While on a trip out of Accra to Cape Coast we had the wonderful opportunity to eat at a non-profit, NGO-run, vegetarian restaurant which used only organic and locally sourced food. The Baobab School for Trades and Traditional Arts was founded in 2001 and focuses on implementing development projects in Ghana. The Moringa Restaurant, where we dined, is part of the larger Boabab House, which is a social enterprise that sells products made at the Boabab School and is used as a way to promote healthy eating and living. The dishes we enjoyed were prepared by students along with their cook Christie.

While eating lunch I noticed many beautiful paintings hanging on the walls of the dining room. After asking about the prices I decided that the painting I wanted cost too much money and was outside my souvenir price limit. However, after chatting with the man serving our food, I learned that he was the one who had painted the piece that I had my eye on. He was willing to bargain with me and after a little bit of back and forth I went home with a beautiful painting and had met the artist, Isaac K. Arthur.

This painting depicts a very interesting scene that is specific to Cape Coast. It is titled Festival Costume and shows two women prepared to participate in the Bakatue Festival. This festival happened to be taking place at the time of our trip to Cape Coast. Every year it takes place on the first Tuesday of July. This festival can be dated all the way back to 1847 and maybe earlier. Bakatue comes from the Fante dialect and translates to “draining/opening of the lagoon”. It is a way to celebrate the opening of the waters and offer thanks to the gods for a good fishing year. It is also a celebration to commemorate the founding of the town, Elmina, by the Europeans.

During this festival, the chief of Elmina and his family will parade through town toward the riverside. Once they arrive at the riverside the chief priest casts a net into the river to symbolize the opening of the waters. After all of the local customs have been performed the local chiefs and dignitaries make their way toward the chief’s palace. After this, locals and visitors start to sing and dance in the street in costumes, instruments, and decorated floats.

The Bakatue Festival is one of many cultural and historical events to take place in Ghana each year. This festival in particular celebrates the rich history of Ghana as it takes place in the former capital.