10 things Ghanaians love to do on Saturdays

Ever wondered what Ghanaians love to do on weekends after a long week of work or school?

Well, living in Ghana on a weekday is a juggle between hustling and bustling. People usually have no time to do party in the cause of the week.

The thought of going to work on a Monday morning sends shivers down the spine but when the weekend approaches, it all balls down to having a good relaxation and a memorable weekend.

GhanaWeb brings to its readers 10 things Ghanaians love to do on Saturdays.

Exercise

On a regular Saturday morning, Ghanaians love to engage in some workout exercise in the morning. People either go for jogging in groups because of its free and refreshing doing it outdoors. The Ayi Mensah valley is a usual spot where people converge to have their exercise, climbing the Aburi Mountains.

On the other hand, those who can afford go to the gym to either reduce their weight or gain weight.

Either way, Ghanaians do participate in routine exercises to get rid of a stressful weekday and keep fit.

Eat Waakye



Waakye is a Ghanaian dish made of cooked rice and beans, commonly eaten for breakfast or lunch. It’s very easy to spot a group of Ghanaians buying this local dish on a Saturday morning.

Right after exercise in the morning people go hunting for Waakye. Whiles a school of thought believe that “the best Waakye is the one that is sold close to a drain,” another school of thought has it that “the best Waakye is sold by people who have an artificial gold platted tooth”.

The dish is served in green leaves and is eaten with a combination of a pinch of gari, vegetable salad or spaghetti, wele, egg, plantain, fish or meat and a scoop of shito (Black pepper sauce) and stew.

Clean-up



Whiles some prefer to exercise in the mornings, others prefer to do their chores on Saturdays. If you pay most Ghanaians a visit at home on a weekend morning, the first things you will find them doing is either washing their clothes or doing some clean up at home.

As to who invented this routine, no one knows but in most Ghanaian homes, people wash their stuff a lot especially if they want to attend church on Sundays. The busy weekday schedule does not give them the liberty to do their home chores. This is the time people use to fix, repair or replace broken items at home.

Watch Football



Majority of men or boys in Ghana always anticipate the weekend because that’s the time they get to watch their favorite clubs in abroad play. Most Ghanaians love to watch the English Premier League, since they regard it as the most competitive league due to the top guns fighting to win the title.

People often visit their friends at pubs, homes and match viewing centers to watch sporting games. Ghanaians do not only like to watch football, but they can stay awake at dawn to watch NBA, boxing, tennis and other sporting activities.

Attend Funerals and Weddings



Take a walk in a typical Ghanaian community and you will find people mourning over the death of a loved one. The aged often travel the length and breadth of the country to help their family or friends burry a love one. In most communities, roads are sometimes blocked for the final rites of the dead causing loads of traffic. This usually causes discomfort for commuters.

An interesting thing to note is that when you miss a funeral of a close relative, they will pay you back by not attending any of your events.

Also, while the aged are mostly seen attending funerals especially to assist with some rites, the middle age and young ones love to attend wedding ceremonies of their loved ones. Weddings in Ghana are times to bond with family and friends who have been away for a while due to busy working schedules or proximity. Miss a Ghanaian wedding and you will be thinking about the conversations and opportunity to miss old friends who attended and the delicious meals which were served amidst the entertaining party at the reception.

Attend Parties



Ghanaians are very lively people who love to whine down after a long week of hustling. In fact, weekends start on Friday nights in Ghana. People go to drinking bars, pubs, and parties to unwind.

Couples, friends, and family often have sit down meetings on Saturday evenings to chat over drinks, khebabs and sausages. Drinking bars make sure to stock their fridges with drinks in anticipation of a good business night.

However, aside the six major things Ghanaians love to do on weekends as mentioned in the above, here are other things done in Ghana on Saturdays.

Go Shopping



People often go to the market to buy some foodstuff they will need for the week or month. Others also seize the opportunity to do some shopping for themselves, loved ones, and family.

Watch TV or listen to radio



There’s no time to listen to radio or watch TV when there’s a business deal, so people often listen to their favorite radio or watch their favorite TV programs on Saturdays. From political shows to sports and entertainment, people stay glued to their sets on weekends.

Go for checkups at Hospital or visit the Bank



Since the busy weekday schedules do not afford people the time to go and do some checkups. People go to the hospitals on weekends to have a session with their doctors. Others also utilize the day by visiting their banks to do some checks and balances on their accounts.

Church Rehearsal

In anticipation of Sunday services, Christians often go to church at night to tidy up the house of their Maker. Other activities such as choreography, song ministration rehearsals are held on Saturday nights in preparation for the main Church service on Sunday.

Attend musical concerts



Host an event on a Saturday evening and Ghanaians will grace the occasion in their numbers. Most musical shows and award events are held on Saturday evenings in Ghana because there’s no work the following day.

There are more things Ghanaians do on Saturdays, you can add yours if we left something out.

So the next time you in Ghana on a Saturday, the above are some of the things you can do to have a relaxing day.