The commemoration of Easter in Kwahu, began in 1976, when Ramseyer and other Basel Missionaries came to Ghana particularly at Abetifi to build the Presbyterian Church.
Before that time, all Kwahu towns, villages and communities had their own traditions and unique annual festivals celebrated in the area.
However, Easter was later accepted and adopted by the people in the Kwahu enclave as they converted to Christianity and they desisted from consulting their spiritual leaders at shrines located at Nkwatia in the Kwahu East District in the Eastern Region.
Easter among other Christians festivities became accepted by the larger society since then about 147 years ago.
Easter has become synonymous with the Kwahus and indigenes from both far and near make it a duty to return home during the festive period.
Kwahu Easter is a period during which Kwahu indigenes both at home and abroad normally undertake a homeward journey to their ancestral homes on the Kwahu Scarp.
Homeward journey
They go back to their ancestral home towns such as Mpraeso, Obomeng, Obo, Bepong, Abetefi, Nkwatia, Atibie and Abene, the traditional headquarters of the paramountcy.
In reality, the Kwahus can be found in all parts of the country either engaged in petty trading, operating a merchandise store or shop or owning an industrial or merchandised company with numerous employees.
Unlike other Ghanaian tribes with specific festival such as Odwira for the Ashantis, Akuapems, Fantis, Mngayem for the Krobos and the Hogbetsotso for the Anlos which are celebrated at certain periods of the year where thousands of the indigenes flock home, the Kwahus have no such festival.
Paragliding, one of the latest addition to the Kwahu Easter festivities
It is in the light of this direction that the Kwahus have settled on the Easter to undertake a homeward journey en-mass.
During this periods, thousands of Kwahus both in Ghana and abroad flock to towns on the scarp notably Obomeng, Atibie, Mpraeso,Oboo, Bepong, Abetefi, Abene, Tafo, Obemeng, Nkwatia among others.
The homeward journey is specifically for four main reasons, contracting of marriages, fun, cementing bonds with aged parents and organisation of fundraising activities to undertake development projects in the area.
This year’s Kwahu Easter festivities witnessed a business forum, which is a latest addition to the celebrations, where big-time businessmen of Kwahu indigene brainstormed how best to transform the area and Ghana as a whole.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh