Sekondi – Takoradi is a vibrant port city in Ghana. It is situated in the Western region of Ghana and the third biggest in terms of commerce and industrialization.
The region is also the birth place of Ghana’s first president Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah. What made the region popular in the past is it’s Port and Habour, natural resources and cluster companies. Currently, what makes the region popular is it’s ecstasy masquerade carnival dubbed ” Westside (Ankos) Carnival”.
BRIEF HISTORY
A masquerade is an ancient African custom and practice whereby tribes wear a specific mask to portray a deity or an animal believed to have spiritual influence on them.
However, the term Fancy dress was coined in Winneba, Saltpond, and Egyaa in the Central Region of Ghana during the 18th century, thus blending the white Christmas into African culture.
Dutch and British traders at the Winneba coastal towns began the tradition of the festival wearing different masks as they danced and drank in white-owned bars to celebrate Christmas.
Janka Abraham, who hailed from Saltpond, also in the Central Region, and worked as a bar attendant at one of these bars, thought of incorporating the masquerade tradition and festival into local custom.
He founded a group known as Nobles with his friend who was also a pharmacist, A. K. Yamoah, in the Alata Kokwado neighborhood around 1923. People who belonged to A. K. Yamoah’s football club and indoor games groups joined. Membership required the ability to speak the English language.
FANCY DRESS PARADE
The members of the Nobles would gather before dawn on Christmas Day, dressed up in costumes, such as garb of doctors, nurses, teachers, ministers, pastors, farmers, fishermen, pastors, drivers, cowboys, sailors, angels, animals or even the white colonial masters.
The idea was to imitate the various town professions and mimic the lifestyle of the Europeans. The troop would then parade through the streets of Winneba, backed by adaha music, and would continue all day into the evening.
The name “Fancy Dress” was used because the Egyaa group, which was made up of fishermen who spoke no English, had a hard time pronouncing the word “masquerade”. Instead, they used the term “Fancy Dress”, which they pronounced “fanti dress”.
ORIGIN OF TAKORADI ANKOS
The term Ankos was coined in Takoradi as the name of the first masquerade group in the region. According to sources, it was founded in 1956 and still in existence.
The first Ankos was founded by a tailor called Uncle Ekow. So therefore, they called his Ankos group Uncle Ekow Fancy Dress Group. Through passage of time the name became “ANKOWS”, thus ANKOS. Ankos is also known in some circles as “Kaakaamokobi” in Ga parlance which means Scary Mask.
The Ankos Festival also known as Takoradi street carnival or Masquerade Festival is an annual event celebrated by the people of Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana. Its main attraction is dozens of groups of people or teams dressing in wild outfits who display their skills and arts via dance. The festival is usually celebrated from 24–26 December of every year, and is popular with tourists.
WHAT IS WESTSIDE CARNIVAL
Westside carnival is a masquerade festival which is celebrated on 25th and 26th December every year. The event brings people from all walks of life to Sekondi – Takoradi. The Takoradi masquerade carnival begins with “Made in Takoradi carnival hosted by Hip-life and high-life icon Kofi Kinnata who hails from Effiakuma a suburb of Sekondi-Takoradi.
ANKOS GROUPS IN TAKORADI
Ankos or masquerade groups in Sekondi-Takoradi are as follows;
Ankos
Cosmos
Holy Cities
Nyanta Boys
Iron Fighters
Unity
Mississipi
Spain
Sunnato
Valencia
Canadians
Chinese
Tumus
Ohyewakomem
Supreme
Oil city
Millionaires
Unicon
Addyzee
USA
Nyanta Boys and Girls
Punch
Gye Nyame
Crench
Miami and many more ankos groups.
