A cool breeze loosely shifted leaves of trees at the Chale Wote Festival last Saturday in Accra – Dzen Nako Cultural Group took centre stage to perform some of Ghana’s popular dances sparking a wave of euphoria among the revellers.
Chale Wote literally translates to ‘Friend let’s go’ in Ga, the language of indigenes of Accra, but has come to stand for flip-flops.
Dzen Nako’s energetic and colourful performance showcased assorted aspects of Ghanaian culture and dances which kept the audience on their feet for long.
One of the most popular performances by the cultural troupe was the “Dragon Dance”, a vibrant and energetic routine that features a large, intricately crafted dragon puppet. The dancers, dressed in brightly coloured traditional costumes, brought the dragon to life with their precise and synchronised dance movements.
Indeed, the drum beat created an atmosphere of enchantment that conformed to ritualism and ceremonialism as the dancers communicated to the audience – its history, its culture and its norms.
Chale Wote Art Festival is an alternative platform that brings art, music, design, dance and performance out onto the streets.
The community-based festival is an annual event, which takes place in James Town one of Accra’s most historic communities and targets exchanges between Ghana-based and international artists creating and appreciating art together.
Mr. Rocky Dawuni, a singer and record producer speaking to the media on the sidelines of the programme emphasised that Ghana has a rich culture, which must be exploited strategically for the collective benefit of all.
He added “for me any cultural institution that aims to celebrate who we are, our traditions, culture and generally who we are as a people and at the same time connects the historic bonds that exist with the diaspora to the world is something worth promoting and supporting.”
