Parading Lanterns: A Unique Display of Competitive Creativity

At the front of each lantern club's procession came the lantern, hauled along the often pot-holed streets on its wheeled platform by some of the club's strongest members.

Each lantern was accompanied by its club members wearing the club's ashoebi (identical costume). By dressing in the same cloth, members marked themselves out from the general body of their supporters and from other rival clubs.

Sometimes club members could only afford cheaply printed T-shirts although many managed to make cardboard caps emblazoned with their club's name. Whatever it cost, they were proud to participate.

Moving and clapping in unison while at the same time singing specially prepared club songs, the wearers of the club's ashoebi formed a chorus which aimed to impress the judges, inspire club members and entertain the thousands of onlookers who lined the city's streets.

Club members and supporters often carried hand lanterns aloft. Here a theatre group's hand lanterns depict a small stage and advertise the group's latest play.

The largest part of any lantern procession was the crowd of supporters that followed the lantern and club members. Known as the 'backaff' and accompanied by musicians hired by the club especially for the occasion this section could number several thousand people.

By the 1980s lantern parades were strongly identified with 'bubu' music which is played on bamboo pipes. Lantern clubs usually hired bubu groups from the provinces. The groups would come to Freetown in advance of the lantern parade in order to practise.

Lantern clubs could win cash prizes in four different classes: lanterns, ashoebi, music and comportment. Of these, lanterns formed by far the most important class. Within it lanterns were divided into three categories and prizes were awarded accordingly.

Category A was called 'Ships' but was gradually expanded to include lanterns depicting local landmarks, (like Freetown's Clock Tower) and different forms of transport. These lanterns usually carried club members who acted out roles that were appropriate to their lantern theme.

Category B lanterns depicted topics and themes composed of large animal (and usually human) figures in puppet form. Drawing on Islamic tradition a popular creature often represented as a lantern was al buraq - part animal, part human.

Category C included a wide range of lanterns inspired by recent and historic events, by different forms of entertainment and traditional activities, and by cultural dance troupes. They relied heavily on string and rod puppetry for interest and action.

From 1993 onwards, however, security considerations meant that after passing the judging point lanterns had to spend the night in a government compound in central Freetown where they were viewed the following day by streams of visitors before being returned home.

A few days after each lantern parade the judges' results were usually announced over the radio and a prize-giving ceremony would then be held several weeks later. Thereafter, only when the next lantern parade was due would lantern activities be resumed.