Kwafie

What Kwafie means

Kwafie is said to remember the bringing of fire to the area by the ancestors when they migrated, and Dormaa’s bonfire stands for its claim to have brought fire.¹ The Dormaa Traditional Council also describes the word as meaning putting your house, neighbourhood and surroundings in order to welcome visitors, and landlords along the main streets are asked to repaint and tidy up.²

What happens

1. Opening evening

   Torchlight procession

   A torchlight procession goes from the palace to the house of the sacred stools, followed by libations to the ancestors.¹

2. Next morning

   Laying the logs

   The chief presides over the laying of logs, and the fire is lit from three logs.¹

3. Climax

   The grand durbar

   The week-long festival ends with a grand durbar; in Dormaa Ahenkro it is held at the Nana Agyemang Badu I Sports Stadium in December.²

When is Kwafie?

It usually falls in November or December, and some years in January.¹ Dormaa has held it every five years since the current Dormaahene came to the throne; the 2024 celebration was the fourth, marking 25 years of his reign.²

Good to know if you go

• Where: Dormaa Ahenkro is in the west of the Bono Region, near the Côte d’Ivoire border; Berekum is to its east.
• Check the dates: the traditional council sets the days each year, often only weeks ahead. Local radio and the national press carry the announcement.
• Respect the rites: some rituals are sacred and not for cameras. Ask before photographing chiefs, priests or anyone taking part, and follow what the ushers ask.