EVERY year, as the harmattan winds begin to brush across the Upper West Region, the town of Nandom comes alive with colour, excitement and deep cultural symbolism. The occasion is the Kakube Festival, the signature celebration of the Dagara people and one of Ghana’s most enduring cultural festivals.
More than just a thanksgiving event marking the end of the farming season, Kakube is a living tapestry of identity, spirituality, resilience and communal pride. It draws thousands of people home and away to celebrate their heritage, reconnect with their roots and reflect on the rhythms that have shaped their society for centuries.
This year’s celebration on the theme “2025 Kakube: Consolidating the Gains of Unity, Peace, and Development Among Us and Our Neighbours”, will take place from Saturday, November 29, 2025, to Monday, December 1, 2025, at the Nandom Park.
Saturday will witness games, Miss Kakube Beauty competition, and other performances. Sunday will be the Grand Durbar of Chiefs and people, during which speeches will be delivered from traditional leaders and government officials. The evening will be dedicated to artists to showcase their talents at Kogra-Wai. The climax will be on Monday, December 1, 2025, during which there will be cultural competitions and presentations of awards.
The story of Kakube begins long before modern Ghana took shape. Traditionally, the Dagara people were deeply connected to the land, relying on farming not only as a means of survival but also as the basis of their social and spiritual lives. The farming season carried uncertainties—too little rain could threaten the harvest, and too much could destroy it. In this context, the end of every successful farming cycle was not taken for granted.
“Kakube” translates loosely as the sign of the harvest or indication of a fruitful year. The earliest forms of the festival were purely spiritual. Families and clans gathered around ancestral shrines to offer sacrifices, pour libation, and thank the gods and ancestors for guiding them through the season. These rituals also sought protection and blessings for the next year—better rains, healthier crops, and stronger communal bonds.
With time, as the Dagara communities spread and the modern world introduced new social dynamics, Kakube evolved. Its meaning expanded beyond the farm. Today, while still deeply spiritual, the festival has taken on a broader cultural, social and developmental significance, becoming a key pillar of Nandom’s identity.
One of the most striking features of Kakube is the sensory vibrancy that engulfs Nandom town. Days before the main celebration, the atmosphere begins to shift. Families start receiving relatives travelling from cities across Ghana and the diaspora. Streets and compounds buzz with laughter, reunions and anticipation.
On the day of the grand durbar, the festival grounds transform into a cultural mosaic. The air fills with the pulsing rhythms of gyil (xylophone) music, the sharp beats of drums, and the chants of performers. Traditional dance groups, adorned in woven smocks, beads, feathers and raffia, move with synchronised energy as they interpret stories of bravery, courtship, hunting and community life.
The dances are more than entertainment—they are storytelling passed across generations. The Dagara dancers’ swift footwork, expressive hand movements and dramatic gestures reflect philosophies of bravery, unity, conflict resolution and celebration of life. For visitors, the performances seem spontaneous; for the people of Nandom, they are a living archive of history and identity.
The Kakube Festival is one of the rare moments in the year when Nandom becomes a grand meeting point for people of all ages, backgrounds and social standings. Chiefs, queenmothers, government officials, development partners and community members join together on the durbar grounds. The procession of chiefs, adorned in rich regalia, adds solemnity and grace to the celebration.
Speeches delivered highlight issues affecting the municipality—from youth development and education to climate resilience and infrastructure needs. The festival doubles as a platform for social dialogue and advocacy. Leaders use the gathering to call for unity and mobilise support for community development.
The social significance is equally strong at the household level. For many families, Kakube is the biggest reunion of the year. Young people living in Accra, Kumasi or abroad return home to reconnect with grandparents, aunties and childhood friends. These homecomings strengthen bonds and renew ties to cultural roots.
The economic benefits are also substantial. The celebration creates a thriving marketplace for artisans, traders and small-scale entrepreneurs. Locally woven textiles, traditional smocks, beads, leatherworks, sculptures and food products line the festival grounds. For many artisans, this is their biggest sales moment of the year. Women in shea butter processing, pito brewing and food vending also benefit significantly.
Tourism, though still developing, receives a boost. Visitors often explore cultural sites, traditional compounds and natural attractions, injecting revenue into local hospitality services.
In an age of globalisation where traditional values fade, Kakube stands as a beacon of cultural resilience. The festival reinforces the message that tradition is not a relic of the past but a living, evolving expression of collective identity.
Once again, this weekend, Nandom will be agog with activities marking the 2025 Kakube festival. Come one, come all.
BY GORDON WELLU
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