Panafest

Origins and purpose

The Ghanaian dramatist Efua Sutherland proposed the festival in the mid-1980s to examine the unresolved pain left by the slave trade. First organized in 1992, the gathering aims to rebuild self-determination and strengthen ties among African communities worldwide. It addresses historical losses while offering a platform to discuss modern issues, including economic challenges, the loss of skilled workers, and efforts toward continental integration. By providing a forum for open dialogue, the event helps participants acknowledge past traumas and work toward a shared future.

Performances and gatherings

During the festival, artists present dramatic plays, poetry recitals, and musical concerts. Another major highlight is the durbar of chiefs, where traditional community leaders gather in public ceremony. Participants also travel to coastal landmarks to tour the dungeons of slave castles. These visits offer a solemn encounter with the physical spaces where millions of captive ancestors were imprisoned before being taken across the Atlantic. Together, these events combine artistic expression with historical remembrance and traditional civic customs.

Healing and solidarity

A primary goal of the gathering is to help people from the diaspora release the pain of historical displacement while acknowledging the continuing consequences of enslavement across Africa. At the same time, the festival honours the strength, creativity, and accomplishments of African societies in spite of historical trials. Delegations and visitors attend from across Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas, and Europe. Supported by the state of Ghana and the African Union, the event fosters international networks, community development projects, and global solidarity.

How Panafest is kept

Panafest takes place across Ghanaian cities such as Accra, Cape Coast, and Elmina every two years. Delegations from the African continent and diaspora communities gather to attend stage plays, poetry readings, and musical concerts. Participants witness the durbar of chiefs, observing traditional leaders in formal assembly. Attendees also travel along the coast to visit the dungeons of historical slave castles, taking part in reflective tours. Throughout the celebration, visitors join in discussions focused on cultural preservation, economic cooperation, and historical remembrance.

When and where

Panafest takes place every two years in Ghana. The festival was first held in 1992, following concepts and cultural initiatives developed during the mid-1980s.

The event is held in Ghana, with major programs taking place in cities such as Accra, Cape Coast, and Elmina, along the country's historic coastline.

What Panafest means

Panafest symbolises the healing of historical wounds caused by the transatlantic slave trade. By gathering at coastal castle dungeons, participants transform locations of trauma into spaces for truth, reconciliation, and renewal. The festival affirms the resilience and continuity of African culture while inspiring unity and self-determination across the global diaspora.

Questions people ask about Panafest

See also

HomowoA harvest festival of the Ga people in Ghana to remember surviving famineDamba festivalA Ghanaian celebration of royal authority, ancestral memory, music and danceFetu AfahyeA harvest festival of cleansing, boat races and royal durbars in Cape Coast, GhanaOdwira FestivalAn annual harvest and purification festival celebrated by the Akuapem in Ghana

Good reading and sources

• Panafest on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-04.