In the historic fishing town of Elmina, where the waves of the Atlantic crash gently against a centuries-old fort, something sacred happens each July. The canoes are decorated. The people gather. The lagoon waits in silence. And with a prayer and a paddle, the sea is ceremonially opened.
This is Bakatue — a festival that marks more than the beginning of the fishing season. It is a celebration of life, sustenance, spiritual protection, and communal strength. A moment when the sea and the people of Elmina reconnect in ritual, gratitude, and joyous expectation.
"Bakatue" means “opening of the lagoon” in the Fante language, and it symbolizes the formal start of the fishing season for the people of Elmina — a town whose very soul is intertwined with the sea.
For generations, fishing has not just been an occupation here — it has been a way of life, a family heritage, a spiritual duty. The ocean is respected as a powerful, living force — one that provides, but must first be honored.
Bakatue is that honor. It’s the community’s way of saying thank you and please — thank you for the bounty of years past, and please bless our nets this year.
The festival begins with sacred rites performed by traditional priests at the Benya Lagoon, invoking blessings from the sea gods and the gods of the land. Libations are poured. Sacred food offerings are made. Drums begin to call.
Then, in a deeply symbolic act, a beautifully decorated royal canoe, carrying the paramount chief (Omanhen) of Elmina and his elders, is paddled into the lagoon. The act marks the official opening of the waters for fishing.
It is not just a ritual — it is a sacred handshake between the people and the sea.
Once the lagoon is “opened,” fishermen are free to return to their craft, and the community can once again rely on the ocean’s generosity. The first fish caught after Bakatue is considered sacred — often offered to the gods in thanks before the rest is brought to market or table.
It’s a beautiful reminder that while fish feed the body, gratitude feeds the soul.
Beyond the water, the town of Elmina comes alive in a riot of color, music, and cultural pride. Streets are filled with:
Traditional drumming and dancing, led by cultural troupes
Chiefs in regalia seated in state during the durbar
Parades of canoes, young dancers, and singing women
The unmistakable smell of fresh seafood and local dishes filling the air
Locals wear vibrant kente and Fante prints, and every family, from elders to children, takes part in the celebration. For Elmina, Bakatue is more than a tradition — it’s identity made visible.
Bakatue is also a time of homecoming. Many people who live outside Elmina return home to celebrate with family. It’s a time to reconnect with one's roots, honor elders, and pass down stories to the next generation.
For those in the diaspora or travelers seeking authentic cultural immersion, Bakatue offers a deeply personal and human experience — one that reveals how culture, community, and nature live in harmony.
In a world where traditions often fade and livelihoods become disconnected from the earth, Bakatue reminds us of balance — the sacred relationship between humanity and the natural world.
It teaches us that fishing is not just economic — it is spiritual, cultural, and communal. That before we take, we must give thanks. And that a town, when united in gratitude and tradition, becomes something far more powerful than a place — it becomes a people.
To witness Bakatue is to feel a rhythm that runs deeper than the waves.
It is to hear the song of ancestors in the splash of a paddle.
To see joy not sold on a stage, but lived out loud, in the streets and on the sea.
Ready to experience it for yourself?
Start planning your cultural journey into the soul of Ghana.
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3 girls selling fruits and food at the road side. (c) Strictly by Remo Kurka (photography)