Savannah News Online Reporting Only What Matters Most
Related Articles
Bunkpurugu, Ghana – Bunkpurugu Naba Chief Alhaji Abuba Nasinmong could not hide his joy as he led his people to celebrate Fire (Bugum) Festival.
The origin of the Bugum Festival dates back to the time when one king lost his dear son. The name of the king and the said son are no longer known. Some also claimed that the event took place before the arrival of the ruling class in modern Dagbon, Mamprugu and Nanung. The descendants of the ruling class are present day chiefs and kings in Dagbon, Mamprusi and Nanung.
The story has it that a child went out to play with his colleagues and as they played, he became tired and went and laid down under a tree and soon fell asleep. The other children forgot of him and went home when they finished playing. In the evening, the parents (king and wife) did not see him. The king thought he was with the mother and the mother also thought the child was with the father. After supper that the mother called on the king to take the child to bed. It was at that moment that they found that the child was not with any of them. The king ordered his subjects to go round the neighborhood in search for the son. They did not find him. Even, the children he went out with could not remember.
The king quickly assembled his warriors and told them what had transpired. The warriors were instructed to look for the son. Because it was at night and dark, the people lit torches in search of him.
Finally they found him under a tree deeply asleep. They sent him to his parents who were desperately waiting for his arrival. The parents thought that the tree stole the child and hid him. They therefore considered the tree an evil tree and threw the torches they were carrying on that tree and shamed it. The community at that time regarded that particular tree as an evil tree and many feared it. The king decreed that the event should be marked yearly to commemorate the event.
Every year they assembled in front of the king’s palace to celebrate the festival. When they set fire, the king or the chief used to be the first to lite the fire with his torch. The chief did not go far and dropped his torch and returned home. The people continued the practice and used to go to the evil tree and threw their torches on it. While marching to the evil tree, they played and danced ziem, a dance for the tindaamba ‘land priests’. The people used to and still dress as warriors when celebrating Bugum Chugu in Dagbon.
Naa Alhaji Abuba Nasinmong concluded by admonishing the youth and all and sundry to relate well with each other as they celebrate the festival.
From our correspondent
