It has been observed that when it comes to hair, and particularly that of women, Ghana and Vietnam have little in common, but when it comes to feet, the degree of similarity is much greater. Both countries have a long and hard history of walking the farm barefoot; Both countries make extensive use of rubber beach sandals, also known as flip flops, or in Ghana as kyale wates, and in both countries it is a religiously observed custom to remove outdoor footwear upon entering a residence.
In Ghana, the traditional leather sandal broadly resembles modern flip-flops, with a rigid platform, a wide crossover strap at the front, and a lace-up center toe. Once appointed chief of his village, clan, or tribe, a man’s foot was destined never to touch the ground again. This clearly elevated him above his subjects, most of whom went barefoot most of the time. The chiefs wore special sandals with a platform much larger than the size of the foot and painted black. To this day, when performing their official duties, the chiefs sit on their stools wearing their traditional long robe-like cloth and wearing their black sandals planted firmly on the ground before them. Neither the chief nor any of his assistants or supplicants can cross their legacies.
In Vietnam, traditional footwear resembled that of the Chinese shoe, characterized by an upward-pointing toe. There was also a sandal, similar in shape to the Ghanaian chief’s sandal, but smaller and made of softer material and apparently more comfortable to wear. However, footwear in ancient Vietnam, as in Ghana, was the preserve of the rich and powerful, and the poor majority in both countries went barefoot.
In modern times, most of the citizens of both countries share the privilege of wearing shoes. All kinds of footwear can be seen in the high street shops and hitting the streets of the city. Younger Vietnamese are very fond of sneakers, with all the global brands and their imitators widely available. At least in the cities, most Vietnamese also wear socks, but in Ghana these accessories are much less apparent.
It is interesting that the ubiquitous rubber sandals are worn differently in the two countries. In Ghana, flip flops are worn outdoors every day and are removed upon entering a residence. Indoors, most Ghanaians go barefoot. By contrast, in Vietnam, rubber sandals are saved for indoor wear and wait at the door to be put on when outdoor shoes are discarded. But they have one more thing in common: In both Ghana and Vietnam, the most popular color for sandals is blue.