About Ghana

A peaceful and welcoming country - participants will be thrilled with both the modern and traditional life Ghana has to offer. Its coastal area consist of plains and lagoons near river estuaries. It also has thick rainforests. Her cities glow and vibrate with all the bustle of the modern world. Its capital, Accra, is one of the most exciting and distinctive regions. Ghanaians are the friendliest people in West Africa; they have the warmest smiles, proud yet humble with a contagious and calming sense of humour.

SOME FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT GHANA

PLACES TO VISIT
Link to attraction sites [links to be provided soon]

FESTIVALS

The 42 day cycle of the Ashanti religious calendar culminates in Kumasi with Akwasidae, a public ceremony at the palace involving the main chiefs and priests. The Aboakyer or Deer Hunt festival is held in May in Winneba. Elmina Bakatue festival celebrating the beginning of the fishing season is held the first Tuesday of July with local chiefs parading through town in full regalia, followed by singers, dancers, and stilt walkers. On the first Saturday in September, a raucous carnival called Fetu festival takes place in Cape coast featuring an all day parade of local chiefs.

The Pan-African Historical Theatre Festival (PANAFEST), a spectacular cross-cultural drama festival is held across Ghana in the December of even numbered years.

ARTIFACTS

The Ashanti tribe of the Akan is famous for their craft work, particularly their hand carved stools and fertility dolls and their colorful kente cloth. Kente Cloth is woven in bright narrow strips with complex patterns. It is usually made from cotton and is always woven outdoors exclusively by men.
The Ewe also weave kente cloth and their more geometrical patterns contain symbolic designs handed down through the ages. Kente cloth is only worn in the southern half of the country and as distinct from other forms of traditional weaving is reserved mainly for joyous occasions.
Unlike virtually all the other West Africans, Ghanaians do not use masks to invoke supernatural powers. They practice this belief by using wooden or clay statuettes. Fetish dolls in particular are treated like magical items, and women who want to ensure themselves beautiful, healthy children can be seen carrying the dolls around on their backs, with only the dolls flat fat heads protruding from their slings. In all sculpture, gender is very important and body parts especially the head, buttocks, breast and navel are exaggerated in size.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

1st January - New Year Day,
22nd February - Eidul Adha,
6th March - Independence Day,
21st March - Good Friday
1st May - May Day,
6th December - Farmers Day,
25th December Christmas Day,
26th December Boxing Day.

ATTRACTIONS TO EXPLORE IN GHANA

A blend of big-city bustle and African ease MAKOLA MARKET, KANESHIE MARKET AND JAMES TOWN, and ART CENTER AND INDEPENDENCE SQUARE.
ABURI BOTANICAL GARDENS: Exotic plants from around the world.
KUMASI: The ancient capital of the Ashanti Kingdom.
NATIONAL CULTURAL CENTER
ASANTEHENE PALACE
ADAE FESTIVAL
BONWIRE FOR KENTE CLOTH AND NTONSO FOR ADINKRA CLOTH
PANKRONO FOR POTTERY AND AHWIAA FOR WOODCARVING

COASTAL FORTS & VILLAGES
FORT GOOD HOPE (1906) IN SENYA BERAKU
FORT PATIENCE (1697) IN APAM
CAPE COAST CASTLE (1652) IN CAPE COAST)
FORT NASSAU (I612) IN MORI
FORT WILLIAM (1730) AND ASAFO SHRINE IN ANUMABU
FORT ST. JAGO (1652) AT GEORGE’S CASTLE 1482 IN ELMINA.