Ghanaian Canadians in Toronto Celebrate Homowo in Grand Cultural Style at Malton Park

By: Ebenezer Adugyamfi/ Emmanuel Ayiku for GhanaianNewsCanada | Date: August 13, 2026

For a few hours on Sunday, August 2, 2026, a section of Mississauga, Ontario, was transformed into a vibrant expression of Ghanaian culture as members of the Ga-Adangbe community gathered at Wildwood Park, popularly known as Malton Park, to celebrate Homowo.

The annual celebration, organised by the Ga-Adangbe Association of Toronto (GADAT), brought together Ghanaian Canadians, traditional leaders, community executives, families, young people, sponsors and distinguished guests for a day filled with music, traditional drumming, dancing, food, cultural displays and speeches.

The event, held at Wildwood Park (Malton Park) Area A, 3430 Derry Road, Mississauga, Ontario, was more than an outdoor gathering.

For those who attended, it was a deliberate effort to keep Ghanaian heritage alive in Canada and ensure that children growing up thousands of kilometres from Ghana understand the history and traditions of their ancestors.

Among the notable guests were Mr. Peter Kobina Taylor, Ghana’s Consul-General in Toronto, and Hon. Mrs. Joyce Asamoah-Koranteng, Deputy Consul-General of Ghana in Toronto.

Also present were traditional leaders, members of the Ghanaian community, representatives of sister associations, sponsors and other distinguished guests.

Why Ghanaians in the diaspora continue to celebrate Homowo

For the Ga people, Homowo is one of the most important traditional festivals on the cultural calendar.

The word Homowo is commonly understood as “hooting at hunger”, reflecting the historical story of the Ga people overcoming a period of famine and hardship.

But thousands of kilometres away from Accra, the festival takes on another important meaning.

For Ghanaian Canadians, Homowo is a way of saying that migration does not have to mean losing one’s identity.

Many Ghanaians who have settled in Canada have children who were born and raised in the country. Those children may speak English more fluently than a Ghanaian language, attend Canadian schools and grow up surrounded by Canadian culture.

Events such as Homowo give families an opportunity to bridge that gap.

A child can hear the traditional drums, see elders dressed in cultural attire, taste traditional food and learn why the festival is important to the Ga people.

In that sense, Homowo becomes a living classroom.

A festival of resilience

The historical story behind Homowo also resonates deeply with immigrant communities.

The festival celebrates the Ga people’s triumph over famine.

For immigrants, the symbolism can extend to the challenges of starting a new life in another country.

Building a life in Canada can require sacrifice, patience, hard work and resilience.

For many Ghanaian Canadians, the message of Homowo therefore speaks to their own journey: overcoming difficulties, surviving challenging seasons and giving thanks for progress and opportunities.

The festival’s message of “hooting at hunger” becomes both a remembrance of the past and a celebration of resilience in the present.

Consul-General Peter Kobina Taylor: “Homowo is much more than a festival”

Addressing the gathering, Ghana’s Consul-General in Toronto, Mr. Peter Kobina Taylor, described his participation in the celebration as a distinct honour and privilege.

He expressed appreciation to the leadership and members of GADAT for inviting the Ghana Consulate-General to the occasion.

Mr. Taylor told the gathering that Homowo should not be viewed simply as an annual cultural event.

Instead, he described it as a celebration of resilience, unity, gratitude and hope.

According to the Consul-General, the festival commemorates the Ga people’s triumph over famine through perseverance, hard work and collective determination.

He pointed to the traditional act of “hooting at hunger” as a powerful reminder that challenges can be overcome when communities stand together.

Preserving culture thousands of kilometres from Ghana

A major theme of Mr. Taylor’s speech was the responsibility of Ghanaians in the diaspora to preserve their cultural heritage.

He said occasions such as Homowo provide an invaluable opportunity for Ghanaians living in Canada to maintain their traditions while passing their values to younger generations.

This, he explained, is particularly important for children and young people who may have been born and raised in Canada.

The Consul-General encouraged young people to take pride in their heritage by learning the Ga-Adangbe language, understanding their history and embracing their culture with confidence.

His message was clear: cultural identity should not be lost simply because a family has moved abroad.

Ghana’s greatest strength lies in its diversity”

Mr. Taylor also used the occasion to emphasise Ghana’s cultural diversity.

He said Ghana’s many ethnic groups, languages and traditions should not be viewed as sources of division but as pillars of the country’s national identity.

For him, celebrating Homowo is not only about celebrating Ga heritage.

It is also an opportunity for Ghanaians from different backgrounds to appreciate one another’s traditions and strengthen their collective identity.

The presence of members of other Ghanaian communities at the celebration reflected that broader spirit.

Consul-General highlights diaspora contribution

Mr. Taylor also praised Ghanaians living abroad for their contributions to Ghana’s development.

He highlighted the role of the diaspora in areas including:

• Investment
• Entrepreneurship
• Professional expertise
• Philanthropy
• Cultural promotion

He said the Ghana Consulate-General would continue to support initiatives that strengthen the relationship between Ghana and its diaspora and create opportunities for collaboration.

His remarks placed the Homowo celebration within a broader Ghana-Canada relationship in which diaspora communities serve as important cultural and economic bridges.

A message to the younger generation

Perhaps one of the strongest parts of the Consul-General’s address was his appeal to young Ghanaian Canadians.

He encouraged them to learn their history and language and to embrace their heritage.

The challenge facing many diaspora communities is not necessarily a lack of interest among young people but the difficulty of creating meaningful opportunities for them to experience their culture.

Homowo provides exactly that opportunity.

Rather than simply telling young people about Ghanaian traditions, events like this allow them to see, hear, taste and experience them.

Mr. Taylor’s message was therefore both a celebration of the present and an investment in the future.

He concluded his address by continuing his remarks in the Ga language, adding a deeply traditional dimension to his speech.

GADAT President Christiana Nuamah: Preserving the legacy of our ancestors

The President of the Ga-Adangbe Association of Toronto, Mrs. Christiana Nuamah, also delivered a welcome address that placed the 2026 celebration within the broader history of the Ga-Adangbe people.

She welcomed the dignitaries, traditional leaders, members of the Ghanaian community, sponsors, volunteers and representatives of sister associations.

Among those acknowledged were Ghana’s Consul-General Peter Kobina Taylor, Deputy Consul-General Joyce Asamoah-Koranteng, Ghana’s Consul-General in Brazil Hon. Nii Amasa Namoaley, and Mr. Emmanuel Duodu, President of the Ghana Union at both the provincial and federal levels.

She also acknowledged community leaders, sponsors and executives of sister associations, including the La Association of Toronto and Asanteman Association.

Remembering the Katamanso War

Mrs. Nuamah explained that this year’s celebration was particularly significant because the community was also commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Katamanso War.

The historical event remains an important part of Ga history and represents a period associated with the courage, resilience and unity of the ancestors.

For GADAT, remembering the anniversary was not simply an exercise in looking backwards.

It was an opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices and strength of previous generations while asking what lessons today’s generation can carry forward.

Mrs. Nuamah said the commemoration reinforced the association’s commitment to preserving Ga-Adangbe culture and passing it on to future leaders.

“Homowo is a celebration of thanksgiving, hope and togetherness”

In her address, the GADAT President described Homowo as a celebration of thanksgiving, hope and togetherness.

She explained that the festival reminds the community that after seasons of hardship can come joy, abundance and unity.

That message is particularly powerful within the diaspora.

For people who have built lives far from Ghana, festivals provide an opportunity to pause, reconnect with one another and celebrate the journey that brought them to where they are today.

Mrs. Nuamah also emphasised the importance of celebrating Ghanaian heritage while contributing to Canada’s multicultural society.

Culture as a bridge between Ghana and Canada

The GADAT President said the community should continue to use cultural celebrations to build bridges of friendship.

For her, preserving Ga-Adangbe traditions and being proudly Canadian are not contradictory.

The two identities can coexist.

Ghanaian Canadians can contribute to Canada’s social and economic development while maintaining the traditions, values and history inherited from their ancestors.

This balance is particularly important for young people growing up in Canada.

A celebration built on community effort

Mrs. Nuamah also expressed appreciation to the sponsors, volunteers, community leaders and everyone who contributed to making the celebration possible.

Large diaspora cultural events require considerable organisation and cooperation.

From securing a venue to preparing food, arranging cultural performances, coordinating guests and ensuring that younger members of the community participate, such celebrations depend heavily on volunteers.

The GADAT President’s acknowledgement highlighted the collective nature of Homowo.

It is not the celebration of one individual.

It is a celebration sustained by an entire community.

The taste and sound of Ghana in Malton

Beyond the speeches, the cultural atmosphere was central to the day’s celebration.

Traditional drumming and dancing provided the soundtrack, while Ghanaian and Ga-Adangbe clothing added colour to the occasion.

Traditional food also played an important role.

Dishes associated with Homowo, including kpokpoi and palm-nut soup, provided a taste of Ghana for attendees and offered younger generations an opportunity to experience foods connected to their cultural history.

Food, music and clothing may appear simple on the surface, but within diaspora communities they can become powerful tools for cultural preservation.

A traditional meal can trigger memories of home.

A song can connect generations.

A traditional dance can teach a child something that may never be found in a Canadian classroom.

Why Malton Park matters

The choice of Malton Park also placed the celebration within the multicultural environment of the Greater Toronto Area.

Mississauga and the surrounding communities are home to people from different parts of the world.

For Ghanaian Canadians, public cultural celebrations offer an opportunity to share their heritage with neighbours and other communities.

Homowo therefore becomes both an internal celebration and an outward expression of Ghanaian culture.

It allows Canadians who may not be familiar with Ga traditions to learn about the festival and the history behind it.

In that sense, cultural celebrations contribute to Canada’s multicultural identity.

A home away from home

For some members of the Ghanaian diaspora, community festivals can provide something that is difficult to measure: a feeling of home.

Immigration often means leaving behind familiar surroundings, relatives, traditions and social networks.

In Canada, community associations help recreate some of those connections.

Homowo provides a space where an older Ghanaian can meet someone from the same cultural background, while a young Ghanaian Canadian can meet other young people who share similar experiences.

The festival therefore serves a social function as well as a cultural one.

Teaching children that culture travels with them

One of the most important reasons diaspora communities continue to organise cultural festivals is the next generation.

If cultural knowledge is not actively passed on, languages and traditions can gradually disappear.

GADAT’s continued celebration of Homowo creates an environment in which young people can learn directly from parents, grandparents, traditional leaders and community elders.

They can ask questions.

They can participate.

They can listen to the language.

They can learn the meaning behind the food and ceremonies.

And most importantly, they can understand that their Ghanaian heritage is something to be proud of.

From Ghana to Canada: A culture without borders

The 2026 Homowo celebration demonstrated how Ghanaian traditions have travelled far beyond Ghana’s borders.

The festival may have originated in Ga communities around Accra, but its message now resonates with Ga-Adangbe communities across the world.

In Toronto, the celebration has become part of the diaspora’s annual cultural calendar.

That evolution demonstrates the adaptability of Ghanaian culture.

The location may change.

The environment may change.

The younger generation may grow up speaking a different dominant language.

But the core values of family, community, resilience, thanksgiving and respect for history can continue.

Strengthening Ghana-Canada ties

The participation of Ghana’s diplomatic representatives also underscored the relationship between Ghana’s diaspora communities and the country’s diplomatic institutions.

The presence of the Consul-General and Deputy Consul-General demonstrated recognition of the important role community organisations play in maintaining Ghanaian identity abroad.

For the Ghanaian government, diaspora engagement extends beyond cultural events.

Ghanaians abroad contribute through businesses, investments, professional knowledge, charitable activities and other initiatives.

Cultural events such as Homowo therefore provide an opportunity to strengthen those relationships.

More than food, music and dancing

At first glance, a festival such as Homowo may appear to be simply an occasion for food, music, dancing and socialising.

But beneath the celebration is a much deeper purpose.

It is about memory.

It is about identity.

It is about resilience.

It is about community.

And perhaps most importantly, it is about continuity.

The older generation remembers Ghana.

The younger generation is learning about Ghana.

And together, they are ensuring that the culture survives.

A message that extends beyond the Ga community

Although Homowo is a Ga festival, the message coming from the Toronto celebration extends beyond one ethnic group.

It speaks to every Ghanaian living abroad who is trying to preserve a connection with home.

From the Akan festivals celebrated in Toronto to Ewe, Dagomba, Fante, Nzema and other cultural gatherings across the diaspora, the objective is similar: to ensure that migration does not erase heritage.

The diversity of Ghanaian culture is part of what makes the country’s diaspora communities so vibrant.

Looking to the future

As the final performances ended at Malton Park and families began preparing to leave, the significance of the day’s celebration extended beyond August 2.

For GADAT, the work of cultural preservation continues.

The challenge now is to ensure that the next generation does not simply attend Homowo but understands why it is celebrated.

That means continuing to teach the Ga language, history, customs and values.

It also means creating opportunities for young people to take leadership roles in community organisations.

“Our culture travels with us”

The 2026 Homowo celebration in Toronto ultimately delivered a simple but powerful message:

Ghanaians may live far from Ghana, but Ghana does not have to live far from them.

At Malton Park, the Ga-Adangbe community celebrated the resilience of its ancestors, remembered important chapters of its history, honoured its traditions and gave younger generations an opportunity to experience their heritage.

The presence of Ghana’s Consul-General, Deputy Consul-General, traditional leaders and representatives of other Ghanaian organisations added further significance to the event.

For the Ga-Adangbe community, Homowo remains a celebration of triumph over hardship.

For the Ghanaian diaspora, it has also become a celebration of belonging.

And for the younger generation growing up in Canada, it is a reminder that they do not have to choose between being proudly Canadian and proudly Ghanaian.

They can be both.

Afi oo Afi!

May the new year bring peace, prosperity, unity and blessings to the Ga-Adangbe community, Ghanaian Canadians, Ghana and Canada.