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Dagombas mark Fire Festival in Kintampo

Dagombas have celebrated The Bugum Chugu (Five Festival) with a colorful display of traditional activities.

Date Created : 9/18/2019 5:29:49 AM : Story Author : Rufina Yuoni/Ghanadistricts.com

The Bugum Chugu is the first Dagomba Festival in the year, which is celebrated in the first month of the Dagomba Lunar year, the Bugum Goli (the month of fire) and falls on the ninth day of the month.

The origin of this festival is both of tradition and Islam. The traditional origin states that, once a king lost his son who had gone out playing but failed to return home, he was feared to be with his mother but soon it was realized he was not.

The king quickly assembled his warriors to go looking for the child. Because it was dark, they lit torches and found the boy under a tree fast asleep. They took the boy (prince) home and viewed the tree as evil and so to shame it they threw their torches at the tree to burn it. The king instructed that, every year, the event is commemorated.

Dancing Ziem with the Light

Yet another origin of the festival is said to have been during the time of Anabi Nuhu (Noah) when his ark finally settled at Mount Arafat and the people of the ark lit torches to try and locate Nuhu’s (Noah’s) son who was not on board the ark. This represents the Islamic origin of the festival.

The Dagomba Chief in Kintampo as part of the celebration led his people through principal streets of the town dancing ziem. Ziem is a dance of the Dagomba a royals. They were dressed as warriors carrying cudgels and cutlasses. Some also carried guns amidst the deafening sound of the tom-tom and drums. They sang war songs and moved as though they were in battle.