Historical Roots of Makai Hairstyle of Elmina People of Ghana

ABSTRACT: The study traced the historical roots of the makai hairstyle, including its sociocultural significance in the celebration of the annual Bakatue festival celebrated by the people of Elmina in Ghana. The historical research design under the qualitative research approach constituted the research design. The expert sampling technique was used to select a sample size of nine (9) consisting of indigenous hairstylists in active practice with experience ranging from 20 to 35 years on the job and opinion leaders, historians, and cultural experts in Elmina for the study. Unstructured interviews, focus group discussions, and document reviews were used for the data collection. Data analysis was done using narrative inquiry and historical analysis. The Akan-Fantse (or Fante) hairstyle spanned over six centuries, with a deep historical root in Elmina in the Central Region of Ghana and therefore an established precolonial hair grooming fashion. The history of the hairstyle can be traced to the very foundation of setting up the town in about 1300 CE, the inception of the annual Bakatue festival, and the African traditional religious beliefs of worshipping the supreme being and smaller gods (river god Nana Benya). It recommended the creation of an online virtual gallery on makai hairstyles to share their educational relevance, be it historical, social, cultural, economic, aesthetical, religious, or psychosocial.

KEYWORDS - Makai hairstyle, Bakatue, Elmina, precolonial, hair grooming, fashion, Fante