Paramount Chief of the Talensi traditional area in the Upper East region Tongraan Kugbilson Nalebegtang has underscored the need to protect and promote the cultural values of the Talensi traditional area in order to relive the essence of the values since its inception.
This year’s Golobo festival of the Tindanas, Chiefs and people of the Talensi traditional area saw a new addition of a maiden durbar held in Tongo to climax the celebration.
Golobo, a pre-sowing festival is celebrated by some communities in the area which include Tengzug, Wakii, Gorog, Separd, Shia, Yinduri, Santeng and Gbeog with the main significance of praying to the gods for a good farming season and bumper harvest.
During the month of its celebration, the people from the celebrating communities and hundreds of others who travel from far and near to observe the festival do not wear clothing for the whole month. The dress code is strictly shorts and animal skin or towel to cover some parts of the body. It has also emerged that persons who are unable to abide strictly by the dress code during the period of the celebration due to some understandable reasons, pay for wearing clothing during the period by offering animals or birds for sacrifices.
During this period again, marriages, blood shedding, asking for payment of debts among others are forbidden. Traditional sources say the prohibitions are meant to re-affirm unity amongst the people of the area.
Though the various Golobo dances are energy intensive and involves the wielding of swords, blood shed is highly forbidden, not even by accident.
Addressing a durbar to climax the celebration, Saturday, Tongraan Kugbilson Nalebegtang noted that the Talensi traditional area has a rich culture which has to be jealously protected and promoted for the recognition by the larger community outside the traditional area.
“Our forefathers sat together in unity and held hands in rituals with their Tindanam and chiefs. It is the reason we have to hold on to unity. It is for this reason that I, Kugbilson Nalebegtang have taken the initiative to organize this durbar so that we can showcase our rich culture and values because they appear to be hidden. This gathering is the first and it is my hope that subsequent ones would be bigger than this and we will try and make the President attend to witness it” he said.
He further called on the people of the area to eschew tendencies that have the potential to generate disaffection or bring about disunity amongst them.
“What we have to do away with are attitudes that can bring disagreements among us. Issues that would bring about disunity must be put aside. Let’s say and do things that would bring people to come and witness our celebration and be happy and there would not be fights.”
The durbar was attended by the Upper East regional minister Hon. Albert Abongo.
By: Azongo Albert | A1RADIOONLINE.com | GHANA
