Cape Coast Festival with the Parents

After being in Jeyiri for one year. My parents have finally arrived! They packed tons of food for their “starving” daughter. Two suitcases full of food were presented to Sean and I at the Novotel in Accra. We have not been slightly hungry since that day.  Six types of cheeses, bloody marys, good beer, homemade cookies, bagels, cream cheese, smoked salmon and chips… magical.

Cape Coast/Elmina was our destination after Accra. The original plan was to have a spa day for my 24^th birthday in Elmina, but it just happened to be the Fetu Afahye harvest festival in Cape Coast. It has been described as one of the most colorful festival in Ghana.  Villages in the surrounding areas all dress in the same cloth or in similar color. The chief and queen mother of the village parade down the main street under an elaborate umbrella. Since President Atta Mills was from Cape Coast many people wore red and black as traditional morning colors. Also the leaders of the villages walked in the parade rather than being carried to show reverence to the past president.

Walking among the colorful dancing Ghanaians, I was proud to show my family the people who I am working with. You can’t really compare a celebrating, smiling, dancing Ghanaian with anyone else. They were at their best.

All pictures were taken by Sean Blaufuss on September 1, 2012.

A chief in the Cape Coast, Ghana in traditional clothing. RIP Atta Mills in the background. 

Each chief has their own gang of drummers that follow him and the Queen Mother. Cape Coast, Ghana.

A Queen Mother dancing next to the chief. Cape Coast, Ghana.

Fetish priest dancing with flag and covered in white clay. Cape Coast, Ghana.

Young men dressed as warrior walking in front of their chief. Cape Coast Ghana.