. Remove ‘Historical Theatre’ phrase from its name
. Need for strong local and foreign Secretariats
Once again, PANAFEST (an acronym for ‘Pan-African Historical Theatre Festival) is here! And our diasporan brethren from the US and the Caribbeans and other overseas nations are descending on Ghana to join their African homebodies to celebrate the festival.
But there are two controversial issues of interest which need to be dealt with or rationalized for the sake of clarification. They concern the wording of the name of the festival itself, and the organization of the festival’s management structure. First, is the awkwardness of the long name: ‘Pan-African Historical Theatre Festival’, the pronunciation of which is mouthful, cumbrous and chippy. And this shouldn’t have been the case, particularly when its beautiful acronym which is PANAFEST appears to delete the two words “Historical Theatre, “words that indeed are not at all necessary in the pronunciation essentials. Basically, the acronym ‘PANAFEST’ means PAN -AFRICAN FESTIVAL, and this encapsulates the historical, theatrical, cultural and educative tenets which it entails. This is a festival, and it encompasses a rich variety of salient ceremonies which range from the African cultural practice of welcoming the diasporans home and some dramatic enactment of old-time slave purchases, to the chaining of the slaves’ limbs, compelling them to walk lineally to their destinations at the colonial castles, only with a few stops on the way for drinking of water drawn from dirty ponds and eating of some scrappy meals.
The treatment of the slaves with merciless whipping, simply because they were regarded as good-for-nothing scoundrels or villains, their pitable sojourn in the castle, and their final shipment overseas, all are dramatized by some actors to reflect what happened to the enslaved forefathers of the African diasporans who have trooped down for the festival. Whilst these enacted scenes are contextually theatrical and virtually amounting to historical regurgitation of the sufferings experienced by our enslaved forebears, we need not make singular reference of the sad events as something which has comparative semblance to a ‘historical theatre’ saga of the festival.
Such a reference seems to give undue attention to the historical and theatrical elements of the festival, whilst apparently underrating the cultural aspects (including welcoming ceremonies entailing the traditional pouring of libation and purification bath etc), the educational tenor (lectures and seminars) and tourism dimension (sight-seeing of various slave-trading spots, encampment centres, bushy travel routes, castles, tasting of African dishes, putting on African dresses etc) All these are important ingredients that constitute the PANAFEST, and it is therefore strange, even laughable, to highlight only two elements of the festival, namely, its historicity and theatricality (in short, its histrionics) as the festival’s basic name.
It is my submission that this is not linguistically logical, and the earlier this ‘historical theatre’ phrase were officially deleted, the better. A festival includes several acts and actions- several ceremonies, and the name ‘PAN AFRICAN FESTIVAL’ which correctly assumes the acronym ‘PANAFEST’ must be maintained. It’s really very simple to mention it when PANAFEST is being explained to students and visiting diasporans. To repeat, I contend that the simple name PAN AFRICAN FESTIVAL must be officially adopted by seminar officials and the PANAFEST secretariat here in Ghana. The long registration name of PANAFEST must be changed for the sake of simplicity!
The second point of contention in this piece is the management structure of this PANAFEST organization. Whether the PANAFEST offices superintended officially by the Ministry of Culture or Tourism, or it is living as an independent body, there is absolute need to invigorate its management structure to be more dynamic, and to streamline its functions to effectuate its other objective of helping Africa to attain its envisaged continental union government. It is my speculation that the secretariat of the PANAFEST is not fully funded to function dynamically; hence, apart from the organization of the biennial PANAFEST, not much is done to contact African heads of state or to hobnob with them to rivet their minds on the urgent need for the African continental union government. This should be the political sideline of the PANAFEST Secretariat whose functions include cultural, historical and tourism education. It appears the main Secretariat which is situated in Accra, Ghana, has only a skeleton number of staff who need to be paid well to undertake their assignments successfully and dynamically.
It is my point of view that the PANAFEST Secretariat is cash-strapped, and therefore appeals to various governments in Africa and elsewhere, and appeals to local, diasporanand overseas businessmen for some funding to run the organization should be begun now in right earnest. This is likely to yield good results so that the mother secretariat in Ghana can function to obtain better practical results. My allusion to ‘mother Secretariat’ in Ghana hints of the need to set up secretariats in the nations of our diasporan brethren, so as to coordinate their programmes and activities with the ‘mother Secretariat’ in Ghana. These satellite Secretariats must appeal to interested individuals in their areas of operations and use the money for the running of their local Secretariats, and also financially feed the mother Secretariat in Ghana.
It will be good for the satellite diasporan offices to set up their own ‘PANAFEST’ museums in which African artefacts and other historical relics can be kept for exhibition. Adjoined to the museums should be PANAFEST library and PANAFEST bookshops in which works of African authors shall be kept for reading or exposed for purchase. Alongside these, should be stores to show African dresses, like kente and other cloths, smocks, ahenema sandals, chain ornaments, caps and even African dishes, all of which can be bought and used by our diasporan brothers and sisters there. Occasionally, diasporan regions can organize mini- PANAFEST during which such African goods can be exhibited or bought and colloquiums can be organized to educate the many fellow diasporans who cannot travel to Ghana for the biennal PANAFEST. Such regional mini- PANAFESTS can be held on rotational basis, and those of us African academics who are conversant with African culture or history can be invited there to give special lectures during the colloquiums. It will be seen that the organization of all these will need some adequate financial resources; and my message to the visiting diasporans who have come for this year’s PANAFEST is that they should try to collocate all those points which have been raised above, and consider their benefits and therefore work on them, not of course forgetting the political ramifications of such PANAFEST.
PANAFEST should not be merely a biennial cultural jamboree that provides aesthetic enjoyment and recreational fun, but it should be a catalyst for the achievement of real Pan-Africanism resulting in the objectification of the much-cherished continental union government of Africa, the boosting up of the concept of African Personality by which the African is well recognized and revered by all human beings and the showcasing of African culture everywhere. It is high time PANAFEST became an outgoing festival, with its tenets and ceremonies and practices reaching the doorsteps of the many diasporans who are unable to come to Accra to participate in it. In the various seminars that will be held during this PANAFEST, the need for the funding of the mother Secretariat in Accra, and an ample emphasis on the need for setting up satellite Secretariats in diasporan regions and for celebrating mini- PANAFEST in the diasporan areas should be proposed for consideration and action.
Lastly, as a welcome salute to our diasporan brethren who have descended on Ghana to celebrate the PANAFEST, I find it convenient to re-publish this my poetic piece –
Africans in diaspora
Those near and far,
From far Caribbeans
And far Americanlands,
Ghana welcomes you back,
To show you ancient best,
Of our cultural zest.
See, ‘fontonfrom’ drums
Still croon to ‘dondo’ groans,
Behind chiefs in palanquins
Shining in kente dresses.
Halt they, and the linquist
Holding clan staff libation pours,
And calls God to bless
Our diasporans to wealth.
Diasporan, our African brother,
Whom Satan snatched asunder,
Drink deep your homey culture
To live as a proud African,
Let African Personality idea
Of dear Kwame Nkrumah,
Stay with you in America,
So to eat, dress and walk as African.
Sing: “home is home,
Ghana sweet abode,
Where our good hopes,
Rest and quickly bloat
Our old cultural souls
For our spiritual growth,
Back to Ghana we shall go.
Long live sweet PANAFEST
Long live Africa’s cultural best.”
Apostle Kwamena Ahinful