About Nzema - Colours and Festivals
Colours
Nzemas embrace all colours in their daily activities. Nevertheless, they have special colours for specific occasions. They welcome the following colours to be associated with the occasion as:
● During marriage – White or any other colour aside from Red, Black, and possibly Green
● At Birth or during child naming/dedications – White or any other colour aside from Black or Red.
● At funerals – black, red, brown, grey and violet are preferably used. (As a sign of reverence for the aged deceased, mostly White colour is used to signify victorious death, especially when one dies after attaining age seventy and above. Despite that any mourner who is not associated with the deceased family is at liberty to use any other colour at the funeral).
● At Annual Festivals – On occasion the celebration of the Abisa or Kundum Festival and any other known festivals the Kente cloth with different colours and other regalia are used.
Festivals
Nzemas have several festivals, but the major one that is captured on the national/international calendar of events is the ABISA or KUNDUM. (Nzemas in the Jomoro Traditional Area mainly refer to it as ABISA). It is celebrated between August and October annually, starting from the AHANTA area through to the Seven Paramount Areas in Nzemaland. The same festival is among the major festivals celebrated in Grand Bassam (in the Republic of La Côte d’Ivoire). Aside from this Abisa or Kundum Festival, the Nzemas have several other mini festivals that are celebrated in the year, especially during Easter or Christmas Seasons. Most of these mini festivals are celebrated within some towns and villages. Notable among these mini festivals is the HALF-ASSINI “SO-SO-DOH,” celebrated on the 24th of December each year. Others are BONYERE DOMUNLI, NUBA YE ME FE, SAMENYE-DE ME NU, ATWEBANSO EHANE NU, etc.