HISTORY OF FIRE FESTIVAL(BUGUM TOABU) IN DAGBANI CULTURE

 Fire Festival is known literally in Ghanaian Dagbani/Dagbanli saying as Bugum Toabu.
Bugum Toabu is a cultural tradition left behind by the Dagbang late great grand parents/caveman.
It were formed or encounter  as result of a missing son of a supper greater king. "as it is said and learn from the leaders".

Kindly take note and analyze some strange keywords you might be seeing in these article.

1. Dagbang (refer too as Dagbani or Dagbanli)
2. Bugum Toabu (refer too as Fire Festival)
3. Kalli (refer too as Culture or Tradition)
4. Bugum (refer too as Fire)
5. Yaan Nima (refer too as our Great Grand Fathers)
6. Yaan Naa (refer to the Paramount Chief)
   
7. Doo (means Man or Boy)
   
8. Zuu ( refer to a first baby boy)

Some keywords may explain themselves in the article.

As said in the first paragraph, Bugum Toabu is a culture(kalli) of Dagbon, shortlisted in the time of the great grand fathers.
These start happening as a result of a missing son of a particular paramount king(Yaan Naa).

In the 90's there were a great king, who was so caring and lovely to the people in his kingdom.
He live his gentle life to help, rescue, hail and motivate the poor and needy.
He never insist or fell happy seeing his people falling or lucking behind.

During his lifetime, He married up to 6 wives.
They  were giving birth to only girls, But to be proud of who you are and claim you are the Yaan Naa, you must give birth a man (Doo).
But Yaan Naa wives always give birth to Women any time they get pregnancy.
Yaan Naa had about 27 children, But there were boy among.
These nearly got him angry, and forced him not well. Just because of the title he owned without a male child.

One day, the 6 wives conferenced and approach their husband(Yaa Naa), They insisted he should marry an additional wife.
Maybe they might not be the lucky one's to provide him a baby boy.
He also agreed and marry the 7 wife.
After a while, Yaan Naa got her pregnant. Everybody were happy and were paying the wife should give birth to a baby boy.
But unfortunately, she delivered a girl too.
Yaan Naa got angry, But his 7 wives still insist him to marry more. Since there is no harm in trying.
So he married up to 9 wives, But couldn't achieve his aim.

These issue worry the whole kingdom and get some frustrated.

One day, Yaan Naa said to himself and agree to marry the 10th wife.
He consulted his people and they agree too. So he proceed and got married.
In a shorter period, the 10th wife got a pregnancy and give to a healthy and a beautiful bouncing baby boy.
And the entire kingdom were happy and jubilating everywhere, because their king and them has gotten a Zuu.

At 19 of the Yaan Naa's baby boy, he went for hunting like as usual.
It took him longer to return home, but nobody minds since he usually took up few day before coming home whenever he went to hunt.

After they could realize, It were one to two months time.
At then, Yaan Naa and his people suspected their son(Zuu) might lost his way to the village again.
The chief and his people took a step to search for their son. But it were too late.
They spent a whole year searching for the boy, But they could not give up, because he is the only son they king has given birth too, and can not afford to lose him.

But they were searching for him during the day time.
They cover their village searching for the boy, before they realize, it got into dark. One man ask "How can we  be searching for a person in the dark?"

The king organized some grass and look a rope.
He tired the grass with the rope and light it with fire to produce brightness.
His people too do same as he does.

The below tells how they produce brightness in the dark.

Progressing the journey, they finally found the boy sleeping under a tall tree, but by then it was midnight.
The were too hungry and unhealthy.
The took the boy heading back to their village, then thing fell down strangely and started requesting for water.
But there were no place near they could find water, So the king died.

The people titled the son their king again, and promise to be celebrating his father (their late king) every year.
And they should make that day remark to find their young King and the same day to lost their King.

The below video shows how the people of Dagbang are happily and sadly celebrate their found King and lost King.

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