MERIFEST 2016 launches in Tema
MERIFEST seeks to promote tourism and cultural activities of various tribal groups residing within the Tema metropolis.
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It is a melting pot for the exhibition of tradition and culture of people from the various parts of the country residents in the metropolis.
This year’s week-long celebration which starts on Monday, October 24, and ends on Saturday, October 29, 2016 is under the theme, “Peace, unity and development in cosmopolitan Tema”.
The festival, initiated three years ago, by the Tema Metropolitan Assembly in collaboration with the Tema Traditional Council is aimed at fostering peace and unity among the various ethnic groups residing in Tema.
Activities scheduled for the event are a pilgrimage to be led by the Tema Traditional Council to the ancestral home of the people of Tema located at the defunct Meridian Hotel.
There, the traditional priest would pour libation in front of a 400 year old tree, affectionately referred to as “Teeshi”, which, according to the people, is the umbilical cord of the people of Tema.
The rest are a colloquium for Senior High School students, street carnival and concert slated for Friday, October 28, featuring artistes such as Five 5, Masaame, Stay J, R2Bees, Sarkodie, Donzy, Ephraim and the legendary A. B. Crentsil.
The festival will be climaxed with a grand durbar of all the traditional groupings in the metropolis on Saturday, October 29, 2016.
Launching MERIFEST 2016, the Metropolitan Chief Executive for Tema, Mr. Isaac Ashai Odamtten, said, “I believe MERIFEST has come to stay. It has that hemming factor which can bring the inhabitants of Tema together. As demonstrated in previous celebrations, we have seen how we can use culture and tradition to preach peace and co-existence in our Metropolis.”
He appealed to all to see the event not only as a cultural activity but also as a consensus building to enable residents make Tema that beacon of peace, the place where all will find homely and go about their daily activities in peace and tranquility.
The Paramount Chief of Tema, Nii Adjei Kraku II, called on all residents, especially the youth to take keen interest in the festival since it offers them the opportunity to learn the various about cultures of inhabitants of Tema.
Before the launch, the Tema Wulomo, Nii Ashiboi Kofi, poured libation while the Anuonyam Traditional Music and Dance Group entertained the gathering with traditional Ghanaian dances. The Tema Senior High School Choir also delivered melodious choral music.