Kumawu Traditional Area Sets March 2026 for Papa Nantwie Festival Celebrations
The Kumawu Traditional Area has officially launched preparations for the Papa Nantwie Festival 2026, setting the stage for a memorable celebration of ancestral bravery, unity, and cultural identity. The formal launch, held in Kumawu, brought together Nanahemaa, Nananom, distinguished guests, sons and daughters of the traditional area, and members of the media, all united in their commitment to honouring the community’s rich heritage.
Addressing the gathering and the media, Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua, Paramount Chief of the Kumawu Traditional Area, expressed heartfelt gratitude to all present for attending the launch and supporting efforts to preserve the cultural legacy of Kumawu. He described the festival as a sacred period for reflection, remembrance, and renewal, emphasizing its significance to both the local community and Kumawu indigenes living abroad.
The Papa Nantwie Festival 2026 is scheduled to take place from March 3 to March 22, 2026, with the grand climax set for March 15, 2026. The festival will be celebrated under the theme “Bravery, Unity, and Identity: The Enduring Spirit of Our Ancestors.” According to the traditional leadership, the theme embodies the very essence of the Kumawu Traditional Area, reflecting the courage, resilience, and collective strength that have shaped the identity of its people for generations.
Speaking at the launch, the paramount chief highlighted that the unity demonstrated by the ancestors remains the community’s greatest strength. Drawing on the wisdom of the elders, he noted that while a single broomstick can easily be broken, a bundle bound together is difficult to snap. This enduring unity, he emphasized, has been the foundation of Kumawu’s survival, progress, and cultural continuity.
The Papa Nantwie Festival is more than a celebration; it is a solemn tribute to the bravery, sacrifice, and unwavering spirit of the ancestors whose actions secured a proud heritage and a hopeful future for generations yet unborn. The festival serves as a reminder that true courage is not only demonstrated in battle but is also expressed through integrity, leadership, cultural preservation, and a steadfast commitment to community development.
Through the festival, the Kumawu Traditional Area aims to honour ancestral heroism, reconnect the youth with their roots, strengthen bonds among indigenes at home and abroad, promote peace and development, and instil a renewed sense of cultural pride among the people. The leadership cautioned that a people who forget their past risk losing their direction, underscoring that the Papa Nantwie Festival remains a vital call to remembrance and cultural consciousness.
The paramount chief also stressed the importance of encouraging the youth to embrace their heritage while actively contributing to the development of the traditional area. By doing so, the festival becomes not only a reflection of the past but also a bridge to a stronger, more united future.
All stakeholders, including Nananom, elders, youth groups, women’s associations, and residents of the entire Kumawu Traditional Area, were urged to support the festival wholeheartedly. The leadership called for a peaceful, dignified, and memorable celebration that truly honours the ancestors and preserves the sanctity of the occasion.
The launch concluded with a reaffirmation of shared values, expressing hope that bravery will continue to guide the people, unity will forever bind them together, and the proud identity of Kumawu will endure for generations to come.
