Umbrellas & Parasols In Ghanaian Festivals & In Social Aid & Pleasure Club (New Orleans Louisiana) Processions

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series about the New Orleans Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs (SAPC) custom of holding and twirling umbrellas (parasols) during their parades.

Part II presents information about umbrellas in traditional Ghanaian festivals. This post also showcases videos of umbrella in Ghanaian festivals and videos of members of New Orleans' Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs holding umbrellas/parasols or feathered fans during jazz funeral parades and second line parades.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/02/why-umbrellas-parasols-are-carried-by.html for Part I of this series. Part I presents information about the Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs (SAPC) and provides information about the history of umbrellas (parasols).

The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and folkloric purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT UMBRELLAS AT GHANAIAN FESTIVALS
Excerpt #1 
From https://favoriten-festival.de/en/programm/looking-for-beginnings "LOOKING FOR BEGINNINGS" , by Rita Mawuena Benissan & Princela Biyaa [no date given, retrieved on Sept. 18, 2023
"In Ghana, the royal umbrellas are used in the chieftaincy. The royals – king, queen mother and chief – stand and dance under the umbrella surrounded by their entourage. The umbrellas are to provide shade and protect the person from the weather and sun, but they also serve as an indicator of that person. The fabrication of the umbrella represents the person and the community walking under the umbrella. The use of color and size establishes a power dynamic with the different types of umbrellas.

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Excerpt #2
From
"https://captimes.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/q-a-artist-rita-mawuena-benissan-captures-her-ghanaian-heritage-under-one-big-umbrella/article_587beec4-effa-5d1b-b668-af4edf75e283.html "Q&A: Artist Rita Mawuena Benissan captures her Ghanaian heritage under one big umbrella"; By Lindsay Christians, Jun 13, 2021
"Rita Mawuena Benissan takes a “big tent” view of family and culture. Or perhaps it’s more accurate to say “big umbrella.”

Benissan, 26, is a photographer, a cultural curator at the Noldor Artist Residency in Accra, Ghana, and a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin’s Master of Fine Arts program.

She was born in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, to Ghanaian parents, came to Michigan as a baby and was raised in a Ghanaian American household by her aunt and uncle, whom she also calls Mom and Dad. When she moved to Madison in 2018, Benissan found another Ghanaian community of honorary aunts, uncles and cousins.

When a member of that community came to Benissan’s Master of Fine Arts show at Arts + Literature Laboratory this past spring, she was struck by the massive umbrellas Benissan had designed. Made of what Benissan called “faux velvet” and bamboo, the umbrellas were inspired by those used by chiefs and queens in Ghanaian festivals.

“My friends who grew up in Ghana or visited Ghana ... they were like, ‘Oh, my God, we finally see these here. We’re so used to seeing them from far away!’” Benissan recalled. The umbrellas, used at funerals and celebrations, are “always high up in the sky, and it’s very crowded.

“Being able to actually see the umbrellas face to face, see the surface and how they’re made, the texture, even the size — it’s just a whole different experience.”

These are essential tenets of Benissan’s art practice: connecting to a royal African history, personally and culturally, and making that history immediate and accessible. Benissan spoke with The Cap Times about discovering her own Black aesthetic and her dreams for Si Hene, a growing Instagram archive that could one day be a physical museum.

The royal umbrella came to me because throughout my life, my parents would say, ‘You have royalty in your family.’ I would know the history about it, but I didn’t have any real photos. My grandfather was a traditional chief, but there’s not much information about him.

One thing that I noticed in Madison was the Ghanaian Association, they always have an African Festival, and they have the royal umbrellas. I was like, this is a very interesting object. It was a bridge for me to connect my textiles and printmaking, but also being able to use photographs to capture the essence of the umbrella and the person that was under it.

That was what brought me to actually go to Ghana, in 2019.”…
-snip-
Click https://www.instagram.com/si.hene/ for Rita Mawuena Benissan's Instagram account on Ghanaian culture.

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VIDEO EXAMPLES OF UMBRELLAS/PARASOLS IN GHANAIAN FESTIVALS

Video #1: Adae Festival - Kumasi - Ghana



jaderoo2, Mar 28, 2016

Within a six-week cycle, Adae has two celebration days, once on a Sunday (Akwasidae) and again on a Wednesday (Awukudae). The Adae cycle is repeated nine times in a year. In observance of the Akan calendar, the ninth Adae Festival, called the Adae Kese Festival ("big Adae"), coincides with celebration of the New Year. It is therefore celebrated to thank the gods and the ancestors for the new harvest. The festivals within Adae are not interchangeable, having been fixed from ancient times.

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Video #2: Highlights of Asafotufiami Festival at Ada



GhanaWeb TV, Aug 6, 2017

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Video #3: Yam Festival, Volta Region, Ghana



James Dalrymple, Jan 6, 2019

The Yam Festival, known in the local Ewe dialect as Te Za, is a harvest festival in the Asogli State, Volta Region of Ghana. The festival takes place in September of each year and is presided over by the paramount chief and president of the National House of Chiefs, King Togbe Afede XIV. With music, dancing, feasting and local crafts, the festival celebrates family, farmers, culture and unity.

This film was shot with the Sony FS5 and Sony A7R3 cameras in Ghana by James Dalrymple.

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Video #4: Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Asantehene Visit Okyehene First Time In History Pt1



ANANSE TV GH, Premiered Aug 7, 2019

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VIDEO EXAMPLES OF MEMBERS OF NEW ORLEANS' SOCIAL AID & PLEASURE CLUBS CARRYING PARASOLS
Video #1: You better second line! Jazz funeral in New Orleans for Juanita Brooks



 kookydave, Oct 20, 2009

Come pay your respects like we do down here in Nawlin's. Experience a real New Orleans second line jazz funeral for the lovely and talented Juanita Brooks.

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Video #2: 2010 Lady Buck Jumpers Second Line



Come See About Me, Dec 18, 2010

The Lady Buck Jumpers strut their stuff through Uptown, New Orleans to the sounds of the Rebirth Brass Band.

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Video #3: Uncle Lionel Baptiste Jazz Funeral



onenawlins, Jul 24, 2012

....One City, One Love, OneNawlins!!!!!.......Uncle Lionel Batiste Jazz Funeral. Batiste was the assistant band leader, vocalist and bass drummer of the Treme Brass Band for decades. Uncle Batiste died July 8, 2012 from a short battle with cancer.

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Video #4: Fats Domino Memorial - Second Line - 11/1/17 - 9th Ward New Orleans



Louisiana Live, Nov 7, 2017

Fats Domino Second Line
- 11/1/17
- 9th Ward New Orleans
- shot & edited by Keith Wilkes
-snip-
Here's some information about Fats Domino from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fats_Domino
"Antoine "Fats" Domino Jr. (February 26, 1928 – October 24, 2017) was an American pianist and singer-songwriter. One of the pioneers of rock and roll music, Domino sold more than 65 million records.[2] Between 1955 and 1960, he had eleven Top 10 hits.[3] His humility and shyness may be one reason his contribution to the genre has been overlooked.[4]

During his career, Domino had 35 records in the U.S. Billboard Top 40, and five of his pre-1955 records sold more than a million copies, being certified gold.[5] His musical style was based on traditional rhythm and blues, accompanied by saxophones, bass, piano, electric guitar, and drums.[5]

His 1949 release "The Fat Man" is widely regarded as the first million-selling rock and roll record. His two most famous songs are "Ain't That A Shame" and "Blueberry Hill"."...

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This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

The Probable Ghanaian Sources For The New Orleans Customs Of Twirling Parasols & Waving White Hankerchiefs During Second Line Parades

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents my theory on the Ghanaian (West Africa) source of two elements of New Orleans, Louisiana second line parades: holding & twirling parasols and waving white handkerchiefs.

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, historical, and cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in the videos that are embedded in this post. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of those videos on YouTube.

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COMMON STATEMENTS ABOUT WHY SECOND LINERS TWIRL PARASOLS AND WAVE WHITE HANDKERSHIEFS
"It's Hot Outside" theories
(italics added to highlight a sentence)
http://blog.juliahohne.com/2012/09/06/pick-your-parasol/ Julia, September 6, 2012
"Parasols and umbrellas are as important to a New Orleans wedding as red beans & rice are to Monday. But why? Where did the tradition come from? And what is that second line handkerchief all about? Heck, what’s a second line? I know many of you already know the answers, but for all of you destination brides and your confused family members, I thought a little explaining was in order.

The second line tradition is one of my favorite ‘only in New Orleans’ wedding traditions. After the ceremony a brass band plays celebratory music as the couple, holding his and hers parasols, dance behind. This is called the ‘first line’. All of their wedding guests, (and often times random people in the French Quarter) are invited to dance behind, waving white handkerchiefs in the air, to celebrate the newlyweds. The band leads the entire wedding ensemble to the reception venue. Think of it as your own little personal parade. I mean, what bride doesn’t want that?
The tradition is based on the famous New Orleans jazz funerals, where the band would play somber, slow music to honor the life of the deceased person. A second line of family and friends would form behind twirling umbrellas and parasols (it is New Orleans after all, and HOT practically all the time!). Those who didn’t have a parasol would retrieve a white handkerchief from the breast pocket of a nearby gentleman and twirl it above their head to join the parade.

So next time you go to a New Orleans wedding, and are handed a handkerchief at the ceremony, you’ll know it’s not to dab your tears or blow your nose but to celebrate the couple in a parade afterwards!"

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From https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070728091424AAo1lxn onetwobucklemyfoo, July 24, 2007
"Reason for white handkerchiefs in New Orleans style wedding?
I have a friend who is getting married and is thinking of doing New Orleans style wedding, but she is curious of why they wave white handkerchiefs after the wedding. Does anyone know?

That is part of a uniquely New Orleans tradition of second-lining! It started back in the mid-late 1800s when a band would march and play behind a casket for a funeral procession. They were known as the first line. The people who would join in behind the band, marching and singing and dancing, were known as the second-line. Because New Orleans is SO hot and humid for much of the year, when these processions would take place, people would carry umbrellas to help keep the sun off their heads--that's still done today in New Orleans--people carry open umbrellas when the sun is out! Also, they would carry handkerchiefs to wipe their faces and dry them by waving them in the air. Second lining is done quite frequently at celebrations like weddings and festivals in New Orleans.
Source(s): I'm a New Orleans tourguide"

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MY THEORY ABOUT THE SOURCE AND MEANINGS OF THE NEW ORLEANS' CUSTOMS OF WAVING HANDKERCHIEFS AND TWIRLING PARASOLS
Waving White Handkerchiefs
I believe that the custom of waving white handkerchiefs in New Orleans, Louisiana or elsewhere in the United States while marching in second line parades have their sources in the traditional customs of waving or dancing with white handkerchiefs in the Ewe cultures of Ghana, West Africa and Togo, West Africa, as well as the Igbo culture of Nigeria, West Africa.

Coincidentally, the "it's hot outside" response was also given in response to a commenter asking why Africans wave white handkerchiefs in church:
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bho1JbB1gTA Atta Boafo - Double Double (Blessings)
callmeblessings, 2012
in reply to sisteryaime
@sisteryaime lol it doesn't really have a meaning as far as I know. Its just people in africa have these little scarves or cloth because of the heat. For some reason they started using it in church as an extra to praise God. It looks nice too when the whole church does it I think lol."
-snip-
That comment is included in the first post of a four part series on traditional customs of waving or dancing with white handkerchiefs in certain West African cultures. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/11/information-about-dancing-and-waving.html for Part I of a four part series. The links to the other posts in that series can be found in that post.

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Twirling Parasols (Umbrellas)
I believe that the custom of people holding parasols and twirling parasols in first line and second line New Orleans parades have their source in traditional Ashanti (Ghanaian) traditions. In Ghana (and in Egypt and some other African nations) umbrellas were used and are still used to protect royalty from the heat. But I wonder if twirling those umbrellas had (has) a spiritual meaning, similar to the Islamic custom of whirling dervishes or the Buddhist custom of spinning a prayer wheel. Even if there was (and is?) a religious element to the large twirling Ghanaian umbrellas, my guess is that this custom also has an aesthetic element- those twirling umbrellas look good.

I'm also not denying that the white handkerchiefs that are twirled by Ghanaian church goers might sometimes be used to wipe off their sweat. But white handkerchiefs are twirled as a way of expressing spiritual joy. And one comment that I found online indicates that the traditional Igbo dances which include twirling white handkerchiefs had a spiritual meaning:
From https://books.google.com/books?id=8bswAQAAIAAJ
Groundwork of Igbo history - Page 754
Adiele Eberechukwu Afigbo - 1992
"Because the Ogbaru people associated the white colour with deities, the dance was first performed with costumes made of white cloth under the priestess, the dance had a religious character... However, white handkerchief was introduced to accentuate the white symbolism."
-snip-
It should be noted that in the above mentioned West African traditions and in the New Orleans second line traditions that derive from those African traditions, the handkerchief color is "white", though other colors might be used nowadays.

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
Videos Of Men Holding & Twirling Umbrellas (Ashanti Culture, Ghana)

Example #1: New Video of Ashanti Historic Festival in Koforidua, New Juaben, Ghana, Africa, World



Hunter Gatherer, Published on Apr 4, 2013

Akwantukese Festival of the good people of New Juaben, Koforidua. Depicted are twirling umbrellas, the Ruler of New Juaben, Nana Oti Boateng II borne aloft in a palanquin.
-snip-
Women dancing with white handkerchiefs can be found throughout this video. There is also a brief clip of the Ruler of New Juaben waving a white handkerchief (around 2:50 in this video). New Juaben is a constituency in the Eastern region of Ghana.

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Example #2: Akwasidae Festival, ashanti region, kumasi, ghana



voodooalpaca Uploaded on Aug 27, 2010

Akwasidae Festival, ashanti region, kumasi, ghana
celebrate with the king!...
-snip-
Also, notice the scenes of shields being spun, beginning around 3:58 in this video.

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Example #3: ASHANTI FESTIVAL IN KUMASI,GHANA, 1995. ARRIVAL OF THE JUABENS



Hunter Gatherer Uploaded on Aug 30, 2010

The durbar held by the late King of Ashanti, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, to commemorate his 25th year on the Golden Stool. Shown here is the arrival of the King of Juaben and his people--the Juabens.
-snip-
Update: December 4, 2015
I think that in African context, a durbar is a festival held to honor royalty.

As somewhat of an aside, notice the large fans that two women hold at around 6:00 of the video. Those fans are similar to fans held by some members of (African American (New Orleans, Louisiana) Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs when they strut during Mardi Gras and other parades. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/05/new-orleans-buck-jumping-information.html for a pancocojams post that features several videos of New Orleans Social Aid And Pleasure Clubs.

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Example #4: 15th ANNIVERSARY OF OTUMFUO OSEI TUTU II



Nana Wiafe Akenten II, Published on Jun 9, 2014

15th ANNIVERSARY OF OTUMFUO OSEI TUTU II

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Videos Of New Orleans Second Line Weddings
Example #1: Bella & Brian New Orleans Wedding: Second Line Parade



brellafarrelly, Uploaded on Mar 29, 2009

Footage of the second line parade from our wedding. Music courtesy of the amazing New Orleans Potholes.

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Example #2: Courtney & Troy's Wedding Second Line part 1



Nola1176 Uploaded on Sep 26, 2009

Courtney and Troy's Second Line
Guardians of the Flame and To Be Continued Second Line Band***

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Example #3: Jackson 2nd line wedding reception



babyboy478, Uploaded on Jan 16, 2012

We couldn't have the wedding at home in New Orleans so we brought home to Texas... :~)

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Example #4: Rare Wedding Parade on Decatur Street in the French Quarter New Orleans



tazjazzman, Published on May 11, 2014

Saturday afternoon May 10th a rare wedding parade occurred on Decatur street in the French Quarter of New Orleans Louisiana. The parade had the bride and groom holding umbrellas, followed by a six piece traditional jazz band dressed in white, then followed by the wedding party waiving white handkerchiefs with some wearing Mardi Gras masks. Many onlookers enjoyed the parade, taking pictures and waving and even a few joining it. The wedding parade was video taped outside of the Gazebo Cafe and ended at Jackson square. The chess master who gives lessons on the game of chess you see in the video said that he has not seen a wedding going down Decatur Street for at least 5 years.
-snip-
Here's a comment from that video's discussion thread
Casey Jarvis, 2014
"I"m the bride in this video. Thank you so much for posting this! I want to give a shout out to Free Agents Brass Band who did an incredible job."

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