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Ghana pulsates with life. From the bustle
of downtown Accra to the atmospheric adobe villages of the
north, from the ancient Kingdom of Asante to the mediaeval
mosques of Larabnga and Bole, it is a country whose immense
cultural diversity both thrills and fascinates visitors, drawing
them into a daily rhythm that is uniquely and unmistakenly
African. A common feature of all Ghanaian cultures is a love
of festivals. Barely a week goes without one or other town
or village holding its major annual celebration, while everyday
personal events such as funerals, name-giving ceremonies and
weddings tend also to be imbued with something of a carnival
atmosphere.
The normal starting point for exploring Ghana is the historical
capital Accra, one of the safest and most navigable of African
cities, and brimming with interest. Accra’s atmospheric
older quarters Usshertown and Jamestown are characterized
by an architectural cocktail spanning several centuries, spiced
with striking landmarks such as the 17th century Osu Castle
and Jamestown Lighthouse, the more modern Independence Arch
and Nkrumah Mausoleum, and the lively fishing market. Modem
Accra is epitomized by Cantonments Road, more widely known
as Oxford District, Accra's hip downtown with bustling shops,
handicracfts, fabrics, hotels, restaurants, etc..
Ghana’s second city Kumasi, is the traditional capital
for the Asante people, heirs to a centuries-old kingdom that
once sprawled from its core in central Ghana into what are
nor Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Burkina Faso. Better known
to outsiders as Ashanti, Asante was the last and most enduring
of a succession of centralized states that controlled the
goldmines of Obuasi, though its wealth and influence was also
linked to the ample supply of captives it provided to coastal
slave traders. Traditional Ashanti landmarks include a beautiful
300-year old fetish shrine at Besease, the royal kente weaving
village of Bonwire, and Manhyia Palace, where the Asante King
sits in session every sixth Sunday, heralded by a procession
of dignitaries and a fanfare of exuberant drumming and horn
blowing that capture the pageantry of Asante’s past.
A popular feature of Ghana is the great festivals held around
the country, for the most joyous affairs when locals dress
up in their finest traditional attire and tourists are welcome
to join in Some of the more important of perhaps 100 local
festivals
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