Ancestor Veneration Ceremony is one of the museum’s annual sacred festivals, dedicated to undemonizing African traditional religions, honoring and bringing peace to our ancestors, fostering community spirit among locals and the broader African diaspora, and providing a meaningful platform to celebrate our shared history, culture, and traditions. The ceremony involves prayers dedicated to our ancestors, special prayers for our enslaved ancestors and their descendants, rites for twins and fertility blessings for those who want twins, and supplications for blessing and prosperity in the upcoming year. This annual festival occurs in the second week of October and is deeply influenced by southern Ghanaian culture, especially Ghana’s Ga-Dangme traditions. August is the month of Homowo and Asafotufiam; both are Ga festivals, though generally rooted in shared West African traditional rites.
The festival is also known for the libation, prayers, and traditional African rites that are performed for enslaved ancestors. It has become a custom for the museum to also unveil new work created by artists at the museum. This annual festival occurs in the second week of October and is deeply influenced by southern Ghanaian culture, especially Ghana’s Ga-Dangme traditions, though it is generally rooted in shared West African traditional rites. The festival is also known for the libation, prayers, and traditional African rites that are performed for our ancestors, including a procession honoring African ancestors and special rituals for known and unknown enslaved ancestors. The main event of this three-day festival occurs each year on Saturday. Friday events include Communal Labor and Educational Programs. Sunday is reserved for the ceremony closing and sending off. It has become a custom for the museum to also unveil and venerate newly commissioned funerary portraiture, Insisu. Commission your ancestor’s portrait here.
