Aboakyer literally means, “catching a live deer”. The two Asafo companies using only sticks and clubs move to their respective hunting grounds in the morning of the first Saturday in May climaxing the festival.

The first company to bring a live deer for the Omanhene to step on three times is declared the winner of the year.

The Deer Hunt Festival is celebrated in remembrance of Winneba’s fetish war god, Apa Sekum, who was said to have helped the people in various ways. The deer is captured alive and sacrificed to the fetish god.

On the eve of the climax of the festival, the “Asafo” companies perform rituals and outdoor their gods.

This ceremony is a crowd puller. In the morning of Aboakyer day, the paramount Chiefs, sub-chiefs, dignitaries and the public assemble at the durbar grounds to wait for the catch amidst drumming and dancing.

There is jubilation through the streets until the deer is deposited at the shrine to await its slaughter the next day. In the afternoon, the public admire the works of the gods in the traditional area.

This festival is reminiscent of the Jewish Passover festival, because family houses or stools receive the smear of sheep blood and sprinkling of the dough mix meal on the first three days before merry making begins.

A significant event is the display of colourful flags by the various “Asafo” companies in the traditional area.