Bugum Chugu Festival

Bugum Chugu festival is a fire festival celebrated in the first month of the lunar year by the Dagombas in the northern region of Ghana. This festival is celebrated on the ninth month of the year, referring the month as the month of fire.

During this festival, about 500,000 northerners attend together including those northerners who live in the southern part of Ghana. During the fire festival celebration, the people of Dagbon  play Ziem and also dance to it as part of the celebrations. This festival is celebrated with traditional tools like cutlass and torches with the celebrants dressed like warriors. During the day of the festival, no dagomba is allowed to work because the festival is supposed to be celebrated by each and everyone. The Bugum Chugu festival is carried on after the evening meal and its mostly celebrated by males whereas women sit at home and wait for the crowd to return so they join in ending the festival by dance and chants.