‘Don’t adulterate our Culture’
The Northern Regional Minister, Mr. Moses Bukari Mabengba, has expressed worry over the adulteration of the Ghanaian culture, saying it as rendering the cherished cultural practices of the people unpopular.
“What is more disturbing is the fact that our youth in educational institutions and schools are the most affected by this unfortunate borrowed ways of life,” the Minister said.
Mr. Mabengba said this in a speech read on his behalf at the 12th Northern Regional Basic Schools Inter District Festival of Arts, organized by the Ghana Education Service (GES) at. Kpandai.
The four-day event, which brought together pupils from selected schools from all the 20 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in the region, was aimed at showcasing the varied and dynamic cultures of ethnic groups in the region to foster unity and integration among the people.
Some of the activities performed at the event, which was on the theme: “Bridging yesterday’s wisdom and tomorrow’s vision – A challenge to our culture,” included drama, dance choreography, drums language, and poetry recitals.
Mr. Mabengba said “Culture is the institution that demonstrates a set of core values, which is central to the social contract, which binds people together in a cohesive structure and civilization, portrays maturity, a sense of truth, honor, dignity, justice and social responsibility”.
He, however, noted that this was being undermined by some influences making “our heritage, identity, and uniqueness to lose out to the meaning less foreign cultures”.
He said “we therefore, have a moral duty either as individuals or in our collective efforts to zealously nurture, promote and manifest our Ghanaian culture, which is the most diverse, with its glamorous beauty”.
Mr. Mabengba said there was the need to examine the existing nature and operations of culture and to assess the roles of traditional institutions and practices in nation building, development and understanding so as to integrate them into the ways of life of the people.
He appealed to teachers and other workers in the education sector to work, to maintain, promote, perpetuate and enrich the nation’s outstanding culture.
The District Chief Executive for Kpandai, Mr. Jatoh Moayi Jasper, spoke against the incidence of employing derogatory and undignified lyrics in contemporary popular music compositions, which was taking root in the country.
He said the incident has become increasingly offensive to the sensibilities of the decent civil society and called on players in the arts and entertainment industry, including broadcasting houses, to sharpen their tools to ensure that what they produced conformed to the country’s laws and norms.
The Northern Regional Director of the GES, Mrs. Elizabeth De-Souza, expressed satisfaction at the organization of the event saying it would help the pupils to appreciate and uphold the country’s culture. GNA.
*Source:
The Ghanaian Times Page: 14 Tuesday, July 05, 2011
|