Reawake your culture! November is Cultural Awareness Month

The Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture announced November as a Cultural Awareness Month under the theme 'Attitudinal Change: The Power in Culture' in order to raise consciousness on the need for every Ghanaian to take on his or her real identity.

In our modern time of globalization, the meanings of culture and traditional values seem to go under step by step.

Witnessing the growing influences of foreign cultures in this country, the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture instituted November as a Cultural Awareness Month: It has the function as a reference point for the integration of traditional culture and its values into every development agenda as well as all everyday activities

The need for a cultural re-awakening was also recognized by the Parliament, which supported the establishment of the Cultural Awareness Month.

When it comes to the topic of culture, the first challenge is to create an understanding of the things which are cultural for a society - culture can be found in the whole way of life, including morality, religion, economy, food, clothing, music etc.

Ghanaians have to rediscover their culture with all its values and norms, the Minister for Chieftancy and Culture Hon. S. K. Boafo urged during the opening event of the Cultural Awareness Month 2008 on Tuesday, 28th October at the National Theatre in Accra.

This message was lively supported by performances by the Ghana Dance Ensemble, as well as by an exhibition of photographies of traditional Ghanaian festivals, and the offer of national food.

During his speech, the Minister pointed out that the traditional Ghanaian values get destroyed by the materialistic, hedonistic and profane pursuits of the emerging global culture, which especially can be found in the areas of entertainment and social life.

Going on, he emphasized that on the contrary true societies are bound together by shared values, norms, attitudes and experiences.

"The time has come for us to return to these values and attitudes for which reason the institution of an annual Culture Awareness Month is timely to remind Ghanaians that culture is the vehicle through which our ideas and ideals are conveyed, because culture is the total harvest of thinking and feeling a people, ' Mr Boafo stressed.

The consciousness of the own values and norms is the important key to 'elevate to higher heights as a people'.

Moreover, this year"s Cultural Awareness Month is supposed to create an attitudinal change in Ghana's society. Many a time, Ghanaians are found wanting when it comes to work ethic, time consciousness, maintenance culture, patriotism, voluntarism etc.

According to the Minister, everybody should contribute his part towards a general change in the Ghanaian attitude to life in order to accelerate the development of the country.

Especially the media should be aware of its important role concerning its power to raise people's consciousness, to educate, and to redirect the public's energies to positive values.

Furthermore, November is aimed at the promotion of Made in Ghana products. All Ghanaians are encouraged to patronize their national goods by wearing African clothes, listening to Ghanaian music, eating and selling traditional food etc.

This will also have a positive effect on the local industries; more jobs can be created and the unemployment rate will reduce since there will be more support for the national economy.

Finally, the Minister hopes for a total community participation of November's programme.

Activities like Radio and TV discussions, town hall interactions, performances, and traditional sketches on the theme are scheduled in order to strengthen people's awareness of culture and to start an attitudinal change.

'Our happiness at old age greatly depends on what we teach society today. There is the need for change. This is our season for change: A change to make our Ghanaian identity be felt in this globalized world,' he declared.