The Dagombas in Ghana’s northern region observe the Bugum Chugu festival, a fire celebration, in the first lunar month. The ninth month of the year, often known as the month of fire, is when this celebration is held.  Approximately 500,000 northerners, including those from the southern region of Ghana, attend this celebration together. The residents of Dagbon play Ziem and dance to it as part of the festivities for the fire festival. 

 Therefore, this event is held to commemorate this significant night when the Ark touched down following the great flood. In addition, according to Traditionalists, a great king once lost his son, forcing a search party to ignite torches (flashlights) at night to look for the prince. As a result, this event is recalled every year, and the fire festival is celebrated to commemorate this crucial evening.  

Warriors of the community were gathered and ordered to look for the child. Through a thorough search, they found him under a tree deeply asleep. Torches lit in search of him were thrown at the tree because it was believed it stole the child which made the community at that time regarding that particular tree as evil and many feared it. The king decreed that the event should be marked yearly to commemorate the event. The people continued the practice and used to go to the evil tree and throw their torches on it. While marching to the evil tree, they played and danced ziem, a dance for the tindaamba ‘land priests’. People used to and still dress as warriors when celebrating Bugum Chugu in Dagbon.