GORGEOUS GORGEOUS GATES

Entrances - as physical artefacts and sociocultural activities - are important in Ghanaian culture. Whether Ghanaian culture is defined in more modern terms or taking into account histories and tradition, welcoming visitors into ones space is essential. Through important words such as oobake, woezɔ, and akwaaba various ethnic groups have ushered people into their homes and shown them hospitality.

The entrance gates of secondary schools are a physical expression of the welcome culture, made manifest in our modern lives as Ghanaians. They are extremely important to members of secondary school communities, particularly students and alumni. As the first point of encounter with schools, similar to the ways in which greetings and welcomes function in multiple Ghanaian cultures, school gates are a mark of status and part of the welcome and introduction to the school.

Alumni of secondary schools have been known often to contribute funds to construct highly decorative, stylised school gates such as those pictured here - even when in some cases there were more obviously pressing needs.