The Ngmayem festival
Each autumn the Krobo people give thanks for the millet harvest at Ngmayem — a festival of beads, dancing and a grand durbar. Here's what it's about.
The short answer
- Ngmayem is the harvest thanksgiving festival of the Manya Krobo people of Ghana's Eastern Region, usually held around October.
- It gives thanks for the millet harvest (ngmaa means millet) and recalls the community's survival of past hardship and famine.
- It's rich in the famous Krobo glass beads, colourful dress, drumming and dancing.
- The festival climaxes in a grand durbar of the Konor (paramount chief) and sub-chiefs in full regalia.
- It's centred on Odumase-Krobo, in the cool Eastern hills — the same area famous for bead-making.
- It pairs perfectly with a visit to the Krobo bead workshops and the Eastern Region.
At a glance
| Whose festival | Manya Krobo people |
|---|---|
| When | Usually around October |
| Gives thanks for | The millet harvest |
| Rich in | Krobo beads, dance, colour |
| Climax | Durbar of the Konor |
| Where | Odumase-Krobo, Eastern Region |
What Ngmayem celebrates
Ngmayem is the great harvest festival of the Manya Krobo people of Ghana's Eastern Region. The name comes from ngmaa — millet — and the festival is a thanksgiving for the harvest, especially of millet, and a remembrance of the community's survival through past hardship and famine. It's a celebration of endurance, plenty and identity, held each year as the harvest comes in.
For visitors, it's a vivid and welcoming festival in a beautiful, cool hill region that many travellers overlook. It sits among the entries in our festival calendar, and the region is covered in our Eastern Region guide.
Beads, colour and dancing
The Krobo are famous for their glass beads, and Ngmayem is one of the best times to see them worn in full glory — strung in dazzling arrays as part of the festive dress, alongside rich cloth, drumming and energetic dancing. The whole community turns out in colour, and the beads that are made here year-round take centre stage as adornment and pride.
It's a wonderful chance to connect the craft with the culture — see our Krobo beads guide, as the same area produces the beads on display. Food and feasting run through the celebration too; our food guide introduces the dishes.
The durbar of the Konor
Ngmayem builds to a grand durbar, at which the Konor (the paramount chief of Manya Krobo) and the sub-chiefs appear in magnificent regalia, carried in palanquins amid drumming, horns and dancing, receiving homage as the community and returning families gather. It's the colourful climax of the festival and the moment most visitors come to witness.
Attend respectfully — dress modestly, ask before photographing people and rites, and follow local guidance; our etiquette guide helps. A guide who can explain the history and the significance of the beads greatly deepens the experience.
Visiting Ngmayem
Ngmayem is centred on Odumase-Krobo, in the cool Eastern hills, and is usually held around October — but confirm the current date before planning. The setting makes it easy to build a rewarding trip: the same area is the home of Krobo bead-making, and the wider Eastern Region offers Aburi, Boti Falls and the Koforidua bead market. It's an easy, scenic drive from Accra.
Questions people ask
What is the Ngmayem festival?
Ngmayem is the harvest thanksgiving festival of the Manya Krobo people of Ghana's Eastern Region. Its name comes from ngmaa (millet), and it gives thanks for the harvest while recalling the community's survival through past hardship and famine. It's rich in Krobo glass beads, colourful dress, dancing and a grand durbar of the Konor.
When is Ngmayem celebrated?
Usually around October, centred on Odumase-Krobo in Ghana's Eastern Region. As with all traditional festivals, confirm the current date before planning your visit, as timings can vary year to year.
Where is the Ngmayem festival held?
It's centred on Odumase-Krobo, in the cool Eastern hills of Ghana — the same area famous for Krobo glass-bead making. It's an easy, scenic drive from Accra, and pairs well with bead workshops, the Koforidua bead market, Aburi and Boti Falls.
What happens at Ngmayem?
The community gives thanks for the millet harvest with drumming, dancing and colourful dress, with the famous Krobo glass beads worn in full glory. The festival climaxes in a grand durbar of the Konor (paramount chief) and sub-chiefs in regalia, carried in palanquins amid celebration, with families and the diaspora gathered.
Can tourists attend Ngmayem?
Yes, visitors are welcome to witness it respectfully — dress modestly, ask before photographing people and rites, and follow local guidance. It combines wonderfully with a Krobo bead workshop and the Eastern Region's sights. Confirm the date ahead, and a guide who can explain the culture enriches the visit.
What is the connection between Ngmayem and Krobo beads?
The Manya Krobo who celebrate Ngmayem are the same people renowned for Ghana's glass beads, made year-round in the Odumase-Krobo area. At Ngmayem the beads are worn in dazzling arrays as festive adornment, so the festival is a perfect time to see the craft and the culture together.
What I know about Ghanaian travel comes from doing it: filing passport and visa applications, booking flights and hotels, collecting people from arrivals at two in the morning, and driving the Accra, Tema, Cape Coast and Kumasi runs week after week. Where this guide describes how something works, it is because we have done it.
Rules, fees and timetables in Ghana change. I have deliberately not quoted figures that go stale — where a number matters I name the office to confirm it with. If you spot something out of date, tell me and we will fix it.
Related guides.
Food & cultureGhana's festival calendar
What each of Ghana's major festivals actually involves, roughly when in the year it falls, and why you should never book flights against a date you read online.
Food & cultureKrobo beads, explained
Ghana's colourful glass beads, made from recycled bottles in the Krobo hills, are worn at every big life moment. Here's the story, and where to buy them.
Places & itinerariesKoforidua and the Eastern Region
The Eastern Region sits an hour and a half above Accra in cooler hill country, and most visitors drive straight past it on the way to somewhere else.
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