The 67th Independence Day anniversary festivities have concluded, marked by the customary parades, cultural showcases, and a demonstration of military prowess. The event featured a display of military equipment and skills, encapsulating the spirit of celebration and national pride.
The major highlight of the celebrations, however, are the march-pasts.
Recently, it appears that march-pasts have become somewhat monotonous and repetitive. While participating in them holds a special charm during childhood, the appeal tends to diminish over the years.
As an adult, the question arises: how many annual march-pasts can one genuinely find captivating? The routine nature of these events may contribute to a sense of predictability, prompting a reevaluation of their significance in the context of adult perspectives and interests.
Lately, march-pasts feel militaristic, which is no surprise, seeing as marches actually began as militaristic functions.
There’s no fun and flair anymore, they feel like Soviet-style “marching off to war” processions that we just want to do away with and go home to eat.
Let's not overlook the endurance aspect of these events, with individuals standing at attention for extended periods, often waiting for the head of state to address the nation. As has happened in the past, the challenges of maintaining composure during such prolonged periods, sometimes lead to fainting incidents.
The Ghana@67 celebrations, however, with the help of social media, showcased something new, maybe not so new, but still fresh.
Amidst the march-pasts, videos and pictures from other regions and townships organizing their own parades showed students, in the course of their march, stop and break into a series of dance moves.
These videos quickly gained traction as they felt exactly like what parades should be, a fun moment to showcase the style and much-acclaimed culture of Ghanaians.
The dance moves are sudden and quirky, but the unexpectedness and creativity of these moves are enough to put smiles on the faces of all who view them.
So, can these be incorporated into the national parades? While change can be challenging, it offers an opportunity to rediscover, making it more engaging and meaningful for a broader audience.
Maybe the march processions are supposed to be bland, like vinegar, but still necessary for the overall flavour of the meal, while the showcasing of other events such as the gymnastics displays, the displays of cultural events like the Dipo rites, etc. is to add some spice to the celebrations.
As fun as it would be to see soldiers, mid-March suddenly break into “Borbobo” in the middle of the park, it would not go down well among Ghanaians. It would be fun if students did it though.
So to sum up, it’s great to see creativity and diversity in march-pasts, it would be great for more spotlights to be thrown on them, and maybe, just maybe, a little can be added to the national parade. Please.
Watch some clips below
ID/BB
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