KIDDAFEST 2010

   We met KIDDAFEST on a way to plan children’s festival to celebrate the children's day to be children, and develop mutual understandings and personalities through the process of preparation and practice performing arts to emphasize on sentimental education in current school system of Ghana. 

   KIDDAFEST is a kid’s festival to improve and inherit cultural arts and let children learn and enjoy culture. KIDDAFEST is possible to held anywhere and whatever level from district to national. National Theatre and GES had used to organize national KIDDAFEST but because of absence of sponsorship, it had not realized in those ten years. But 2 years ago 2009, West African countries united and it took place in Accra as Regional KIDDAFEST.  And this year, national KIDDAFEST was given on 17^th to 19^th Dec 2010.

   Colourful program and various performers composed KIDDAFEST. Main performers and attendees are children, the program is to entertain them. Children’s group about twenty pupils came from each region led by teachers and cultural coordinator in Education Office. Two regions failed to participate in it last year because of financial matter, but all the 10 regions united in centre of Ghana this year. 

   Cultural Coordinators located in every GES office go round to improve cultural inheritance, such as local dance, drumming, drama, and so on. Children wore traditional clothes and drummed, played percussion, sang and danced following each local context. Other performing group in Accra and professional performers did modern drama such as African Cinderella, Hiphop music and so on.

   Fortunately I could meet cultural coordinator in Sunyani Municipal District, Mr.Ampomaa. I joined with children’s representatives of Brong Ahafo from schools in Sunyani and Abesim.

   First day, after the opening ceremony in front of the gate of National Theatre, ten children’s group made a line and marched on car road guarded by police and stage managers of National Theatre. And they moved to dance on the courtyard of GES, in Ministry’s area.

   Second day, all the ten regions played the drama on outside stage attached with National Theatre. When we finished the program, two district cultural coordinators and a regional cultural coordinator from Brong Afaho led children to a beach by bus, because most of the children have not seen it yet. Regional coordinators bought them Fan Ice, and children were so delighted. They were so hungry because the program did not provide them enough food during the program. They were so excited to see ocean and stand on beach. We laughed at each other and walked on the shallows. We sang together in the bus, children are not from my community but we are all from Sunyani. They gave me precious moment.

   I approached them and KIDDAFEST to know and learn how the cultural performing festival is originated by Ghanaian in Ghana. To look for opportunity to collaborate with our idea that children express their opinion and arts freely and focus on what they learn through the process. KIDDAFEST put a stress on cultural aspect. It was priceless experiment I joined my region’s people and became acquainted with each other. I learnt Ghana itself organized such a fantastic program and all coordinators were very eager about cultural matter without exception. I appreciate we shared impressive memory. But I wish we could have more time. Even some coordinators who knew our idea suggested if we could collaborate together. What KIDDAFEST aim to realize was exactly what we discussed. It is to entertain children themselves and gain what you may not study on the desk, but through the process and presenting on a stage. KIDDAFEST has unlimited possibilities for children.