It was dark and the evening was in full swing. Traffic was simply not moving anywhere, forwards or backwards, and there were competing sound systems every 10 meters or so. People crowded throughout the streets, hands grasping sausages on sticks or bottles of beer, shouting to friends, jockeying to get a good position to watch some dancers or dancing themselves. Not only was it Friday, it was the night before the climax of the Afahye (uh-fah-SHAY) Festival in Cape Coast
About Cape Coast and Afahye
Cape Coast is perhaps most well-known for the Cape Coast Castle, a World Heritage Site and former fort used by first the Swedish, then the Portuguese and finally the British to export people in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. But every year, on the first Saturday in September, people come from all over to take part in the Afahye festivities.
It is believed that there was once a devastating epidemic in Cape Coast, and that with the help of the gods, the people were able to eradicate the disease. So every year, the festivities are meant as a cleansing ritual.
Festival Activities
The festival technically begins when the chief confines himself for the week leading up to that Saturday. He meditates, seeking guidance from the gods and ancestors, and receives any necessary medical attention. Once he emerges, he pours libations for the ancestors and prays to the 77 gods for a successful festival. Libations are also poured in the nearby lagoon, to prevent any bad omens and ensure prosperity, such as good fish catches and large harvests, in the coming year.
In the lead up to the main event, the people spend time tidying up the town, such as cleaning out the gutters, painting buildings and general cleansing of the areas. Shrines are visited, sacrifices are made and purification rituals are performed.
Finally, on Saturday, all the chiefs of the local groups parade through town to meet and hold a durbar. Matters concerning the locality and local people are discussed and the head chief dispenses the wisdom he received during his meditation. There’s lots of drumming and dancing in the streets and the chiefs parade through town, and like many festivals around the world, local companies set up tents to capitalize on the festival crowds and street performers try their luck with busking.
