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Published: February 3rd 2008
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Flames
During the procession If you play with fire....
An Introduction to the Fire Festival in North Ghana
Jan 18th was a week of firsts. I had never been to a Chief’s Palace - and I had never been to a fire festival. Ghana has a democratically elected system of governance - but every area is also ruled by a Chief who handles all sorts of traditional matters.
One of my co-workers and I were walking by the Chief’s Palace in the area where I volunteer when she asked if I would like to go and meet the Chief. Why not?
We went into his round hut - and I made sure I entered while bowing low to show my respect. The walls were covered with photographs of his father dressed in a traditional smock and woven cap. The young chief was sitting on a chair and his elderly uncle was sitting on the cement floor. He told us to take a seat - I was surprised at his age. I had been expecting an old man with white hair and wrinkled skin - instead I found a school teacher from Kumasi who couldn’t have been more than 35 years old.
He
Men With Fire
A view from inside the mob. spoke excellent English and was more than willing to answer all the questions I had for him.
I wanted to know about the fire festival I had heard rumblings of - he invited me to come back to his palace the next evening when they were to celebrate.
He was surprised that we don’t celebrate the festival in Canada - he said it goes back to the time of Noah’s Ark. When the water finally settled, the ark landed on top of a mountain. It was dark so they lit torches to see down and try and find out if they were near their homes. He said the fire festival represents the rebirth of mankind.
He promised people would be demonstrating their magic - dancing and singing. Definitely not something I wanted to miss.
I showed up at Radio Justice in the evening and found one of my co-workers who wanted to come with Shawn and I. We headed to the Chief’s Palace - passing all sorts of kids with their faces painted white. Men dressed up as women - and everyone carrying flaming bundles of straw.
When we arrived at the palace we were swallowed
Machete Men
Machetes only look dangerous.... up by the crowd - the first musket that went off near us scared us into standing beside the old ladies. But we soon found out there was no ‘safe’ place - it was best just to feign bravery and accept the people shooting off muskets and waving around machetes as normal. And pretty soon it did seem normal - the Chief’s Sister found us and we walked with her and the crowd of thousands of people. We moved from the palace into the streets where traffic was no longer able to pass. It was the most effective ‘taking back the streets’ I had ever seen. Women with torches in hand and baby on back tried to teach me the songs. I did my best and danced as best I could while trying to keep my bundle of straw from extinguishing.
It was exhilarating. A group of young kids quickly attached themselves to us. My hand now was in the possession of a young girl with a iron grip. They thought we were funny - and they weren’t the only ones. As we moved through the streets the crowds gathered on the sides of the roads were quite amused
Musket Men
Muskets are part of celebrating here -- funerals, weddings, new appointments of chiefs. If people are happy they are shooting guns! (Don't worry mom - there aren't bullets, it's just gunpowder) to see us singing and dancing. They thought it was wonderful that we were embracing their culture - we thought it was wonderful that everyone was so willing to share their culture.
One lady told me it was the equivalent of Halloween.
One man took it upon himself to be our body guard for a few blocks and proceeded to yell at everyone who rode a motorbike like a fool or scraped a machete on the ground to make sparks.
One woman ran up to me with a shoe in her hand and told me I had a phone call. (The reception was terrible).
It was truly an amazing experience - I saw a man wearing a snake around his neck, others hacked at their extremities with machetes without leaving a mark, others swallowed fire without injury, still others drove their motorcycles like maniacs at full speed down the street weaving in and out of crowds of people. The most amazing thing about the entire affair is that we managed to get home unscathed.
Please enjoy the photos - the majority are taken by my co-worker Sammed. Check out the video I posted - this
Shawn and Nichole
If you look closely you can see Shawn and I. If you think we look out of place - you aren't the only one. But we had a blast! is my first time posting video - let me know if it works!
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