Fancy Dress Festival
| Continent | Africa  |
|---|---|
| Country | Ghana |
| Dem locate for de administrative territorial entity insyd | Winneba |
| Location | Winneba |
De Fancy Dress Festival (dem know am locally as Kakamotobi) be masquerade festival wey dey go on for Christmas tym dey go first day of January every year by de people of Winneba for Central region of Ghana.[1] Ebe colourful festival wey dey feature brass band music.[2][3]
History[edit | edit source]
Dutch den British traders for de Winneba seaport begin de tradition for de festival for de 19th century insyd. Dem dey wear assorted maskd, dem dance den booze for white-owned bars insyd wey dem dey celebrate Christmas. Janka Abraham, wey hail from Saltpond, wey sanso dey de Central Region insyd, job as bar attendant for one of dis bars, think make he incorporate de masquerade tradition den festival go local custom insyd. He found de troop dem know as Nobles plus ein paddy pharmacist A. K. Yamoah, for de Alata Kokwado neighborhood insyd around 1923 anaa 1924. People wey belong to A. K. Yamoah ein football club den indoor games groups join. Membership require de ability make you speak de English language.[2]
Early days[edit | edit source]
De members of de Nobles go gather before dawn for Christmas Day, dem dress up for costumes insyd, lyk garb of doctors, nurses, teachers, ministers, pastors, farmers, fishermen, prostitutes, pastors, drivers, cowboys, sailors, angels, anaa even de white colonial masters. De idea be say dem go imitate de various town professions den parody de Europeans. De troop go parade thru de streets for Winneba, adaha music go back dem, wey dem go continue all day go nightii.[2]
Name change[edit | edit source]
Dem use de name "Fancy Dress" secof de Egyaa group, wey dem make up of fishermen wey no dey speak English, e dey tron make dem pronounce de word "masquerade". Instead, dem use de term "Fancy Dress", wey de pronounce am "fanti dress".[2]
Groups demma growth[edit | edit source]
After sum years, dem gbele membership for de Nobles insyd to all residents for Winneba. Dis make de membership increase. Base on de Nobles demma activities, for 1926 insyd Winneba demma paramount chief, Nana Kow Sackey (Ayirebi Acquah III), plus ein paddies form Egyaa, second group, for Aboadze, wey be fishing community. De town folks refer de Nobles as "Number One" wey Egyaa as "Number Two".[2]