1. madame butterfly

July 2nd, 2006 at 10:35 pm

hehehe, you also have one of those bags..i have two huge ones for laundry, i like how big they are, i have no idea what their called, laundry bag? thought about you yesterday while france kicked brasil’s ass.. sweet!

2. Koranteng Ofosu-Amaah

July 3rd, 2006 at 4:59 am

“Ghana must go” is what they were called during the various refugee expulsions that Ghana and Nigeria engaged in during the 1970s…

They came back in fashion during the Rawlings Chain lean years in the 1980s but were then simply called “refugee bags”.

3. Ms K

July 3rd, 2006 at 7:54 am

Wow, that is a LOT of those bags!! I don’t know what they’re called in Kenya (and in fact haven’t seen one in a while!) but in Ghana they’re called Ghana bag. LOL I always thought it was because they’re made there.

4. Clair

July 3rd, 2006 at 8:14 am

I know what this is called in English..this are called ‘Hey Sokari thats a LOT of bags!’

5. soul

July 3rd, 2006 at 9:26 am

I don’t have one of those bags, and it’s leaving me feeling a lil un-Nigerian.. I must go and find one lol.
You look soo organised nice one Sokari and the new place sounds gorgeous.. I can imagine you putting a mat on the floor and just chilling in the evenings.

Be well

6. Sokari

July 3rd, 2006 at 10:00 am

Koranteng: Yes I know in Nigeria they are called “Ghana must go” or plain “Ghana” for short but thought the Ghanaians might have some other name - but refugee makes sense.

Clair /Ms K - Yes there are a lot of bags:) the new place is great - so much space for so many bags -
Soul - we decided not to get any chairs and just have long mat type cushions which is nice and cool. btw - its not me that is the organised one!

7. Aba Boy

July 3rd, 2006 at 2:02 pm

Wow!, quite a lot of bags, Sokari!! I make a conscious choice not to call those bags – Ghana must …. I hazily remember the events that surrounded the deportation of Ghanaians from Nigeria, and without knowing all the facts; it is something that some of my Ghanaian friends still hold against Nigeria.

The bags are now so popular here in the UK. I even saw them used in a recent episode of Eastenders. Yes, I do watch Eastenders.

“To the English fans: the aim of the game is to put the ball into the opposite goal NOT to stamp on the balls of opposite players” - TELL THEM!!1

8. Sokari

July 3rd, 2006 at 2:07 pm

Aba Boy - that is why I wrote “I know what they are called in Nigeria” to avoid the horrible “Ghana must……..” name. Its also why I wondered what Ghanaians call them “Nigeria drove us out”?

9. Beauty

July 3rd, 2006 at 2:24 pm

best wishes with the move”s”.

10. Georgia/Caribbean Free Radio

July 3rd, 2006 at 8:22 pm

Here in Trinidad I’ve heard those bags called “Guyanese Samsonite”….

11. Sokari

July 3rd, 2006 at 11:36 pm

Georgia - almost if not as bad as “Ghana must go”. Seems the names of these bags are used to insult other nationalities as well as to pack up one’s “load”!!

12. Rosie

July 5th, 2006 at 9:47 pm

I have seven right now. Geez…it’s a must have for any African, ya know…

13. fola

July 7th, 2006 at 1:27 am

I know there is connection between women and handbags; however, I didn’t realize the connection extend to this type of bag. Wetin you carry Sokari?

14. Sokari

July 8th, 2006 at 6:25 pm

ma load! tings - stuffs - clot….

15. Laptop Must Go at Mama JunkYard’s

March 29th, 2007 at 1:53 am

[…] I wish I had taken a photograph of the bag, which is no longer in my possession. It was one of those of raffia/plastic-chequered bags that many African/Caribbean families in the UK use as laundry bags. My brother told me that these bags are called “Ghana-must-go” bags and that certainly appears to be what everyone in here calls them. Sokari has a photograph of similar bags on her blog. I say similar because the one I was given was incredibly tiny; like a medium to small handbag. I am actually tempted to call it cute had it not clashed, both in colour and in style, with what I was wearing. […]

16. Black Looks

June 4th, 2007 at 9:29 pm

[…] one year ago some readers may remember a post I wrote “Bag Woman” which included the following photo of all my bags during my move to a new apartment. The comment […]