BUCHANAN, Grand Bassa – On March 2, Creative Afrik held its second iteration of the Cane Juice Festival. The festival billed as a celebration of Liberian culture, took place at the Liberian-owned Elizabeth Village Resort, a resort located along the banks of the Benson River, not far from Buchanan. The festival featured live performances, canoe rides, pool access, live art, and of course, cane juice shots.
The Cane Juice Tasting bar featured many remixes of the local favorite, including ginger, cranberry, cinnamon, and ganagana. The ganagana-flavored mixture is soaked in many traditional herbs in roots. Although the name suggests an innocuous drink, cane juice is a potent alcoholic beverage made from fermented sugar cane. The drink is available in most parts of the country at little cost.
Fato Wheremongar, a seasoned Liberian artist, paints a scene of mangrove swamps along the Benson River. Wheremongar’s work is on display at the Provident Gallery at Sinkor’s Hotel Provident.
Another artist paints an image from his phone. Festival-goers were offered US$5 art sketches.
A bartender serves one of the exotic cocktails offered at the Elizabeth Village Resort. The venue has delicious offerings such as the soursop cocktail.
Taa Wongbe and Gbovadeh Gbilia share drinks and a laugh along the river’s banks.
The silhouette of the artist, designer, and entrepreneur Menekemu Warritay.
Musicians serenade the crowd.
Gabe Itoka, one of the attendees at the Cane Juice Festival, shows off his tatted chest.
Local celebrities and entrepreneurs imbibe drinks and swallow goat soup paired with fufu.
All photos by Jefferson Krua
