*Rhythms of Freedom: How Ghana’s Hogbetsotso Festival Keeps History Alive*

Fresh reports suggest that Hogbetsotso is once again drawing attention to Ghana’s rich history and culture.

A Journey to Liberation

Each November, Anloga, a coastal town in Ghana’s Volta Region, comes alive with Hogbetsotso, the annual “festival of exodus” celebrated by the Anlo-Ewe people. The festival recalls the journey their ancestors made in the seventeenth century to escape Notsie, a walled city in what is now Togo, where they lived under the rule of King Agorkoli.

According to oral tradition, the escape required patience and ingenuity. The women quietly poured wastewater onto a section of the thick mud wall, gradually weakening it without raising suspicion. When the wall finally gave way, the people fled. They reportedly walked backward as they left, making their footprints appear to lead into the city rather than out of it. The story is remembered not only as an account of escape but also as a testament to resourcefulness and solidarity. Today, Hogbetsotso honours that history while bringing people together around peace, reconciliation, and shared heritage.

Kente, Drums, and Backwards Steps

The week’s celebrations reach their peak at a grand durbar, where paramount and divisional chiefs gather in state. They wear richly woven Kente cloth and gold ornaments, while large royal umbrellas shade the gathering. Drums fill the air, guiding dancers through lively performances of Agbadza and Borborbor.

A highlight for many visitors is the Misego dance. Performers move backwards together, echoing the daring departure from Notsie. It is a striking moment: a historical story becomes something people can see, hear, and feel. The dances and music are more than entertainment; they help pass the community’s history from one generation to the next.

Why Stories Cross Borders

The story of the escape from Notsie speaks to people well beyond Ghana. Across Africa, communities have preserved accounts of struggle, resilience, and the pursuit of freedom through oral storytelling, music, and public celebrations. Hogbetsotso makes that history visible and invites visitors, neighbors, and members of the global diaspora to connect with the Anlo-Ewe experience—and perhaps recognize echoes of their own heritage in it.