Big Ada
Encyclopedia
Big Ada is a town in Ghana
, located in the Greater Accra Region
and the Dangme East District
. The settlement lies along the road from Ada Kasseh to Ada Foah
, just off the Accra
-Aflao
motorway.
, Big Ada was one of the first places the Ada people settled. From there, they spread out to different settlements but always perceived Big Ada as their home base.
The town that is located on the riverbank of the Volta
used to be an important trading center, profiting from the good position at the river. From there, goods were transported to the hinterland by canoe past the Shai and Akwamu mountains.
The economic activities reached a peak around 1901 when a transportation system called the Volta River Transport System was launched.
Ada’s decline started with the construction of the harbor sea port in Takoradi that made the transport on the Volta River
unnecessary.
Today, Ada is but a poor shadow of its former self as far as social life and economic activities are concerned. There are hardly any traces of physical structures such as factories and shops remaining.
The local radio station Radio Ada that broadcasts in the local language Dangme has its office just outside of Big Ada.
Big Ada is also the office of the Ada Paramount Chief
, who is head over the various local chiefs.
Historically, the Asafotufiami is a remembrance of ancient wars with neighboring tribes such as the Ewe
. The "Asafotu" are companies of warriors who fire their muskets
in celebration. These days, the festival is a grand homecoming for the Ada diaspora
.
The celebration starts on Thursday in the first week of August and goes on until the following week. Young men are initiated and instructed in the ancient tactics of warfare, the paramount chief of Ada and the chiefs of the various clans gather for processions and speeches and parties and celebrations continue throughout the whole festival. On Sunday, there is an open air church service and the following days are filled with beach parties, boat races, river excursions and football matches.
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, located in the Greater Accra Region
Greater Accra Region
The Greater Accra Region is the smallest of Ghana's 10 administrative regions in terms of area, occupying a total land surface of 3,245 square kilometres or 1.4 per cent of the total land area of Ghana...
and the Dangme East District
Dangme East District
The Dangme East District located in the Eastern part of the Greater Accra Region covers a surface of 909 km². Major towns in the district are Ada Foah, Big Ada and Ada Kasseh. Ada Foah, which is also the district capital, is located at the beach and river estuary.In 2000, the population in the...
. The settlement lies along the road from Ada Kasseh to Ada Foah
Ada Foah
Ada Foah or Ada is a town in Ghana, Greater Accra Region, at the seashore along the road from Ada Kasseh, just off the Accra-Aflao motorway...
, just off the Accra
Accra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
-Aflao
Aflao
Aflao is a city on Ghana's Togolese border. It is primarily populated by the Anlo people, a branch of the Ewe people.In the 18th century, Aflao served as one of the major markets for the slave trade.- References :* Dickson, K. B...
motorway.
History
After migrating from SudanSudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, Big Ada was one of the first places the Ada people settled. From there, they spread out to different settlements but always perceived Big Ada as their home base.
The town that is located on the riverbank of the Volta
Volta River
The Volta is a river in western Africa that drains into the Gulf of Guinea. It has three main tributaries—the Black Volta, White Volta and Red Volta...
used to be an important trading center, profiting from the good position at the river. From there, goods were transported to the hinterland by canoe past the Shai and Akwamu mountains.
The economic activities reached a peak around 1901 when a transportation system called the Volta River Transport System was launched.
Ada’s decline started with the construction of the harbor sea port in Takoradi that made the transport on the Volta River
Volta River
The Volta is a river in western Africa that drains into the Gulf of Guinea. It has three main tributaries—the Black Volta, White Volta and Red Volta...
unnecessary.
Today, Ada is but a poor shadow of its former self as far as social life and economic activities are concerned. There are hardly any traces of physical structures such as factories and shops remaining.
Services
Big Ada consists of two main roads with many smaller paths in between. It has some guesthouses, many chop bars and spots, a police station and a small library.The local radio station Radio Ada that broadcasts in the local language Dangme has its office just outside of Big Ada.
Big Ada is also the office of the Ada Paramount Chief
Paramount chief
A paramount chief is the highest-level traditional chief or political leader in a regional or local polity or country typically administered politically with a chief-based system. This definition is used occasionally in anthropological and archaeological theory to refer to the rulers of multiple...
, who is head over the various local chiefs.
Asafotufiami Festival
Ada is the venue of the well-known, annual Asafotufiami festival that takes place in the first week of August and is one of the biggest events in the region. It celebrates ancient wars and draws a big crowd of people to Ada.Historically, the Asafotufiami is a remembrance of ancient wars with neighboring tribes such as the Ewe
Ewe people
The Ewe are a people located in the southeast corner of Ghana, east of the Volta River, in an area now described as the Volta Region, in southern Togo and western Benin...
. The "Asafotu" are companies of warriors who fire their muskets
Musket
A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smooth bore long gun, fired from the shoulder. Muskets were designed for use by infantry. A soldier armed with a musket had the designation musketman or musketeer....
in celebration. These days, the festival is a grand homecoming for the Ada diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
.
The celebration starts on Thursday in the first week of August and goes on until the following week. Young men are initiated and instructed in the ancient tactics of warfare, the paramount chief of Ada and the chiefs of the various clans gather for processions and speeches and parties and celebrations continue throughout the whole festival. On Sunday, there is an open air church service and the following days are filled with beach parties, boat races, river excursions and football matches.