The Year of Return Celebrations in Ghana
Written by Cherie Obenewaah Sackey - 2nd Place in the AASOA x Exeter ACS Engage in Africa Short Essay Prize
After being away from home these past few years, I was definitely looking forward to spending Christmas at home with my family and friends in Ghana with some good homecooked meals and much needed family banter that keeps the house alive and always buzzing!
As well as this, I was looking forward to the 2019 Year of Return celebrations that were generating massive publicity for Ghana, thanks to the line-up of activities for the Christmas season. As much as it was about having a good time, it also promoted love and togetherness as one people - Africans.
The Christmas holidays, tagged ‘Detty December’ by many, saw a multitude of people trooping to the Motherland for the Year of Return celebrations. This was an initiative by the Ghanaian government to mark 400 years since the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in Jamestown, Virginia, and was conducted under the administration of H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo (President of the Republic of Ghana).
“It celebrates the cumulative resilience of all the victims of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade who were scattered and displaced through the world in North America, South America, The Caribbean, Europe & Asia.”
Beautiful fabrics are just one aspect of the party for the senses to be found at the Makola market in Accra. Source: Pinterest.
The Ghana Tourism Authority under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture organised a number of events as part of the celebrations. In many cases, this took the form of music concerts like Rapperholic, Afronation, Detty-Rave, Decemba-to-Rememba, T.I.N.A.-Fest & Afrochella, which showcased the wonderful talents Africa has to offer and gave the people a true taste of the African vibe! Trying the award winning “Ghana jollof” and many other Ghanaian delicacies was on most peoples’ checklists, as well as viewing artworks, touring different parts of the country and experiencing the nightlife.
There was definitely no dull moment this Christmas for sure; the city was alive from sunrise to sunset. One main goal of the Year of Return Celebrations was to welcome our brothers & sisters from the African Diaspora to Ghana, to host a wonderful experience and showcase the opportunities that exist in the nation.
Ghana’s President - Nana Akufo-Addo. Source: YouTube.
The Year of Return was an undeniable economic success, and was globally recognised as one of the most impactful recent tourism initiatives. The celebration also seems to have left quite a mark on the lives of those who undertook this journey back to their roots, with many sharing their experiences on social media. This campaign also positioned Ghana as a key travel destination for the African Diaspora.
The Ghanaian government also plans to keep the vision alive, with the President launching the succeeding initiative - “Beyond the Return, The Diaspora Dividend”. There are hopes that this will foster stronger long term economic relations between the African Diaspora and Ghana.
If you are deciding on a holiday destination, Ghana is definitely one to consider. From the culture, to the people, food, music, wonderful weather and tourist attractions, you’re definitely in for a fulfilling experience.