Odwira Festival (Akropong, Ghana)

Odwira is an annual festival held in September or October in Akropong, the town in Ghana where we now live. Odwira means “purification,” and commemorates the four-day battle between the peoples of Akuapem and the Asanti people who came down from the Kumasi area of modern-day Ghana. This year is unique in that 2026 is the 200th anniversary of the battle whereby the Akuapem staved off the attacking Asanti. Because of this grand occasion, local re-enactments of the five different divisions of the Akuapem people who garnered victory after holding off the Asanti are being held in different parts of the Akuapem region from June until September when the two week festival will take place.

Over the last three weeks, Kristi and I have been able to attend two of these events, each sponsored by the royal house of Akuapem in partnership with Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Mission and Culture (ACI, where I work) and the Center for Performing Arts of the University of Ghana in Legon (Accra). Three of my colleagues have been busy each week with the planning and preparations for the events, and they are heartened by our attendance. In fact, one of these colleagues recently told me that the ɔmanhene (Paramount Chief) of Akuapem invited ACI to help facilitate these events for the purpose of documenting and recording the oral histories of the local people.

Some of the interesting and noteworthy occurrences of this history include one division of the Akuapem having the special power to call bees to help them fight off their attackers. Also, as the Asanti came with their sacred artifacts which they believed would grant them victory, these artifacts were taken by the Akuapem people and represent a central part of their annual rituals and remembrance. In the enactments we have seen, men wear “batakari,” war regalia, and the women play a prominent role as they support the men as they go off to fight and then mourn the loss of the men who die and their bodies are brought back from battle. In one re-enactment, a medicine man, influenced by a spirit, dances around wildly and anoints the men for battle as a young woman goes before him, throwing white powder onto his body as part of a sacred ritual.

The late Kwame Bediako, co-founder of ACI, developed a strong relationship with the former ɔmanhene (Paramount Chief) of the Akuapem region and people; this relationship serves as an ongoing legacy of the Institute and part of our witness to the community. While the annual Odwira continues to hold a central place in the hearts of many, its purpose of annual purification for the peoples of Akuapem foreshadows the purification all peoples can now receive; for as Kwame Bediako writes, “The Odwira to end all odwiras has taken place through the death of Jesus Christ.”*

To learn more about Odwira, this website provides additional information. Below are some photos we have taken of our experience of the two re-enactments over the last few weeks. We hope to attend more re-enactments and the two-week festival this year in September.


*Bediako, Kwame. Jesus and the Gospel in Africa: History and Experience (Theology in Africa) (p. 33). Orbis Books. Kindle Edition.

Arrival in Akropong

We have had a full first week in Akropong, Ghana! We are grateful to be here, grateful for the helpful and gracious people who we have met, and very grateful for a good start in adjusting to life here. Here are a few pictures and reflections from our first week.

The entrance to The Akrofi-Christaller Institute (ACI),

where Bob is now on the faculty.  

ACI has just completed the spring semester, so this week was full of meetings for the staff, such as a faculty review of the semester, an all-staff ‘Durbar’ (meeting to share updates and express thoughts and concerns), and a planning meeting for the rest of the year. These meetings were a great introduction for Bob to the staff, the culture, and some of the current issues at ACI.

Above photo is of the Wednesday chapel service at ACI,

which is a bit more structured than the daily devotions.

ACI has devotions every morning for staff and students. Everyone worships, discusses a short passage of scripture, and prays together for specific people or needs in the college community. This semester they have been going through the book of Romans, a few verses each day. We really appreciate that they open space for anyone to share their thoughts on the verses and learn from each other. We were able to attend this week before the college goes on break for a month.

An example of the narrow roads in town -

on the left of this photo is ACI the guest

house where we are currently staying.

We are slowly finding our way around Akropong. Many of the roads are narrow with houses built right up to the road in some places. The town sits on the ridge of a mountain range, so there are a lot of hills. We learned a few phrases in Twi and many people have been helpful and encouraging as we try to practice with them.

 

Grateful for new friends helping us to find a place to live!

We saw the house where we will soon be living, and have enjoyed getting to know the woman who owns the house and lives next door. We plan to move into our new home in July, so we will slowly find furniture and get set up in the next month or so.

Simon, pictured above expertly cutting coconuts with a machete, gifted us with a large coconut to enjoy. The coconut tree in the photo is in the courtyard of the guest house. Simon accompanied us to church on Sunday where we enjoyed worship and fellowship with some new colleagues.

We are so grateful for God's faithfulness and the gift of getting to know new friends as we arrive. We have a lot to learn and a long way to go in feeling at home here, but we give thanks for a good start. Thank you so much for your prayers, encouragement, and support along the way!