Mission in Ghana - Summer 2007
Meeting the Counsellor of Cooperation and Cultural Action - French Embassy, Accra (24th July)
The
SANKOFA delegation (comprising of its President & the 
General
Secretary) met, at the embassy of France, Mrs Francine
MEYER – Counsellor of Cooperation and Cultural Action. The main
objective of
the meeting was to present SANKOFA and discuss possible area of
cooperation. Mrs MEYER was pleased to learn about the existence of a
Franco-Ghanaian friendship Assoc. in France. She deems it laudable to
develop joint projects with regard to SANKOFA’s principal objective
(i.e. to encourage cultural diversity through socio-cultural exchanges
between French & Ghanaians). Mrs. MEYER’s section would be
interested in co-production works in music and plastic arts, especially
residential workshops/training and capacity building programmes with
renowned artists.
PANAFEST (26-30th July)
The SANKOFA
delegation also had the opportunity to witness colourful carnival
&
durbars at Kumasi & Cape Coast in commemoration of this years
Pan
Africa Historical & Theatre Festival (PANAFEST).
Panafest is a
cultural event dedicated to the enhancement of the ideals of Pan
Africanism and the development of Africa. It’s held biennially in Ghana
for Africans & people of African descent, as well as persons
committed to the well being of the continent and its citizens in the
Diaspora.
Over the years, the event had created the awareness among participants about Ghana’s history & culture, and those monuments such as the castles & forts which were used in enslaving Africans had become significant not only to Ghanaians but to all others who cherished the African heritage ( eg. reference to the film SANKOFA of Haile GERIMA).
The theme for this years’ festival was “Re-Uniting the African family”, a very significant theme that dawned on everybody to re-unite Africans in the Diaspora and their brothers & sisters at home. The events marking the festival were attended by numerous diasporas African groups, including delegations from the Caribbean, Bahamas, Surinam, & from North America.
Lessons from Panafest :
It’s imperative that we come together to champion a new course for Africa. There is the need to reconcile Africans in the Diaspora with their roots - (SANKOFA).
What about a Pan-African event – a multicultural festival – in Europe?
Other Contacts
- Baobab Children Foundation
- The African Footprint International
- Busua Inn (Olivier and Danielle FUNFSCHILLING)
- KofiTall Games (Kofi Cyril AGUDUAWU)
- Lifestyle African Crafts (Virgo Kwabena ADALATE "Searocks")
- Catholic Action for Street Children (CAS)
- Green Tropics International Group
- Nana Yaw BARIMAH
Baobab Children Foundation (an NGO)
The delegation of SANKOFA, by chance, met Edith de Vos (founder & manageress of the Foundation) and the Baobab Cultural troupe at Cape Coast during the Panafest.
The Foundation devotes to the right of the child. Based at Kissi, a coastal town near Komenda in the central region of Ghana, the Baobab school for Trades & Traditional Arts is giving a chance of education to street children, child labourers & neglected illiterate youth. The residential centre for the children operates with international volunteers who engage the children in various vocational training programmes.
Most of the funding of
the centre comes from Germany. Edith de Vos is looking for other
avenues of funding. She wish touring some European countries with her
troupe of children artists – the Baobab Cultural Troupe. She’s equally
looking for commercial outlets for the handicraft products of the
children.
Possible collaborative areas :
- Sankofa linking the Children centre with similar educational centres/institutions in France;
- Displaying and selling some of the handicrafts at SANKOFA events;
- Inviting the cultural troupe to participate in festivals & other performance in Europe.
E-mail: baobabchildren@yahoo.com
www.baobab-children-foundation.de
The African Footprint International
A
traditional drumming and dancing group based at Cape Coast. The SANKOFA
delegation met this group in the Milan-Accra bound plane as they were
returning to Ghana after a two months European tour.
African Footprint Int. has through the last decade been closely related to different African theatre, music, drumming & dancing groups and has through this work seen the possibilities of the drumming and dancing as a means for people to meet & co-operate despite their social situation & heritage. African Footprint therefore sees drumming & dancing as a means to do away with social barriers.
One
speciality of the group is their work with disadvantaged &
physically challenged people – especially with the deaf & dumb.
Their deaf dancers together with the musicians have gained
international experiences through its visits abroad.
The group also organises cultural exchanges programs – drumming & dancing training workshops, sight seeing to interesting places in Ghana.
Joe & Bright, two active members of the group, welcomed and accompanied the delegation during their 3 days stop-over at Cape Coast for the Panafest. Joe personally took the delegation to visit the Kakum National Park.
Possible collaborative areas :
- Inviting the troupe to participate in festivals & other performances in France;
- Residential training workshops – in traditional music, drumming & dancing.
E-mail: africanfootprints@yahoo.com
http://www.africanfootprintinternational.com
Busua Inn (Olivier & Danielle FUNFSCHILLING)
Very nice French couple who owns and runs 2 beach resorts at Busua nr. Dixcove (Busua Inn) & at Ezile Bay ( Ezile bay Village) since 2 yrs. now. They propose a “Frenchie” atmosphere at this corner of the west coast – comfortable & affordable accommodation, with delicious & appetising Franco Ghanaian dishes.
* Ideal location & facilities for eco-tourism
E-mail: busuainn@yahoo.com
www.busuainn.com and www.ezilebay.com
KofiTall (Kofi Cyril AGUDUAWU)
Yeah, this is KofiTall of KofiTall Games (KTG), an old good friend of Mr. Akonor. He is a carver and manufacturer of oware game boards/boxes – proprietor of The Oware Enterprise. An expert on the Oware game whose research into the game led to the publication of the ‘Rules for playing Oware - Abapaa version’. It is use as a referential guide for international oware tournaments.
KTG
is an independent enterprise
that has since 1987 pioneered the research, development, promotion
& perpetuation of the ancient African Ghanaian game of OWARE.
According to KofiTall, the promotion & exhibition of the board
game, which marries elaborate artistry with history is a laudable
comeback (SANKOFA ???) & serves as a concise introduction to
the
Ghanaian cultural heritage as well as the world of African art
KofiTall has now moved to Bonwire (renowned for quality Kente cloth manufacturing) nr. Kumasi, and he is in the process of putting up a modern carving workshop.
E-mail: koficyril@yahoo.com
Possible collaborative areas :
- Displaying and selling some of his products at SANKOFA events;
- Teaming up to organise an international tournament of oware in Ghana
Lifestyle African Crafts (Virgo Kwabena ADALETE "Searocks")
Owner & manager of Lifestyle African Crafts shop at the Arts centre crafts market (National Centre for Culture) at Accra.
Mr.
ADALETE is a dealer in all sorts of African drums. He just co-produced
a documentary entitled ‘Drum Sound Language Vol. 1’ – a remarkable
piece. He is in the process of seeking institutional &
financial
support for the Vol. II of this documentary.
E-mail: vinaydexus@yahoo.com
Possible collaborative areas :
- SANKOFA had already ordered some drums for its residential
cultural
troupe ANANSE, yet to be formed; - Displaying and selling some of his products at SANKOFA events;
- Executive production partnership on the Vol. II of the documentary “Drum Sound Language”.
Catholic Action for Street Children (CAS) – an NGO
CAS
has been operating a refuge centre in the heart of Accra, caring for
street children since 1994 – a precursor to other child right projects
like the Baobab Foundation. The General Secretary of SANKOFA has good
memories of this project as she was once an international volunteer
with this centre for 6 months in 1997.
The sprawling
urbanisation
of Accra continually attract children and the youth from the
hinterlands who arrives in the city, without any parental &
institutional support, to work. But the reality of city life adds to
their misery – squatting, illiteracy (dropping-out of school),
delinquency, violence, teenage pregnancy, etc. The CAS social workers
& volunteers have the onerous task of identifying, convincing
and
bringing these street children, child labourers & neglected
illiterate youth to the refuge centre. At the centre they are
counselled & followed by the social workers, giving a chance of
education, & engaging them in various vocational training
&
sponsoring programmes.
E-mail: ficcas@ighmail.com
Possible collaborative areas :
- Sankofa linking the Children centre with similar educational centres/institutions in France;
- Displaying and selling some of the handicrafts at SANKOFA events;
- Raising funds to support the activities of the centre (eg. The ‘Have-Not’ project).
Green Tropics International Group
An
environmental conservation & management group with its
headquarters
at Accra, it operates in the Osubin river valley of the Kwahu district
in the Eastern region of Ghana.
Nana Yaw BARIMAH
The
SANKOFA delegation met, on 3 different occasions, Nana Yaw BARIMAH a
journalist & correspondent of the Daily Graphic at Accra. He is
the
contact person of GHACIF in Ghana. Nana Yaw BARIMAH is also a
traditional sub-chief (Asokwahene) of Mampong-Ashanti.
Nana Yaw BARIMAH is very enthusiastic in working with SANKOFA too. He managed to write & get published an article on SANKOFA which appeared in the Daily Graphic of 18/08/07.
