPELE IN NUNGUA-KROWOR

During the annual Kpelejoo celebration at Nungua and throughout the Ga-Dangme land, its success is judged by whether spirits descended to possess the various oracles or not. The descent of the spirits to possess people is a very important part of the Kpele Religion and that is what people do come to observe or experience.

Spirits possess men to worship the Almighty Okpelejen (AtaaNaa Nyongmor) and that is what makes Kpelejoo a successful celebration else should the spirits refuse to possess people then it would have to be postponed. This is because where the spirits do not come to lead men to celebrate, then the celebration of Kpele lacks its essence hence, several consultations need to be made to know the reason why the sprits failed to come. Where the Spirits come, there is intense joy at the Kpele grounds as spirits come to commune and even interact with men and bless them as well.

The Kpele Gods are mainly in two categories: Elder Gods (Wɔji Onukpai) and Non-Elder Gods. This concept of ranking of Gods is similar to that of Greek/Roman/Old Norse Mythology.

During the Nungua Kpelejoo, which is in honour of the elder God for the people of Nungua and most Ga-Dangme communities called Nuumo Gborbu, he must descend to be lifted shoulder-high and for them to bless the communities. There is another very very important deity called Nuumo Tortorley Okuagyeman who the Nungua Kpelejoo is also celebrated to honour. Tortorley is a very important deity to the people of Nungua just as Gborbu but one must always head and in that respect, Gborbu is the Shitse of Nungua. Also, other deities within the Gborbu fraternity like the Oofu deities, Tele, Klorwe deities, Lartey-Ngmai, Tetso and co. are also expected to possess their respective oracles (priests/priestesses) to go and inspect a cow that would be sacrificed to climax the celebration of the gods. Other Elder Gods such as Osabu would possess their various oracles to go and inspect the sacrificial bull meant for the climax of the final Gborbu Kpele as well.

Five days are set aside to venerate the various elder Gods in Nungua. Elder Gods have various names that change from one Ga-Dangme community to the other. So for instance, Gborbu is called Jorbu in La and some other Ga-Dangme communities but there are some that their names remain the same even to Togo such as Tsawe (a.ka NyɔŋmɔTsaa) and Osabu.

So at this in juncture, we talk about some of the Kpele deities. 

In the Kpele Religion, traditional leaders clad themselves in white apparel traditionally known as Klala

 

G

borbu, who is the eldest of all the Gods at Nungua is usually worshipped on a Sunday but Nuumo Gborbu, for reverence sake, is worshipped on 2 separate Sundays which sandwich the days that the other elder Gods are venerated. The first Sunday of the Kpelejoo festival and the last Sunday of the Kpelejoo festival are dedicated to Nuumo Gbɔbu.

The day for the worship of Gborbu is not necessarily targeted for the worship of Gborbu solely but other spirits who are his children, wives and relatives such as: Obieley (Gborbu’s mother), Tele, Ashieley, Naa Hemia, Busuafi, Kotope, Gborbu Beletse, the Oofu deities, Gbohunu, Agbei, Talabi, the Asabili-Buruku deities, Tetso deities, Lartey-Ngmai deities, Yoomo Ablorkor, Oshekee, Gbetse, Aflimata, Nyankomle and many more.

The first Sunday usually does not witness the presence of Gborbu but the last Sunday of Kpelejoo certainly witnesses the presence of the elder God. The Kpele grounds houses one main deity called Yoomo Ablorkor. The name of the deity Ablorkor is used to refer to the Nungua Kpele grounds as Ablorkor-Jaranor (Ablorkor Grounds).

Gborbu is depicted as a calm deity who barely harms unless intimated. Art work would link Gborbu to Zeus who may be fully humanoid but with the wings of a bird and perhaps bear the head of one just as the bible describes the four creatures in front of the throne of God. Gborbu is seen as a father/mother fowl who would do everything to protect his children. The reason being that:

1.   1.  Everyone on the Nungua land is his/hers and he/she doesn’t see the need to harm any of his own.

2.  His children are countable and there is the need to protect them rather than kill them.

Also, you may have noticed that I used he/she. Yes, it is believed that a Kpele deity could either be a male or female but Okpelejen is seen as a male-female. Okpelejen is the Creator hence he/she is called AtaaNaa Nyɔŋmɔ.

Ataa - Father or King

Naa - Mother or queen

And some of the Kpele deities are perhaps male but passionate as females. This could perhaps contribute to the tolerance of the GaDangme people towards effeminacy because right from birth, they are culturally inclined to see effeminacy as a natural occurrence. Even at the fore front of the Ga Kpele religion, effeminates are part and play great roles without discrimination unlike in most parts of the country Ghana where effeminates may face discrimination.

When the Gborbu deity possesses his oracles, their breasts could be covered or not. According to Nuumo Gborbu Bortey, the Elder Gborbu priest as at 2023 when this book was being written stated clearly that when he was young, the Gborbu priests he came to meet cover their breasts during possession whether male or female. But he personally felt like, he should be bare-chested due to very personal reasons he had. 

A Gborbu priest possessed

Two Gborbu priestesses possessed with their breasts covered

It also comes as no surprise that the Kpele celebration by the Guins of Togo, who are Ga by origin, also have lots of effeminates playing great roles in the religion and this could be attributed to the Ga-Dangme belief in the effeminacy of the creator.

Gborbu is said to possess just 2 females and a male within a specific period. So, Gborbu will never possess more than 3 people at a time. Nuumo Gborbu only comes during the final Kpelejoo. Per the Nungua customs, Gborbu is a trinity so when only 2 Gborbu priestesses are alive and one is no more, the Wulomo is also carried shoulder high to be a replacement for the unavailable priest to complete the trinity. So, for him to possess someone during the first Kpelejoo, then it means a new Gborbu priest or priestess is being initiated at that time and that would be the only reason for him to show up during the 1^st Gborbu Kpele. Gborbu may show up during an amamprobi festival but the fact of the matter is, there are 2 variants of the Gborbu deity. The master God himself who resides in the Gborbu koo called Bͻlͻ Maawu, Olɛŋɛ, ShitsɛOdooma. He is too big to fit into the “Kulo” so, we have a diminutive variant of him who behaves just like him but also different from him. This variant is the one mostly used by the Gborbu priests for their Amanprobi interment. So, the principal God of the Nungua township called Gborbu does not go to Amanprobi because even the Gborbu wulomor does not look upon dead bodies and the same applies to the deity but his variant goes for Amanprobi to escort the dead but not to look upon them.

Meaning that should a Gborbu priest be possessed for an Amamprobi celebration, the deity you see is a variant of Gborbu but not the Bͻlͻ Maawu himself..

                  

 Gborbu Wulɔmɔ and other Ga traditional leaders having Jenten nii, a pre-Kpelejoo rite

                Nuumo Gborbu has appellations that go like

Shitsɛ!!! Bͻlͻ Maawu oo,

Olɛŋɛ ei! Olɛŋɛ ei! Tutu agbɛ,

Koo kɛ ehe ŋmei,aye yɛ ohe

Odooma naa Shitsɛ,

Wo di ekyingye di akͻhwɛ biribi!

NAA ASHIELEY OGBEYOO

Wɔwɔ ashiɛle ogbeeyoo ni;

Naa! Gbɔbu ŋa ei oo!

Ashiɛle ogbeeyoo ni!

Ashi ɔ lɛ e, Tinkun ni ashi ɔ lɛ!

Naa Ashieley, the earth goddess among the Nungua people, is a very controversial deity. She is the first wife of Nuumo Gborbu and the owner of the earth. The Akans call her Asaase Yaa. She fights with bean stalks as her main weapon, so Kpele priestesses do not eat beans or any bean product, as those are the weapons of the earth Goddess.

In the beginning, she loved Gborbu so much that, she would not allow any woman to go near him. But Gborbu being the promiscuous person that he is, would always sneak out to have affairs with women. When the Ashieley shrine was to be built, she ordered that it be constructed at the entrance of the Gborbu Koo so that she would watch over the entrance as she believed that, “if you want a good job, you do it yourself and not entrust it to anyone.” Gborbu had an affair with the water Goddess, Naa Ohemia.

Naa Ashieley had no child for Nuumo Gborbu. The water Goddess, who was the queen of the waters, is called Naa Ohemia. She had her first child with Nuumo Gborbu who is called Nuumo Lartey Ngmai. They had other children like Ogbee Sango, Ogbee Klorwey and many others. Most of her children live in the waters.

Naa Ashieley really frustrated Naa Ohemia when she finally came on land to move in with Gborbu. So, she settled outside of the Gborbu Koonaa with her numerous children nurturing them. Anytime she sees Ashieley, she begins to sing calling her a barren woman.

Ashieley became friends with Aklama. Aklama was a hunter. Aklama is the Ga variant of the Osaama deity which was brought to Nungua and other Ga towns. Aklama is an extrovert and very friendly. Aklama is the son of the Hunting Lord Osabu and Maa Yomle originally from Gbugbla. Aklama really loved Ashieley and anytime he made a kill, he shared a portion of his meat with Naa Ahieley before taking the rest home to Ataa Osabu and his mum, Maa Yomle at Nungua for cooking. This was what brought about Aklama’s veneration song right after Naa Ashieley’s song because Ashieley would tell Ataa Osabu that, Aklama belongs to her and not to Osabu.

Wu di ayɛ wu yie, Aklama! Maawu oo budu!

Loye-Aklama, Maawu oo, budu!

Naa Ashieley would in time have her own son called Tinkun. Tinkun was his only begotten son. She has taken Aklama as her own child and loved him so dearly thus Tinkun was her first biological child in addition to Wowor Aklama, her adopted son. Naa Ashieley vowed to make Naa Ohemia jealous and envious of her son so she would dress Tinkun very well. She would once in a well get these 6 pieces of clothes, dress his only son and parade him all over the township. This was what brought about the Buei Ekpaayoo rites after priestesses were initiated into Kpele or Hekpeemor rites. It is in honour of Naa Ashieley for acceptance into Kpele.

Tinkun was so spoilt by his mom that he lacked the ability to reason and make very good decisions because his mom would always provide and be there for him. So, in the Nungua Kpele cult, Tinkun is not allowed to possess anyone because the person would lack the ability to make very good judgments.

At Oyibi, Naa Ashieley is in charge of the Gborbu Abele used to celebrate the Gborbu Kpele during the veneration of the Gods. Ashieley’s day is on Thursday and as the Goddess of the earth, during the Nungua Kpelejoo festival, there is no Kpele danced on her day of worship because if every other day, people jump and stamp the earth, should her day too be the same? No, we need to let her enjoy her peace. That is also the reason why the Sundays meant for the veneration of Nuumo Gborbu, his wife is not be disturbed by digging the earth. 

NUUMO OSHWE YAADO

Oshwe is the next in line after Nuumo Gborbu, the Nungua shitsɛ is worshipped. The umbrella name is Oshwe but it also witnesses the worship of other deities that are children, wives and relatives of Oshwe. Oshwe-Yaado is the name of the elder God; and other deities worshipped alongside Nii Oshwe are Ahwan (Oshwe’s son), Totorley, Mokwe and many others. As earlier stated, most of the deities have wives called Afieye and the wives of the Oshwe deities are all worshipped on that same Tuesday.

At Anehor in Togo, there are other gods that are in line with Oshwe and they are also worshipped on that same day although one may ask, “are they not Togolese?” The people of Glidzi in Togo also have a variant of the Oshwe deity there. It is on the day of Oshwe that Elder deities within the Oshwe divinity who have possessed their respective priest or priestesses to go round the Tele (Master drum or Kpele drum).

At Nuumo Oshwe’s sacred shrine

OSABU OLAATEI

Osabu Olaatei is originally a Dangme deity. Osabu Olaatei is a solely Klama deity who has been converted to a Kpele deity in some Ga communities such as Tema, Nungua, La. Olaatei’s son is Aklama-Opobi for the Ga side.

At Nungua, during the Kpelejoo, Olaatei is worshipped on Wednesday just as every other GaDangme community even to as far as Anehor and Glidzi in Togo. He is a hunting deity. He has various appellations. 

In Dangme                                                      In Ga

            Osabu Olaatɛi, Nyumu Jɛnga,                                    Osabu Olaatɛi, Numu Jɛnga, 

            Teteete Gbͻbilͻ,                                                         Teteete Gbͻbilͻ,Dantawura

Efi boje,                                                                      Nuu kakaalͻ, Nuu ni jeee abͻde

E kla gbaja kɛkɛ nɛ e wo tu,                                       muitsɛ ni,….

E se tami……

Aklama-Opobi is said to be the watchman of Osabu. He is also a hunter. He sticks very close to Osabu. To understand Osabu very well, you need to understand him from the Dangme perspective. At Kpone, Teshie and Gbugbla, he is venerated with the Klama dance. At Nungua, he is venerated with Kpele and little Klama. Aklam-Opobi orders the steps of Osabu and guards him. Osabu Ŋmeŋmelekutu is Olaatei’s direct brother. Ŋmeŋmelekutu is calm, introverted and childless so he is not well known as compared to Olaatei who played an important role during the Katamanso war.  

Olaatei’s wife is Maa Agbabi-Yomle. At Nungua, Olaatei is believed to have married other women in addition to Maa Yomle (Yoolee wa) and they are: Naa Akɛlɛ Maŋsɔfuu, Naa Fufɔ-Akpelele, Naa Akushika. Naa Akɛlɛ-Maŋsɔfuu (Nae bi Akɛlɛ) is actually from the Nae family. The Nae’s family have Tuesdays to be their sacred days. Nae bi Akɛlɛ is said to be the rival of Maa Yomle at Nungua. There are 2 variants of the Akele deity at Nungua. One with Gborbu and the other with Osabu.

Naa Fufɔ-Akpelele is said to be the one with the big breast who feeds Osabu’s children and nourishes them to growth at Nungua.

Among the Dangmes, Maa Yomle is the only wife of Osabu and no one else. He wields a sword (tsi) and a gun. Osama is his first son. Osama is the deity of the Klama drums. That is why the Ga side call the Osama deity as Aklama-Opobi. Yomle and Osabu also gave birth to other children and they are: Agboshiagbo, Ayiku Dangmalangmor, Okumi-Sasraku, Magbie-Tsawe (the lightning deity), Abla and others. Osabu’s father is Digbleh and his mum is Maa Lalue. Ayiku’s grandfather is Digbleh.

Image of the Annor We (Aner we) clan. Owners of the Osabu deity

Among the Ga Kpele priestesses, an Osabu priestess goes barechested when possessed but in the Dangme culture, the females have their breasts covered. It is only when they have to hunt that they strip their clothes off.

Osabu Nyumu is very important that June in Dangme is named after him and July is Yomle. Yomle is Osabu’s bethrothed wife. Osabu-Olaatei, Osabu Beletse and few other Osabu deities (in Nungua) also show up for the celebration including the Togolese. There is firing of musketry at every Osabu celebration

                    The master drummer Olayi, plays the Kpele tune with other drummers

NUNGUA ABILI DEITY

Abili probably comes from the Guan language and it means black. The Guan language has dialects. Some dialects call the colour black as Bili and others also call it Bibi. Abili is worshipped on a Friday. Abili could refer to a single or dual deity that is Abili and/or Abili-Afieye. Abili is also a warrior and a Semi-Kpele and Semi-Akom deity.

It is naturally not a Kpele deity but it has with time adapted and adopted Kpele characteristics. On the day for the worship of Abili, only the deity wears black or red attire but the admirers or people present would wear their usual white cloth.

 

Even with the attire, Abili would first wear a white attire to acknowledge his Kpele side and then, go change to black/red to signify their strictness and Otu (Akom) origin. Then finally wear the Akom-Rafia and smear black charcoal and black substances all over themselves.The worship of Abili definitely witnesses the possession of Akom, Otu and other Tikali priests.

In reality, the Ga Gods are grouped as Obɔade wɔji and Tsofa wɔji. Obɔade wɔji are those deities who were already existent on the Ga land and others that moved with them throughout their journey from their ancestral home to their current location in Ghana but then, “Tsofa wɔji” are the deities that they adopted or brought from neighbouring Guan, Akan, Ewe and even Dagbon lands. So while Me and Kpele deities usually speak a type of Old Ga language, “Tsofa wɔji” speak various non-GaDangme languages.

Nuumo Abili or Naa Abili-Afieye is/are believed to be very strict deities and would virtually tolerate no nonsense. He/She has rigid rules or principles which one must abide by should one choose to follow him/her. Abili is a war deity and assisted together with Osabu during the Ga-Asante Katamanso war. The worship of Abili during the Kpelejoo festival is one beautiful scene and one must make time to experience it.

TSAWE OTROME

Tsawe or NyɔŋmɔTsaa is usually worshipped on a typical Saturday. Tsawe could be synonymous to Hermes. Tsawe is also believed to be the Chief Linguist (Otsiame agbo) of the Gods and He is also an Elder God.

On a typical Saturday, which is a day before the final Gborbu-Kpele, is the day for the worship of Nuumo Tsawe. Divinities that are within the Tsawe are Tsawe-Afieye, Tsawe-Afieyeokor, Kanton and others. They dance Kpele but at a point in time, they blend with Me.

The worship of Tsawe also sees the possession of priests and priestesses from Anehor and other parts of the Ga-Dangme land. After the Tele (Kpele drum) is well played for the Kpele and Me deities, another tune for the Anehor deities are played for them to be possessed and it is a beauty seeing Ga-Kpele and Anehor-deities mixed up together in unity.

Kpele teaches Ga-Dangme people and nonGa-Dangmes the essence of unity, love and respect because different languages are spoken by the Ga, Dangme and Anehor people yet they do not consider those differences rather, the fact that they have one ancestor.

Kpele is also very important because on that day, there is no discrimination based on attire, social status, sexuality, gender whatsoever rather everyone is made to experience the beauty of Kpele and it has to some extent made typical Ga-Dangme people very tolerant of others.

THE FINAL GBORBU KPELE

The final Gborbu Kpele is a day that everyone looks forward to as it is the day to mark the descent of Nuumo-Gborbu. Many come from afar to witness this day. It is expected that the Oofu deities and the Osabu deities should be possessed so that they can inspect a cow prepared for them.

Also, Gborbu, Tortorle, Tsawe, Mokwe, Asabili and many other Akom deities are all expected to be possessed to grace the occasion.

Kpele usually starts by noon and closes by 6:30pm or 18:30hrs. As usual, it begins with the pouring of libation, drumming and merry making. So many deities are possessed and after the Oofu and Osabu deities are done inspecting the cow prepared for them, Gborbu eventually descends and possesses His oracles usually 3 in number. They all move to the Tetsonaa Temple (watch this video to know more about Tetsonaa - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OS8ynC5AOA&t=618s) and then they continue to the sacred Gborbu forest. They dance and in the evening, which would be almost the end of the Kplelejoo celebration, Gborbu is carried shoulder high and taking to important sites to make libation and they come to close Kpele.

Gborbu wulomor making libation for Kpele to start

Gborbu priestess and priest carried shoulder high

KPLE DOMI/KLAMA DOMI

Klama is danced during Kple domi. Klama is danced throughout the Dangme territories. The Klo use Klama for their Dipo celebration. The people of Ada, Osudoku, Gbugbla, Nugo use Klama for the veneration of their deities.

The people of Teshie-Gbugbla also dance Klama but they use the Ga word “Me” for it. There are groups of dances under Me such as the Klama, Adampa, Gbongɛɛ dance, Okpili. Asafo dance, Oshan-Hausa dance and Osabu dance. There seem to be more dances but as at the time this book was been written, these were the ones that were well noted. The people of Gbugbla amd Teshie-Gbugbla have almost the same culture but with little variation due to the difference in geographical settlement.

The people of Teshie use a rather conventional tune for their Me dance whereas Gbugbla (Prampram) maintains a rather traditional tune. With the people of Gbugbla, there is the Kpalɔ. He sits in the middle of the Agbabihi and mostly receives songs from the possessed oracle. The Kpalͻ could also be called the Agbabihi atsɛ (the leader of the Agbabihi group). The Agbabihi consists of the group of the drummers, Kpalͻlee wa, gong-gong beaters and other people helping to make the drumming lively for the deities. The Kpalͻ is the same as the Kpalͻlee wa. The “lee wa” affix is a way to ascribe greatness to an individual in the Dangme language.

For Gbugbla, the Kpalͻ plays his role by actually receiving and singing whenever a priestess raises a song. But in Teshie, the Kpalͻ doesn’t play any singing role due to the Ga influence where the deities sing their own song and dance to it. Let us look at the recitations of the possessed oracles in address to the agbabihi when possessed.

    Agbabi! Agbabi!!

    Nyɛ he manye (response: manye ba)

    Nyɛ so manye (response: manye ba)

    Nyɛ mi manye (response: manye ba)

    Nyɛ nguͻ, nyɛ nguͻ (response: wa nguͻ ngɛ o dem, o wem sa?)

    Gbͻnͻ!!! (response: o wem bi?)

    Yobu be! I haa nyɛ tsumi!

    I haa nyɛ adɛɛ, I haa nyɛ penya;

    I haa nyɛ kplͻkͻtͻ;

    Bleku nɛ ya, bleku ba na wͻ,

    Ke a bi wa si, a de ke wa ngɛ!

    Tsua/Fia manye nɛ ba!!!

 

The Mey deities communicate every action of theirs from when they ar in, done singing, going to change and a whole lot. This is unlike most Kpele deities. Mey deities have their breasts covered whether they are male or female oracles.

There are specific deities that are seen as principal among the Dangme or Mey Fraternity. They are

1.     Nadu and his wife, Maa Laaloi-Baake

2.     Togble Digbleh and his wife, Maa Lalue-Baake

3.     Maa Djange and his husband Ataa Tsawe

4.     Ayiku Dinglah

5.     Ayiku Dangmlangmor (Kle-Ayiku)

6.     Osabu Olaatei and his wife, Maa Yomle.

7.     Baate

8.     Ataa Oshan

9.     Adingmili and his children

Nadu is found at Osuwem, Gbugbla, Kpone, Osu-Ga and other Dangme communities. Nadu’s son is Ahunu. He is a warrior and very strict. His full appellation goes like Osu Nadu Kotomaja. Nadu has a Baake who is well recognised in most of these communities. Baake is the same as Afieye in the Ga language. Nadu heads as the Elder God together with Klottey at Ga-Osu. Nadu’s son is Ahunu. Ahunu is the God of the whirlwind fully known as Ahunu Masaakwa. 

Nadu priestesses dancing at Ningo Oyile domi

There was a recent event at Osu, in Accra, where the Nadu deity had to be venerated but hasn’t possessed anyone in ages. So, a Tsawe priestess from Prampram availed herself to be possessed by Naadu-Baake and the deity was venerated for the first time in decades.

At Ningo, Nadu’s dad is Oyile (Klan or Baate) but the case isn’t the same at Prampram where Nadu’s child is rather Klan at Prampram.

Digbleh is called Ligbene by the people of Teshie and Nyigblin by the people of Anehor and Glidzi in Togo. He is the husband of Lalue. Lalue among the Kpone, Gbugbla and other Ga communities is female. Interestingly, the people of Ada view Lalue as a man affirming his/her bisexuality. In Greek mythology, there are deities that are Hermaphridites i.e. fusion of a male and female into one body and that could be the case with Nene/Maa Lalue. At Ada, Nene Lalue’s wife is Lalue-Baake.

Ligbene has his day to be on Monday whiles Lalue’s day is on Tuesday. Ligbene is seen as a non-aboriginal deity who married Maa Lalue so he is not given more days for veneration but then, Maa Lalue as 2 days to be venerated and Maa Yomle takes the third Tuesday. That is to say, there are 4 days of veneration at Prampram. The first day, which falls on a Monday is for Togbe Ligbene. The following Tuesday is the 1^st Lalue Kple domi. A week after which falls on Tuesday again is the 2nd Lalue Kple domi. The 3^rd Tuesday is Maa Yomle Kple domi. Then, the afternoon of Maa Yomle’s day, there is the circular Kple were the town folk dance and the Lalue drums is taken to sea to end the Kple domi festival.

The Lalue drum brought out the afternoon of Maa Yomle Kple domi

Lalue Laabia performing fimal Kple domi rites at the sea

The Lalue drums going to be immersed into the sea to end the Kple domi festival

THE AYIKU DEITIES

There are 2 Ayiku deities at Prampram. Kle Ayiku and Ayiku-Dingla. Kle Ayiku is better known as Ayiku Dangmalangmor. He is the God of the mentally ill and lunatics. During Kpele procession, he can raise a drum or chair to hit someone. Whenever the rite for Ayiku is being done, mentally unstable people including people with down-syndrome do go there.

Ayiku Dingla is a prosmicuous deity who loves women a lot said to be. Mythology names 5 prominent women in his temple although there are others. They are Maneyo, Dengmeyo, Baseyo, Kemeyo and Busayo. Not much is clear about Maneyo but Dengmeyo is his first wife. Baseyo is his 2^nd wife and Kemeyo is his 3^rd wife. The Ayiku’s have Digbleh to be their father.

 Dingla is a warrior. He once went for war and on his way back, met this female divinity called Baseyo. She is well travelled. She is open minded and accustomed to different cultures. Dingla had a hard time with Baseyo so he left her after impregnating her. Baseyo gave birth but vented her anger towards her child. One day, she and Dingla met unexpectedly. They came back together as she was still in love with him.

Numo Adingmili and his son Atiawu like we had mentioned, also have close affinities with the Ayikus. In the Gbugbla Kpele cult, when Atiawu or Adingmili are done doing the Osabu dance, they dance the Adampa with the Ayiku songs

AYA & GAO

Aya translates as python in the Dangme language. The python is harmless which is what makes Nuumo Aya, the Elder God of the Kpone people. Aya’s stool is what the chief of Kpone sits on thereby, the ruler of Kpone is the Aya Wulomo. Nuumo Aya’s chief and trusted linguist is Nuumo Gao Abiridada. Gao is Sakumo of Tema biological son. The story goes that Gao was asked to come to Kpone to defend a group of people. Out of anger, he killed all his enemies which displeased Sakumo.

So, Sakumo asked him not to return but to correct his mistakes and stay where he is. Gao rose to prominence at Kpone . Gao still acknowledges Sakumo as his dad. Gao is also worshipped at Ga-Mashie where he is called Dantu. The Asafoiatse of Aya at Kpone is Osabu Olaatei.

Gao married his Afieye and they gave birth to Okulapey, Kometeh, Kome, Alikoto, Otu Annan and Otu Anum. Nuumo Aya dances Mey whiles Gao is purely Kpele. Gao’s day is Tuesday whiles Afieye is on Friday.

At Kpone, we have Jorshie and the Alata factions. Gao is the senior linguist of Aya but for only the Jorshie faction, Klan-Baate is the linguist for just Jorshie whiles Tsawe and Ahunu are the linguists for the Alata faction.

Ogbedadao Nyankomle is also one of the important deities at Kpone. Nyankomle is also at Gbugbla, Teshie and Nungua. At Kpone, Nyankomle is the deity that is prayed to for the sea to be blocked and allowed for fishing.

Nyankomle has songs in Dangme and in Ga and they are sung this way;

                                                                            (In Ga)

Opee ei lalasusu, opee ei lalasusu

Heni ayaaa wɔbaaya, opee ei

Heni ayaaa wɔbaaya, opee ei lalasusu

Ogbee ei Nyankomle!

 

(In Dangme)

Ogbedadaa Nyankomle lɛ ji jemawɔ(wɔ ngua lo)

w'akuma brepɔ, w'akuma menguɔ lo! Tsawe mabrepɔ, Tsawe menguɔ lo!....

                    APPELLATIONS OF GAO:

O muɔ mɛ oo! (Dangme for you collect and gather them)!

Abiridadaa! King bi king! Amlalo bi amlalo!

otsɛ ɔpɔ sika pɔ!

Olai wɔ mu oye!

Ofite ni osaa, Dantu abiridadaa!

OOFU (ONUFU)

Oofu Ablimante Alemle-Sackey

Oofu is a very important deity to the Ga and Dangmes. The Oofu piɛ/shrine is originally in Nungua. Oofu is a Kpele deity so wherever Oofu is; he is venerated with the Kpele dance. The name Oofu is from the Ga word “Onufu” which means “a snake.” At Nungua, the original home of the deity is Oofu We. The symbol of the Nungua Oofu We is a cobra.

Oofu is the direct assistant/guard to the Gborbu deity. The Oofu deity is a serpented deity: half human and half snake. Ablimante Alemle-Sackey is his real name. Ablimante is a python just like Nuumo Aya. The difference between Aya and Ablimante is that; Aya is the elder God of Kpone and he is venerated with the Mey/Klama dance whiles Ablimanante is rather not calm and he is venerated with Kpele. Ablimante prefers to eat children who have their umbilical cord uncut. He is a very wicked deity.

His aboriginal children are Oofu Longmoaku, Oofu Ahwili (Ahwi) and Oofu Abubuanor. He is married to Oofu Nyankuede Sono-obianim. It is said that, Nyankuede was having an affair with Gborbu. Gborbu’s bethrothed wife Ashieley got to find out about this secret relationship and she really frustrated Nyankuede. Nyankuede got pregnant with Ablimante.

After giving birth to Ablimante and he grew up, she fell in love with his own son. Don’t forget that the deities are half human and half animals so their ways are not exactly like human beings. Ablimante in turn fell in love with his mum, Oofu Nyankuede. Nyankuede is also a snake (mythology did not specify the type of snake). They gave birth to Longmoaku, Abubuanor and Ahwili.

Longmoaku is a cobra. He likes eating whole fowls and eggs aside the fact that he inherited his father’s habit of eating children with umbilical cords uncut as well as pregnant women. Oofu Ahwili also has a great appetite for blood and children likewise Abubuanor. Abubuanor is the personal guide and watch man for Ablimante. He guides their home to ensure there is no intruder and no one plays nonsense with his family.

Abubuanor is also found at Prampram likewise his father Ablimante. Ablimante and Longmoaku also have shrines at Ga-Mashie and Teshie but in all, their origin is Nungua. Oofu Ahwili, is a deity that throughout Accra, everyone invokes. At Nungua, the Thursday before the Obeneshimor and the first Gborbu Kpele, Ahwili is invoked. Everyone must go to sleep for Ahwili to go through the town in the midst of quietness and tranquility. On the faithful Sunday for the first Gborbu Kpele of Nungua, Ahwili is invoked as the musical and dance God to open way for Kpele to start. 

Oofu Longmaku holding his favourite meal

NENE BAATƐ

Baate is the leopard deity of the GaDangme people. The Ga people call him Klan-Ofosu. He is also called Nene Oyile by the people of Ningo. To begin with, the animal leopard is called Gbetee in the Dangme language. It is said that, when the Dangmes first settled at Ningo, there was this leopard that comes out occasionally. This leopard happens to be a deity but they were initially afraid of. The animal Gbetee later revealed himself as a deity to the people of Nugo by possessing someone. The fear of Gbetee made the people of Nugo not extend their settlement far from the Coast towards the inlands (an area about 15km from the sea) because that was Gbetee’s territory. Gbetee simply means leopard but he revealed his name as Oyile. Oyile, Medoku-Ayeh, Tsawe and Maa Djange are the most important deities to the people of Ningo. You cannot do without them.

This same Oyile or perhaps one of his children introduced himself as Baate to the people of Gbugbla. Baate is also known as Klan-Ofosu by the Ga people.

At Gbugbla, Baate is a messenger to Digbleh. Baate and Tsawe of Olowe clan at Gbugbla are those who deliver Digbleh’s message if Togbe Digbleh has any for his people at Gbugbla. This same Baate is also the chief messenger of Nene Aya Kootse of Kpone. At Teshie, Baate is the one who opens the way for the celebration of Kpele after festival ends.

Sɛɛdomɛ, the buffalo deity

IMPORTANCE OF KPELE TO GA-DANGME & HUMANITY

Ga-Dangmes believe in the Kpele or the Oboade deities. In Kpele, 2 dances are mainly performed and those are the :Me or Klama dance and the Kpele dance. Kpele has lots of values which we shall look at below

 

•  Unity: The core essence of Kpele is unity. The deities are numerous with various functions yet during Kpele, there is nothing like disagreement or fighting rather coming together in spirit of oneness and love to celebrate. There is no discrimination of attire, religion, hairstyle whatsoever during Kpele.

•     Love – Indeed, Kpele is an exemplary culture where hugs are exchanged. Should an effeminate be possessed or show up during the celebration, there is no discrimination. In fact, most effeminates are at the fore-front of the Kpele religion which is a very exemplary culture where they utter love and trust without any form of intimidation or discrimination. Not all religions would accept effeminates to be at the forefront of the traditions but in the Ga Kpele, this is worth talking about.

•  Variety – Ghanaians are mostly not cultured to accept variety. For instance, intolerance towards albinos, red hair people, brunets and many more but then, because different deities have their respective characteristics and habits, Ga-Dangme people find no issues with that and would defend it at all cost. This makes the people have a very rich attitude of tolerance.

•  Gender – GaDangmes are naturally cultured that when one gets possessed, the gender of a person is based on the gender of the spirit thus, the acts of a person should not lead you to judge the person. This has made GaDangmes very tolerant people and their level of tolerance is very rare across Ghana.

Kpele has great values and importance rather than what monotheistic religion like Christianity makes people to think of the religion. The religion has been demonized by some Christians and it is high time one looks to the concept of the religion and accept the fact that Kpele bears an entire embodiment of divinity and demonizing it means to demonise an entire way of life. I would also urge Ga-Dangne people to embrace their religion and culture with love because Kpele is what they were born into and Kpele has been and would always be their soul, mind and heart. There is an element of Kpele in the way a GaDangme thinks! Thank you!