Edina Bronya

What Edina Bronya means

Bronya is the local word for Christmas, so Edina Bronya is simply “Elmina Christmas”. It began as a mark of friendship between the people of Elmina and the Dutch, who ran Elmina Castle for more than two centuries, and it was held at the time of a Dutch festival said to fall on the first Thursday of January.¹²

One account of the name traces it to the Fante phrase bor na ya, “swim and take”: the Dutch would throw a prize into the Benya Lagoon, and whoever swam out and reached it first could keep it.¹

What happens

1. The night before

   A salute at midnight

   By some accounts the paramount chief fires a traditional gun at midnight from Fort St. Jago, the hill fort above the town, to open the festival.²

2. The day

   Rites at the lagoon

   The paramount chief of the Edina Traditional Area leads the chiefs in rituals at the Benya Lagoon, where crowds gather to hear the addresses.¹

3. The day

   Palanquins, musketry and a regatta

   Chiefs in full regalia are carried through the crowded streets in palanquins, musketeers fire salutes and there is a regatta on the water.¹ Some accounts also describe sheep being sacrificed in front of the castle.²

Good to know if you go

• Where: Elmina is on the coast west of Cape Coast. The lagoon, the castle and Fort St. Jago are all within walking distance of each other.
• When: come for the Thursday and be at the Benya Lagoon in the morning for the rites, then follow the procession through town.
• Respect the rites: some rituals are sacred and not for cameras. Ask before photographing chiefs, priests or anyone taking part, and follow what the ushers ask.
• Check the dates: the traditional council sets the days each year, often only weeks ahead. Local radio and the national press carry the announcement.
• While you’re there: Elmina Castle and Fort St. Jago are open to visitors. See the Central region page.