Culture is not only a way of life, but also the legacy we leave behind for posterity. It is an anticipated and calculated effort to be better on a constant and consistent basis based on the dynamics of society.
This week, we focus on culture as part of the 10 big ideas to revolutionise Ghana
Introduction
One of the ‘mythconceptions’ we have as Ghanaians and usually Africans is the belief that we have a well-grounded culture and the West does not. Usually the argument is premised on the notion that the West has changed so fast, constantly and consistently that if they had a culture, they have left it behind. We (Ghanaians and Africans) tend to believe that by virtue of the fact that we practise old norms and customs it means we have a better culture. This notion we have of ourselves, I argue, is a major setback in our development. It is a world view which is archaic, unlearned and retrogressive to our course as a race.
Philosophies of culture
The word ‘culture’ was first used by the roman orator Cicero to mean a ‘cultivation of the soul’ or “cultura animi” in reference to an agricultural metaphor for the development of a philosophical soul as an ideal for the highest stage of human development. The development of culture is mostly affected by two key forces; those encouraging change and those who vehemently resist change. In whatever state or stage it is, culture has to be guided as the most viable thing humans can pass on from generation to generation. As mere mortals, we die and rot with time, but it is the culture we live behind that allows our memories to live on with posterity.
During colonisation around the globe, one of the main weapons used was acculturation. In their 2010 book ‘Perspectives of psychological science’, David Sam and John Berry defined acculturation as the cultural and psychological change that results following the meeting between cultures. These changes find themselves in culture, customs and institutions. The effects are then seen in changes in food, clothing and language. Common sense will have it that the minority will learn from the dominant majority, but as colonisation has thought us, when a small group of people have the passion to change, research and act, they always sway the majority.
The German philosopher, Immanuel Kant, argued that ‘enlightenment is man’s emergence from self-incurred immaturity.” He postulated that immaturity results not from the lack of understanding, but the lack of courage to think independently. And I dare say, Kant’s theory is the biggest albatross around the necks of Ghanaians and Africans and in most part, the under developed world. The notion that in our inferiority state, we cannot unlearn, relearn and implement solutions which can project our course as a race. Unless, our world view is that of stagnation, that human life is best lived in its primitive and barbaric state.
State of our culture
In our current dispensation as a nation, we have literally stopped developing our culture. If culture by its etymology is supposed to be a cultivation of the soul, then we are doing terribly at it. We have stopped researching and improving on our language, food, how we interact, our artifacts, folklore, dance, media, pride, attitude, the way we mourn the dead, the way we celebrate life and even the way we rule in our families and the larger society. The West, on the other hand, has been at the forefront of promoting, assimilating and convincing us that their culture is the best. While we have been lazy in propagating our own story; we have become more confused and equated cultural development to a Western idea, when it is supposed to be an integral part of human development.
Therefore, when a group of people stop improving and developing their culture, it is in effect an admission of the fact that they have stopped developing their collective souls. They can glory in their past achievement and exploits, but it is only in the past. The past is gone not to be relived; it is the present and future which matter. If you cannot anticipate and formulate strategies for the present and future but rather allow others to dictate to you their ideals, then you honestly do not have a culture, what you have are just practices which cannot reconcile with the present and the future. Very soon, you become extinct, a figment of your imagination that you are, when you are not.
The idea
In view of the afore-narrative, I propose an establishment of the Ghana Institute of Cultural Research and Practice (GICRP).
Brief
The idea for the GICRP will be to focus heavily on cultural integration and practice among the people of Ghana. Its mandate will be to study the various cultures, customs and institutions in the country and find scientific, innovative and contemporary ways by which these cultures can be developed and made to fit into time. Among the duties of GICRP will be to research, gather intelligence, promote and monitor cultural trends in the country and abroad. The objectives for the institute will be to integrate a defined and written down Ghanaian culture for all to study and refer to, to organise lectures, seminars, competitions and field visits to institutions to promote the Ghanaian culture and also to be at the forefront of investigating and positioning Ghanaian culture both in the country and at the world stage.
Who to do it
Ghanaians have been accused of being laid back, not being assertive and daring enough. These speak directly to our culture. There are so many cultures akin to ours, like Scandinavian cultures. If indeed by our DNA we are supposed to be laid back, then we need to find ways of communicating that, but also making sure that we have firm principles which guide us. Setting up the GICRP can be an initiative of the government, but seeing the laxity and somewhat incompetence in that institution, I will propose that a consortium of private citizens and institutions come together to form the Ghana Institute of Cultural Research and Practice.
The funding will be through donations, sale of memorabilia, consultancies and research. The institute will be governed by a trustee and managed by an executive team. The trustees shall not exceed seven people, drawn from religious, cultural, law, science and governance backgrounds. These trustees shall not receive salary but will take stipends for errands done for the institute. Trustees shall serve for a maximum period of three years and vacate their post. The executive management team shall consist of five people who have tremendous experience in social enterprise and corporate governance. The head of the executive team shall serve for a maximum period of 10 years of two renewable terms by the trustees. He / she shall have clear benchmarks or key performance indicators. The standard of governance for GICRP shall be so high that it will attract only a small group of people with proven track record to apply. Indeed, it shall be an elite management team without any apologies.
Conclusion
There are easy things to do which will cause the world to look down on us, in that same stretch; there are difficult and intelligent steps to take which will change our world view and how we command respect on the global stage. It is all dependent on us, choose to be lazy in the way we bring up our children or decide to tap into the human brain to explore new frontiers. Just make a choice, but remember they all have consequences. GB
• Yaw Asamoah work’s at Creative Trends, the organisers of the African SME Summit. Let’s continue the discussion at African SME Summit on Facebook. Email -
