Tourists to get “free” Kente at 2010 Agbamevorza

Tourists at this year’s Kente Festival (Agbamevorza) of the chiefs and people of Agotime Traditional Area, are likely to get quality Kente cloths at very moderate prices.

This is to give local and foreign tourists the opportunity to taste and own quality Kente from Agotime, Mr Elvis Ativoe, spokesperson of the Festival Planning Committee said on Sunday.

He said this in an interaction with the media in Ho on the Traditional Authority’s preparations for the festival, which is to be held on the theme: “Kente, our heritage for wealth creation”.

Mr Ativoe said, the traditional authorities wanted to honour tourists in this year’s celebration and could only do that by offering “creative, new and various quality Kente at affordable prices as free gifts”.

He said though Kente is prestigious internationally, the people of Agotime wanted to demystify it as the preserve of the rich so that anyone, who admires Kente could own one at the Festival.

Mr Ativoe thus urged all tourists to join the celebration early to be able to acquire a Kente piece and enjoy every part of the celebration including cultural displays and lectures on the various types and uses of Kente.

Mr Gabriel Kofi Katamani, Festival Planning Committee Chairman said this year’s event promises to be big.

He said about 1,500 local and foreign tourists were expected to attend.

Mr Katamani said the traditional authorities were ready for the festival to begin.

“Activities such as fetching of water by the witches, beauty pageant and procession of warlords in palanquins would be interesting but we can’t wait for the grand durbar,” he said.

The festival starts on Monday August 30 with the commissioning of an Eco-Tourism Centre with a grand durbar on Saturday, September 4, 2010.

Source: GNA