The Marymount International School in Tema Community 25 has initiated a national kids’ patriotic day to instill in the kids the sense of the Ghanaian culture, norms and tradition.
As part of the national kids’ patriotic day, pupils of the school were dressed in forms of Ghanaian attire and national colours to depict their cultural lineage and ethnic backgrounds.
Kids from foreign nations who school there were not left out of the fun as they were equally adorned in the beautiful traditional wear.
While some pupils and teachers sported traditional outfits like smocks, kaba, and slit, others went for kente over jumpers with matching colourful beads, others adorned themselves in white calico with hyssop on their necks depicting traditional priests from the Ga traditional area, among other dressings.
Patriotic songs in the various Ghanaian languages created the right atmosphere to emphasise patriotism in the pupils who could not hide their elation and admired one another.
Teachers took turns to educate them on the events that led to Ghana’s independence, as well as Made in Ghana goods.
A sketch on the “cry for independence” was also done to give a pictorial picture, and re-enact what their ancestors went through as slaves, and fighters for independence.
Sugarcane, black velvet tamarind, pineapples, plantain, African star apple, local rice, millet, yellow corn, sorghum, coconut oil, Ghanaian textiles, calabash, earthenware bowl, cauldron, among others were displayed for the children’s perusal.
Mrs Sarah Senam Apasah, a History Teacher told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that the national kids’ patriotic day was initiated by the school to instill in the learners the need to be patriotic, adding that learning about the independence struggle would help them to resolve to protect the freedom and peace they were enjoying now.
Mrs Apasah said it was also to afford the pupils the opportunity to learn about their civic rights and responsibilities while exposing them to some items being used by Ghanaians before modern inventions replaced them.
Ms Leticia Obeng Archer, an Asante Twi Teacher who led the children to play both indoor and outdoor local games said parents must teach their children traditional games as ‘antoakyire’, “dua oo dua’’ and ampe instead of allowing them to be addicted to televisions, laptops, and tablets.
Ms Archer said while these games taught the children a lot, the addiction to electronic gadgets deprived them of socialization, exercise, bonding with each other, adding that it was sad that most parents, especially those in the urban areas had even forgotten about the local games thereby denying them their heritage.
She explained that a game like “antoakyire’ which literally means “don’t look back” made the children have fun while making them strong as it involved running.
Ms Archer added that ampe also helped the girls to throw their legs and hands after their home chores explaining that an old woman in the past realized that while boys always got the opportunity to play and exercise, girls were deprived of that as they were always in the kitchen.
“Ampe was therefore invented for girls to play under the moonlight,” Ms Archer said.
Source:GNA