Alliance Francaise launches 2017 Batakari Festival
The King of Kologo Music, King Ayisoba in collaboration with the French Embassy has launched the fourth edition of the Batakari Festival in Accra.
The event, which took place at the premises of Alliance Francaise, in Accra brought together most local artistes throughout the country including the famous “Lioness of Africa” Noella Wiyalla.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at the programme, King Ayisoba who was being celebrated at the event said the Batakari Festival was an initiative birthed out of his love to propagate Northern fashion among Ghanaians, which he said started four years ago at the National theatre.
He said his move was to change attitudes and perceptions about wearing the locally woven cloth that most people refer to as “Fugu” or “Batakari”.
“People in time past have always associated Batakari to Juju and Occultism. However in recent times Ghanaians have become more comfortable wearing the cloth” he said.
He appealed to the government to pay attention to locally produced clothes; this he said would create jobs for young people and income, which could help reduce crime in the North.
Mr Benard Mornah the National Chairman of The People’s National Convention (PNC), who chaired the function, described the Batakari as an “all-weather” wears, which could be used for all occasions.
He said it was common in the north and had gained recognition in the southern sector of the country and even foreigners living in the country and abroad.
Wiyaala, who performed at the festival, expressed gratitude to the organisers for granting her the opportunity to perform at the occasion.
She was smiling as she flaunted her colourful smock, which she said was a unique relic from the north that should be celebrated.
“Gone are the days when Batakari was only worn to funerals and used for occult practices” she explained, adding that the fabric is an exceptional one owing to the careful process involved in producing the threads which were usually done by elderly women in the north.
These threads made from cotton, she said, were then woven into fabrics and reproduced into any trendy style of one’s choice.
Speaking to Dora Akavureh an entrepreneur, who was at the event to exhibit smock wears and purses, said she was excited at the initiative developed by Alliance Francaise to market the locally woven smocks.
She said over the years Ghanaians especially southerners were embracing the new fashion trend of Batakari.
She said she was optimistic that gradually the northern smock could gain equal recognition with its southern Kente cloth.
The audience was treated to diverse genres of music and performances from local artistes mainly from the north including King Ayisoba of the Upper East and Wiyaala from the Upper West Region.
Source: GNA