Ngmayem is the Krobo people's yam harvest festival, celebrated across the Manya Krobo traditional area, and one of the best places in Ghana to see the region's famous bead-making culture on full public display alongside the coming-of-age rites that define Krobo social life.
What to Expect
The festival week combines harvest celebration with cultural showcase:
Ceremonial presentation of the new yam harvest to Krobo chiefs and elders
Dipo celebrations — the traditional Krobo rite of passage for young women — culminate publicly around the festival period, with participants dressed in elaborate beadwork
Market stalls and displays of Krobo glass beads, a craft the area is internationally known for, with artisans selling directly to visitors
A grand durbar featuring the paramount chief, sub-chiefs, and queen mothers of Manya Krobo in full ceremonial dress
Drumming, singing, and communal dancing throughout Odumase-Krobo and Somanya
History & Cultural Significance
Yam has historically anchored Krobo agricultural life, and Ngmayem exists to thank the gods and ancestors for a successful season while reinforcing the authority of Krobo traditional leadership. Its overlap with Dipo — the initiation rite marking a girl's transition into womanhood — makes the festival period especially significant for Krobo families, many of whom time their daughters' Dipo ceremonies to coincide with the wider celebration. The beadwork on display isn't just decorative: specific bead patterns and colours carry meaning tied to status, readiness for marriage, and family lineage.
Practical Info
When: Held annually in October
Where: Odumase-Krobo and Somanya, Lower Manya Krobo District, Eastern Region
Getting there: Trotros run regularly from Accra's Tema Station to Somanya and Odumase-Krobo, roughly 1.5 to 2 hours
Shopping tip: Somanya's bead market is active year-round, but selection and pricing are best during festival week when artisans bring their finest work
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