The Kundum celebration is usually considered a harvest festival. (www.ghanatourism.gov) This is most likely a result of the way in which the start of the festival was traditionally determined. The festival was set to start when the fruit of a particular palm tree ripened. Kundum has large community meals and concludes with a large feast which is characteristic of many harvest celebrations. Kundum also has a religious component. The traditional reason for the dancing and drumming was to drive devils and evil spirits from town. Sacrifices are also made to the gods. However, Kundum is more than just a celebration of food and religious rites for the Nzemas and Ahantas. Kundum is an opportunity to reinforce the traditional structure of the state both administratively and socially. It also allows a window into the economic preoccupations of the culture.
Kundum is a way for the Nzemas and Ahantas to reinforce the political and administrative aspects of their traditional culture. As the world becomes more and more globalized and cultures become separated by national borders and policy it becomes easier to let old traditions like the political and administrative power of chiefs to erode. Kundum is a highly visible way for chiefs to exercise their cultural authority. The entrance of the chief is a highly anticipated event in the Kundum celebration. The chief’s primary role is to settle disputes among the sub-chiefs and others. These duties are suspended during Kundum and the chief is regaled and often given gifts. These public acts demonstrate the political and administrative respect for the chief.
The ability of Kundum to strengthen social ties through tradition cannot be overlooked. Tuner and Tuner describe this uniting bond as communitas. (Tuner pp. 6) No modern events in Axim have the kind of draw that Kundum has. “At Kundum time the town seems to expand and burst at the seams.” (Ansah pp. 81) It could be descried as a family reunion only on a much larger scale. Families that have spread out over time all return to Axim for Kundum which strengthens the community even as it becomes spread further and further around the world. The dancing and feasting all happens as a community. The food for the feasts is collectively cooked over the Kundum fire and the entire community participates in the dances. The festival not only garners national attention but there are many international observers during the festival. Kundum is very accessible because each town sets their own start date and if it is missed in one town there is all ways and opportunity to join the celebration at its next stop. (Ansah 1999:62)
The morals and values of the culture are promoted during Kundum as well. It is customary for all disputes to be settled before the celebration, because the chief’s court is disbanded for the duration of the celebration, so everyone can enjoy equally. (Ansah 1999) The highly prized drumming, dancing, and singing is passed down from elders to the future generations. During Kundum all the meals are cooked on the Kundum fire and eaten as a community helping to build strong bonds. Bonds are not formed just between families but as mentioned in the performance section friend singing competitions and public ridicules are preformed between towns. This allows the opportunity to strengthen relationships with different towns.
Economic systems or conditions are often used to classify cultures. Economic ideas and conditions can be seen in the Kundum. Any time there will be eight days or traditionally four weeks of celebration and feasts there must be careful economic preparations. This is especially true because there is a taboo about working during the Kundum, with the exception of small scale harvesting for the meals. It is becoming more and more difficult for farmers to provide the traditional foods for the Kundum feast. In certain areas, single crop production for the palm oil industry has been detrimental to traditional substinance farming. (Pavanello 1995)
Children must have a second set of clothes for Kundum and wearing the same clothes from last year’s Kundum warrents ridicule. A comparison can be made to how western cultures prepare for Christmas. Many people begin saving money for gifts in separate bank accounts or go shopping far in advance of the holiday to lessen the financial burden of the celebration. Similar to Christmas Nzemases and Ahantases give Kundum gifts. Kundum gifts are generally monetary gifts given by parents to children and other members of the extended family. “The implication is that once a gift is given no amount of ill-will, treachery, or evil machination of the recipient can affect or harm the giver.” (Ansah pp.81) As Cronk (1989) notes gifts are a way for family members to build strong relationships. Once someone receives a Kundum gift they cannot negatively impact the giver. For example a dispute that would normally be taken to the chief’s court to be settled can be settled using a Kundum gift and the agreement just as binding as a court decision.
It is these underlying moral and social lessons that make Kundum such a popular and important celebration among the Nzemas and Ahanats of western Ghana.