Ghana declares Fugu Day to promote traditional clothing

Photo: x.com/BBCAfrica, photo editor: Adelina Mamedova

Ghana has designated each Wednesday as «Fugu Day,» encouraging citizens to wear the traditional outfit to promote national identity and cultural pride, the BBC reported.

The initiative follows an online debate sparked by mockery of the fugu worn by Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama during a state visit to Zambia. Social media posts about the outfit triggered a strong response from Ghanaians, who defended the garment’s cultural significance.

According to Ghana’s Tourism Minister Abla Dzifa Gomashie, the weekly observance would help project Ghana’s identity with confidence internationally. She encouraged people to wear the outfit in its various styles and designs, along with its traditional accessories.

The fugu, also known as batakari, is a traditional garment from northern Ghana. It is made from hand-woven cotton strips sewn together to form a loose, poncho-style top. The outfit is worn by traditional leaders and the wider population and is widely regarded as a symbol of authority and heritage.

Beyond its cultural value, the government sees economic potential in the initiative, as regular promotion of the outfit could benefit local weavers, designers, artisans and traders. Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema has said that Zambia would order fugu garments from Ghana.

In Kazakhstan, offensive comments by Russian streamers Anar Abdullaev and Renat Pashayev about Kazakh women led to a fierce backlash from the public. Police detained the streamers, who had traveled to Astana for filming, for 15 days. Members of their team, known as Staya (The Flock), reported receiving a wave of offensive messages and threats after a video they had released went viral.

Amid public outcry and multiple complaints, authorities escalated the case from an administrative offense to a criminal investigation, citing alleged violations of Kazakhstan’s laws governing public speech related to ethnicity, race and gender.