With support from the Ghanaian Embassy in China and the National Union of Ghanaian Students in Beijing (NUGS), Ghanaian students in Beijing Normal University showcased Ghana’s rich culture at the university’s just ended cultural fair in China.
Clad in authentic and uniquely woven kente cloth, the students took turns in displaying cultural symbols and identities of the various regions of Ghana.
Ghana’s booth was consistently filled to capacity as attendees from China and nationals of other countries were treated with quality music, food and drinks from Ghana. Ghana Jollof was the talk of the day due to its popularity on social media. Ghana’s delicious waakye with its “accompaniments” and pinkaso were also served with chilled cups of “Sobolo”. On stage, participants joined Ghanaian performers as they danced “Adowa”, “Kpanlogo”, “B)b))b)” and other traditional dances to tunes from Ghanaian drummers.
Beyond the fun and entertainment, volunteers educated participants on Ghana’s history and development trajectory since independence. Notable was the peace, stability and consistent democracy. Participants were entreated to include Ghana in the list of places to visit as they were taken through pictures and videos showcasing Ghana’s rich heritage and tourist sites.
With cultural intelligence and people to people exchanges becoming critical to Ghana-China relations, participation in such events gradually reduces stereotypes and improve knowledge of each other’s culture.
By : Samuel Ofosu Donyina and Timothy Karikari