Masquerades festival climax Christmas celebration in Sekondi-Takoradi

Takoradi, Dec. 27, -GNA- Mr. Philip K. Nkrumah, Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Chief Executive said on Tuesday that the Metropolitan Assembly would support and popularize the masquerades festival unto the international level.

He said such festivals must be promoted to attract both Ghanaians and foreigners to the metropolis.

Mr. Nkrumah said these at the second annual masquerades festival organized by the masquerades associations within the metropolis with support from the Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly, Fan Milk Limited and Skyy Power FM to climax its activities for the year at the PWD Park in Takoradi. Mr. Nkrumah said there was the need to promote local festivals and cultures, to boost tourism and also attract investors who would assist in transforming the economy of the metropolis. The festival brought together 12 masquerading groups from Takoradi, New Takoradi and Sekondi.

The groups include Ankos, Cosmos, Holy Cities, Nyanta Boys, Iron Fighters, Unity and Missisipi.

The rest are Spain, Sunnato, Valencia, Chinese and Toumbose. Each group with a membership about 60 and made up of men, women, children of different age groups, accompanied by brass band music danced to various dance formations to the admiration of the curious onlookers. Apart from their dance formations, facial masks and clothing, which had several, colour combinations of red, yellow, green, black, violet and grey, they could hardly be distinguished.

Many residents had lined the streets from the Edzee Roundabout double road while many others observed the spectacular performances from roof-tops, balconies and on parked articulated trucks. Madam Joana Aba Annan, 50, who was identified in one group, said she joined the masquerades when she was only five years old and had never missed an outing.

She said December 26 each year was specially chosen as the outing day for the masquerades to display their clothing, dance and masks. Madam Annan said each member had to make consistently savings from January each year towards the cloths, mask and other regalia for the occasion.

She noted that the dance formations were difficult and needed continuous practice and stamina for an individual to master. 27 Dec. 06