加纳东部的原住民阿夸彭人本周庆祝了他们200年前战胜阿散蒂帝国的军事胜利，后者曾是一个幅员辽阔、势力强大的18世纪西非国家。这场战役帮助重塑了该地区，使其成为现代加纳的一部分。
The Indigenous Akuapem people in eastern Ghana have celebrated their military victory over the Ashanti Empire 200 years ago. This battle helped shape modern Ghana. DENNIS NIPAH, EDWARD ACQUAH AKROPONG-AKUAPEM, Ghana — The Indigenous Akuapem people in eastern Ghana celebrated this week their military victory over the Ashanti Empire 200 years ago, a vast, sprawling and powerful 18th-century West African state. The battle helped reshape the area into what has become part of modern Ghana.
虽然帝国早已消亡，但这场战役并未从记忆中淡去。两个世纪后，阿夸彭人仍聚在一起，通过重演战争来纪念胜利。
The empire might be long gone, but the battle has not faded from memory. Two centuries later, the Akuapem people still come together to honor their victory by reenacting the war.
他们表示，这个名为“阿夸彭奥德维拉”的节日，也是一种净化、精神更新和感恩的方式。
The festival, called Akuapem Odwira, is also a means of purification, spiritual renewal and thanksgiving, they say.
为期两周的庆祝活动于9月21日开始，内容丰富多彩，包括盛大游行、重演仪式和杜巴（酋长举行的仪式性集会）。
The two-week-long celebration, which started on Sept. 21, has featured an array of pageantry, a re-enactment and a durbar, or ceremonial gathering.
参与庆典的王室成员和臣民均身披传统的肯特布。金饰在午后阳光下熠熠生辉，鼓声在街道上回荡，酋长们乘坐由侍从抬着的装饰轿舆到达。赞歌歌手和舞者在街头日夜表演。
Both royalty and subjects engaging in the festivities were draped in traditional Kente cloth. Gold ornaments glinted in the afternoon sun as drums rolled through the streets and the chiefs arrived on decorated palanquins carried by attendants. Praise singers and dancers performed around the clock in the streets.
庆祝活动的第10天，身着战士装束的青年从宫殿出发，向山林进发，重演1826年8月7日发生的战役。
On the 10th day of the celebration, young men dressed as warriors marched from the palace into the hills and forest for the re-enactment of the battle, fought on Aug. 7, 1826.
表演者攀登陡峭山峰进入森林，沿着通往据信发生战役地点的路线前行。在一条溪流旁，他们倾倒祭酒并举行其他仪式。
The performers climbed a steep mountain into the forest, following the route toward the area where the battle is believed to have taken place. At a stream, libations were poured and other rituals performed.
一些扮演被俘敌军的参与者被锁链拴住带回社区，人群聚集迎接他们，随后他们被呈献给酋长。
Some participants, acting as captured enemy soldiers, were chained and led back toward the community, where crowds gathered to receive them before they were presented to the chief.
负责发展事务的王太后娜娜赫玛·阿德沃阿·阿温多表示，二百周年庆典意义重大，因为它展示了文化如何能跨越世代延续。
Nanahemaa Adwoa Awindor, the Queen Mother in charge of developmental activities, said the bicentennial anniversary was important because it showed how culture can survive across generations.
“奥德维拉节两百年历程的意义远不止于时光的流逝。这是对人民韧性、传统延续性以及文化凝聚世代的持久力量的非凡见证，”她说。
“Two hundred years of Odwira represents far more than the passage of time. It is a remarkable testimony to the resilience of the people, the continuity of tradition, and the enduring power of culture to bind generations together,” she said.
对年轻一代而言，这一周年庆也成为了重新连接他们所说容易被忽视的遗产的一种途径。
For younger generations, the anniversary has also become a means to reconnect with a heritage they say is too easily overlooked.
参加庆祝活动的36岁阿夸佩姆居民金斯利·凯特古表示，年轻人应利用此类契机了解自己的历史。
Kingsley Ketegu, a 36-year-old Akuapem resident who took part in the celebrations, said young people should use such occasions to learn about their history.
“作为年轻人，我们应该拥抱它、学习我们的文化，”他说。“奥德维拉节是一个非常盛大的节日。非常、非常盛大。但我们低估了它。”
“As young people, we should embrace this and learn our culture,” he said. “Odwira is a very big festival. Very, very big. But we have underrated it.”