The scorching sun was penetrating through the skin of a middle-aged woman selling oranges from across the street from where two priestesses had gathered, awaiting to join their colleagues for the necessary rites to begin the celebration for the first of three Kpledo festivals by the people of Prampram. Wiping the sweat on the forehead with the back of her left hand, she screamed out the name of a gentleman about to dash into a narrow alleyway.
She jokingly accused him of trying to disappear from her gaze. The gentleman said he was in a hurry to go home and change before activities for the festival took off. He disappeared within a blink of an eye. She headed off to where a large crowd had gathered awaiting the arrival of Nii Ayertey Charway, Labia chief priest of (Kley Tsonkonya).
An entourage led by Asafoanye Tortimey, dressed in an all-white outfit and swinging her horsewhip, and an old lady waving a white handkerchief, repeatedly screamed, “Agoo- Agoo.” In tow was Labia who had been surrounded by other spiritual heads and elders. He quietly marched into a shrine for the necessary rites to be performed. Later when he emerged from the shrine, carrying a historic drum of spiritual significance, the crowd swung into a state of excitement.
After brief rites where they had to go around another shrine at three different times, the entourage converged under a symbolic tree which is the venue for the celebration- and once the drumsticks kicked in and the melodies filtered through the atmosphere, the crowd went agog. The festival is finally here. The first one is to venerate the ancestral deities Lalue Baakey and her husband Togbe Degblen.
The deities are the very ancestral foundations upon which Prampram was founded, so the very first one is marked to honour them and their protection over the land. The dance is open to everyone who is moved by the rhythm. Dauda Martey, a prominent native of Prampram who has consistently been part of the celebration, later told PramcitiTV, the Youtube channel devoted to archiving GaDangbe history, to express his joy at the first celebration.
“We are really grateful for the continuous unity in the town,” he said. Drapped in the Ghana colours, he said the people of Ghana are relatives, and there is no need to separate them. Martey was optimistic the wind of unity which has blown over the first Kpledo will influence the rest of the two.
Sitting in state was the Paramount Chief Nene Waka III, Queenmother Naa Osabu Abbey I, linguist of Prampram, some members from the traditional council, several priestesses from various clans and stool heads. A lady wearing a rather unusual outfit was stomping her feet and acknowledging cheers from the crowd. It later turned out to be the orange seller.
Others who took to the state were Nene Waka III and Naa Osabu Abbey, Labia and Sen Nye Naa Marmarh Kai Bortorble I.
The festival is slated for next week Tuesday.
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