ONE PART OF THE TWIN FESTIVAL OF THE GA TRIBE OF GHANA

Yeyeeye or Akwele Suma is a celebration of fertility and twin blessings. Twins from the Ga Mashie communities dress identically, mainly in white and parade in the streets of James Town in Accra.

Twins are often covered with white clay which signifies victory, purity, joy and longevity. Also known as the Twin Yam festival – so the twins will eat Oto/eto mashed yam with palm oil. Cut up Yam is also placed at all entry and exit points of the shrine to invoke the benevolent spirits to the ceremony.

One of the rituals for the Yeyeeye Festival is the preparation of a special bath concoction (baawoo), which contains herbs to cleanse from any misfortune.

Traditionally, the Nai Wulomo (chief priest) dressed in white prepares the baawoo before the various twin houses seeking permission on behalf of all twins of the traditional area from the gods.

The baawoo consists of 7 Herbs: ntonme, hii abaa, nyanyara, adibli, adwere, tsalai and too lilei. mixed with seawater, schnapps and egg in a traditional bowl called tsese. The Nai Wulomo will first purify himself with the baawoo to honour the spirits of the twins, imbed confidence, self fulfilment, peace, financial wealth and wellbeing. Then recites, prays and pours libation and expresses words to the spirits and gods. With the response from the audience Hiao!,Hiao!,

Hiao! Which means “May it be so”. The twins will then be cleansed with the baawoo and the tsese. The remnants inside will then be carried in the street procession followed by the twins. 

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