The Bakatue Festival is celebrated by the People of Elmina, found along the central coast of Ghana, just some few kilometres from the central regional capital, Cape Coast.
The festival is touted to be one of the oldest festivals in Ghana with celebration going as far back as 1800. This is evidenced in the fact that Governor Cornelis Nagtglass once cited the festival in an official report.
Originally, the festival was instituted by the Portuguese to celebrate the founding on Elmina during the early days of colonization. However, the festival has over the century, evolved to become a traditional festival of the people and is traditionally celebrated in the first week of the month of July to mark the beginning of the fishing season in the Elmina Township.
The festival is also celebrated to offer thanksgiving and appreciation to the gods for a good fishing year and pray for a better year in the coming fishing season.
The people of Elmina are part of the larger Fante ethnic group predominantly found in the central and western regions of Ghana.
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