For over two weeks I had seen orange and red fabrics with the picture of a man’s face, the Honorable Kwadwo Baah Wiredu-Ghana’s Minister of Finance that was originally from Agogo, printed on them. My tailor had to postpone starting my next dress to fit more time in to complete the shirts and dresses people had ordered for his funeral. I began to realize that this man was very well known all over Ghana and that this funeral would be a larger deal for our small town.
On Friday, September 8, 2008 the funeral preparations began around 8am in the field across from our college campus. Adults and children cleaned and set up stands for food, drinks, and souvenirs (much like the chief’s funeral). By 5pm people were all around town. People were dancing and playing music in the streets.
When Betsy and I ventured out to the downtown around 7pm it was in full swing. It reminded me of Bourbon Street in Louisiana without the loud and obnoxious drunk people. The main street was packed and all of the side streets were full with people coming to town. Aside from Bourbon Street it reminded me of a college town on Homecoming weekend before/after a larger football game. It was amazing. Agogo’s population isn’t very large, (between the population of Macon, GA and Vidalia, GA) but during the funeral celebration it had to be doubled or tripled in size. Betsy and I people watched, found new nightclubs we had never noticed, and visited with friends and students we saw in town. We were back home within the hour, but we could hear the music and crowd from our living room.
The party ended around 4:30am Saturday for only thirty minutes to an hour, so that people could go home and change and then line up to proceed into the funeral. Meanwhile Betsy and I slept until 6:30am, although the music had made sleeping a chore, and then woke up to begin preparing for the funeral. We weren’t sure what time it began, because it seemed to be going on for over 24 hours already. Once we walked down to the field that where the body was set up for viewing we realized that many of our colleagues had already lined up and gone though the procession. So Betsy and I got at the end of a line longer then the queue for Six Flag’s Superman ride on the first day of middle schooler’s spring break. The line winded down to the open casket and a long line tents (I think it was about 40 tents- seriously- or more) with hands you were welcome to shake. Once the line got moved about due to the Head of State’s arrive we gave up and just walked around the out skirts of the circle of tents.
Our first stop was a yellow tent with smoothie machines! They weren’t smoothies though, just different juices, but still very tasty. We also purchased sweet popcorn and fans with the man of the hour (or the weekend)’s face on it. While munching on popcorn and drinking sweet juice I realized this reminded me of a fair without the rides and games. People were everywhere- and vendors selling everything you could want to remember this man and funeral with.
On our walk around the grounds (much like fair grounds) we found a dance party, boys climbing trees to see what was going on beyond the tents, chief’s entering with their entourages, vendors selling things much like vendors at a baseball game- but I never found cotton candy. We bought some more snacks and then brought them home and took a lunch break.
After our lunch break we walked up and down the street of Agogo that was blocked off because of the amount of food traffic- much like Atlanta’s neighborhoods do during their yearly festivals. People seemed happy, especially our students, that we were coming to pay our respects and join in the day, which made us feel good since we didn’t have the chance to meet Kwadwo Baah Wiredu. Around 2pm a larger crowd formed because Ghana’s president was on the way. By this time the body had been taken to its burial place and the crowd was just as large as ever. Many official looking camera men videoed as 7 or more SUV’s arrived escorted by 5 or more police on motorcycles. Betsy, our two friends, Reubina and Laura, and I watched from behind the president’s tent for his arrive. We saw the cars, police officers, cameras clicking, but never got the chance to see his face due the crowd and the fact that I’m too short. But I was less than 50 yards from the Ghanaian president- how cool is that! Also the new patriotic party’s presidential candidate Nana Akufo Addo was also at the ceremony.
The funeral cerebration of life went on until around 9pm Saturday night. Then started up AGAIN on Sunday morning after church. People were dressed in more fabric that had the minister’s profile printed on it, but on Sunday the colors were white and black instead of red and black. The music, vendors, and crowds left around 1am Monday morning.
It was a fantastic experience. I think that people in Ghana have funerals right. Get people together to remember you and enjoy the time instead of moping about. When I past I hope I have a wake with parades, food stands, and people visiting one another. I wish I had the chance to meet the Hon. Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, because he must have been a great man. He died at the age of 56 and that is far too young. I send me condolences to his family and thank you for letting me attend this memorable ceremony.
2 comments:
Wow, what a funeral. I'm glad you were able to really be a part of this ritual by enjoying all the food and beverages they were offering.
i still think it is interesting how fanta is a fancy gift there. i can understand the goat, but fanta? really?
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