Ghana Month: Northern Styles Of Wearing A Hat And What They Mean

Ghana is blessed to have unique tribes with beautiful cultures.

Today’s episode of our unique Ghanaian culture by The Ghana Report will focus on the meanings ascribed to the hat worn by the people from the Northern parts of Ghana.

Sometimes you may find a Northerner wearing a hat with a smock known as ‘fugu’ with the apex of the hat turned to the left, right, straight, backward, or in front and you wonder what that means.

Below are the meanings of the various sides of hats worn by the Northerners.

• When the hat is folded to the left side

When a person folds the top of his hat to the left side of his hat, it means he is actually telling the public that he is a humble person and he doesn’t want trouble.

• When the hat is folded to the right side

When a person folds his hat to the right, it means he could be a rich man or an influential person in society.

However, a person may fold his hat this way but will immediately turn it to the left when he is approaching a gathering of people much higher than him. Leaving it that way in front of the chief of your town can amount to contempt.

• When the hat is folded behind

Folding a hat behind implies that the person has an expectation that he will be a leader and have a large following one day.

• When the hat is folded to the front side

If someone folds the top of his hat in front, he is simply telling people that he has no coequal in the town. This style is mostly worn by rich people, chiefs, and people who are spiritually fortified.

• When the apex of the hat is upright

When you see a Northerner wearing a hat with a smock with the apex of the hat being upright it means he is very powerful and nobody is higher than him in the community. Normally chiefs are found wearing hats in that particular style.

The moment a chief travels to another jurisdiction, he lowers the height or apex of his hat to symbolize that he is in another territory where his powers do not prevail because there is another chief in that particular jurisdiction.