Asamoah Boateng bemoans imposition of foreign cultures
The Caretaker Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, has bemoaned the imposition of foreign cultures on citizens. He described the situation as unacceptable, and a sociological crime which needs to be frowned upon.
Advertisement
While admitting that the world had become a global village and, therefore, the infiltration of other cultures was a common phenomenon, Mr Boateng said imposing cultures on others was tantamount to an extinction of a race or a people. “It is sad that we have concerted to trade our culture for others, especially our young generation who have resorted to copying other cultures on social media.
“Culture as a way of life gives each and everyone a well respected identity, and to continue to exist with a unique identify, we must preserve our culture as a prestigious heritage,” he added. Forum Mr Boateng was speaking at a forum in Accra last Thursday to commemorate this year’s national Cultural Week on the theme: Cultivating cultural capital: Nurturing Ghana’s legacy for Africa’s renaissance.”
Participants included tourism industryplayers, traditional rulers and government officials who discussed matters concerning the country’s cultural heritage. Preservation of tradition.
As custodians of culture, Mr Boateng urged traditional leaders to make conscious and dedicated effort to preserve their tradition. “We must let our festivals be enriched with our respective cultures rather than foreign cultures.
There’s an urgent need to demystify our African culture; and this is a call on all our traditional leaders to rise up to the challenge,” he added.
Mr Boateng said it was in line with this that the government was collaborating with local communities and other institutions to safe guard the culture of the people, including heritage sites. “The country’s cultural heritage is full of history, creativity and resilience.
It is woven into the fabric of our society reflecting the wisdom of our ancestors and the vibrancy of our various communities. “As custodians of this heritage, it is our responsibility to ensure its preservation and transfer onto future generations “We must recognise the importance of safe guarding our cultural practices, languages and customs not only for their value, but for their role in fostering unity, understanding, and the social cohesion it brings,” he added.
Creative sector impact The Chairman of the Ghana Cultural Forum, Nana Otuo Owoahene Acheampong, said the creative sector had contributed much to the promotion of the nation’s culture and tradition both local and international. He said the economic gains from the ‘Year of Return’ and ‘December in Ghana’ initiatives could help contribute to the promotion of the nation’s cultural heritage, if properly coordinated and marketed.
