LIBATION: A Traditional African Prayer Part 1

 LIBATION is a form of prayer. A traditional prayer rooted in African traditional religion. We believe In ancestral worship. We also believe that our dead ancestors are always looking out for our well-being and they are around spiritually to help us in times of need. And so before we engage in any special event, on any special occasion, such as a wedding, a funeral, an audience with the chief, during a durbar or an important festival that calls for our ancestors to protect us from harm or evil, libation will be poured.

  You can use water to pour libation, but the preferred liquid is gin, schnapps or palm wine.Libation in Ghana, among the Twi-speaking people,  has its own protocol or formula. It follows a specific pattern or code.  First, The person performing the libation has to  acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being. Secondly, he calls on Mother Earth “Asare Yaa” to bless the occasion.  This is followed by summoning the lesser gods, usually the famous local deity. In our village of Akaa., the revered and  premier deity is Nana Kofi  Dade. Finally, the ancestors will be called upon  to protect the audience present, and to ensure that no harm would befall the people present, or any relatives abroad.

As the libation is being poured, audience participation is actively encouraged. Those present will respond by saying “ wie”, “ wie”  or other comments as a form of encouragement.

Also, the person performing  the libation, pours the gin or palm-wine, methodically, reverently as he invokes the ancestral spirits to help. He does not stop until the glass is completely empty.  The audience  will then congratulate the performer thanking him for delivering a splendid prayer or invocation.