Don't have any special New Year's plans? Perhaps a trip to Ghana is in order. After all, they have one of the most creative and colorful festivals every year, and one that’s a true spectacle.
Winneba, or Kakamotobi as it is referred to locally, is a New Year’s festival when Ghanaians don the most elaborate dress, though the partying actually begins on December 31. The tradition started in the 1930s as a way for Ghanaians to celebrate their culture. Colonized by the Dutch, Ghanaians wanted to hold onto their past while expressing pride in the people they had become.
Having similar vibes to Mardi Gras, Winneba features parades of heavily costumed masqueraders marching down the streets to live bands. Costumes and groups are judged on their attire. The most impressive or outrageous the dress and performance, the more likely a participant is to win.
The costumes and masks can be flashy, fanciful, and frightening. Some of the outfits are believed to mock the Dutch colonizers who invaded the country.
No matter where in the diaspora we hail from, we cannot escape our truths. Colonization has hit nearly every African nation and its descendants. Yet, there is peace and beauty that comes from celebrating who we have become despite it. Winneba is one of those beautiful traditions and one that we should all be so lucky to learn about and experience.