Gone to Ghana: My African Adventures

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August 24, 2014



Yesterday afternoon we went to a street art festival in Jamestown, which was one of the local festivals for Homowo. Homowo literally means hooting at hunger, and it’s a festival that is done every year to satisfy the gods to prevent famine from happening. This is specifically a Ga festival, so the different areas in the Greater Accra region have their own small festivals, and at the end they all come together for one grand festival. Technically Homowo starts in May before the rainy season when they plant the millet. After they plant the millet they have a month of silence where it’s forbidden to drum. The festivals happen at the end of August to the beginning of September when they harvest the millet, which they use to make kpokpoi (the festival dish). I haven’t tried it yet, but on Wednesday we’re going to the festival at the fishing village where we teach. I have a feeling I’ll probably try it there.



The festival in Jamestown was very interesting and quite colorful (literally). People were painting in the streets and dancing everywhere. At one point a group of guys ran past us with their paint and painted us. Professional dancers put on amazing shows. Artists had amazing paintings all over, and vendors had all of their arts and crafts displayed. I finally even saw some Gold Coast gold crafts. Every once in a while there would be a parade of different tribes playing music and dancing. At the end of the evening a bunch of kids swarmed us and started dancing with us. They pretty much accosted us; they were literally touching us everywhere and fighting among each other as to who was going to dance with us. It was crazy! Jamal was just laughing and taking video. It will be interesting to see the festival at the fishing village. While the one at Jamestown was fun and entertaining, the fishing village should have a more authentic and less touristy festival.

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Photos

Street dancing
I'm so happy I caught this guy in a handstand.

African masks
I've promised my parents that I'd get them a cool African mask to add to their collection, so I've been looking around at all the cool masks.

Important message for Western Africa
For the record, Ghana is safe. There are no cases in here or in any of the bordering countries.

Cool painting
I liked the emphasis on education in this painting.

Boat art installation
This was a boat made out of cardboard with cans and newspaper articles on it. I'm not sure what the point behind it was.

Comments

[Katie]

Great photos! Bernie wants to see Jamal's video.