6 March - Independence Day
on Michelle Currie (Ghana), 28/Mar/2010 12:13, 34 days ago
On 6 March 1957, the Gold Coast was the first African colony to gain independence from the British resulting in the creation of the Republic of Ghana.Like most flags, the Republic of Ghana’s flag is very symbolic. The red stripe is a reminder of the blood of those who died in the struggle for independence; the gold represents the country’s mineral wealth, whilst the green reflects the fertility of the land and the lush vegetation in the south of the country. The single black fivepointed star symbolises African unity.Ghanaians have an intriguing attitude towards their colonial past. I have yet to meet anyone with an outwardly hostile view of their colonial past. When people they find out I am British they often comment“our colonial masters” without a hint of irony. Ghanaians are, however, very proud of their independence and national identity and frequently refer to the positive way their country is portrayed internationally.6th March is celebrated by people all over the country with cultural celebrations and marches by school children. Talensi-Nabdam is no exception and in the weeks leading up to the big day children practice their marching and finalise their displays.The celebrations for the district of Talensi-Nabdam were to take place at the Mission Field in Tongo. The programme for the day indicated an early start, but proceedings eventually got underway at 10 a.m. with the arrival of the local Chiefs and dignitaries. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but found the day to be most enjoyable.After the national anthem and speeches there was a cultural display performed by the children.The students representing schools from across the District began their march past at about midday– this means they had been sitting in the heat of the sun, without any shade or water, for four hours! Despite this, the students marched with great pride and a surprising amount of energy!Some adults also marched, including teachers, hairdressers, refuse collectors and tailors and seamstresses.The Independence Day Parade is organised by the Ghana Education Service and it uses this event to publically acknowledge the work of individuals and groups that have contributed in some way to improving educational opportunities for young people in the District. You can imagine my surprise when I heard the Director announce that I was one of those to be honoured for the work I was doing in relation to establishing links between schools in Talensi-Nabdam and Milton Keynes and the setting up of an ICT Centre.