Festivals

Bakatue: Elmina’s ceremonial opening of the fishing season

Central Region

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Photo: NanaReagan / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Every July, the chief of Elmina casts a net into the Benya Lagoon to lift a season-long fishing ban, opening the year’s fishing season with a royal procession and durbar.

Bakatue means opening of the lagoon. The rites honour the river deity Nana Benya, and six weeks of purification precede the day itself, tied to a closed season meant to let fish stocks in the Benya Lagoon recover.

On the day, the Omanhen, the paramount chief of Edina, is carried in a palanquin to the lagoon and casts the first net, formally lifting the ban. Decorated canoes follow onto the water, and the town holds a grand durbar of chiefs and queen mothers.

It happens right by the lagoon bridge and causeway near Elmina Castle, making it an easy pairing with a castle and harbour visit on the same day.

When it happens

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What to see

The paramount chief casting the ceremonial first net into the Benya Lagoon
Decorated canoes on the lagoon marking the fishing season’s reopening
The royal procession from the palace to the waterfront
A durbar of chiefs and queen mothers in Elmina town

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Quick facts

Region: Central Region
Host town: Elmina
When: First Tuesday in July
Who celebrates: The Edina traditional area
Marks: The ceremonial reopening of the fishing season

Getting there

Elmina is fifteen minutes west of Cape Coast, about three hours from Accra.
Shared taxis run continuously between Cape Coast and Elmina.
The lagoon and causeway are a short walk from Elmina Castle.

Get directions

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Visitor tips

Combine with Elmina Castle and the fishing harbour on the same day — they’re a few minutes apart.
Get to the lagoon bridge early for a clear view of the net-casting.