The Upper East Regional Directorate of the Centre for National Culture (CNC), has advocated the use of social media platforms to project the culture and traditions of ethnic groups in the Region.
Mr Pamphilio Kuubesingn, the Acting Regional Director of the Centre, said the world was advancing in the direction of technology, and the earlier social media was incorporated to project the culture of the Region to the world, the better.
He said the use of social media platforms would improve the visibility of cultural performance and arts to the global world and generate revenue for the region and nation.
Mr Kuubesingn said this at the Regional Festival of Arts and Culture in Bolgatanga on the theme: “Reviving patriotism, peace and unity through cultural diversity for sustainable development.”
The Festival brought together various cultural troupes from across the 15 Municipalities and Districts who displayed their traditional dances and culture to the admiration of participants and members of the public.
“Projecting the visual arts such as the local textiles, handicrafts, artefacts, ceramics, metal designs, leather works among others through the use of worldwide Web, YouTube and Facebook among others will prove beneficial to the producers,” he said.
In the same vein, the Acting Director said dances and heritage sites could also be projected on the same channels to display the various traditional dances and heritage to the world.
Mr Kuubesingn noted that the indigenous foods of the various ethnic groups in the Region were fast getting extinct, and appealed to traditional authorities; especially the Queen mothers to ensure the preparation of the traditional foods were not lost.
“Indeed, most of these foods are highly medicinal and energy giving, and our ancestors who ate them, remained strong and aged gracefully,” he said.
On the state of the Regional Office of the CNC, Mr Kuubesingn said the office needed a face-lift to befit its status and the uncompleted projects which had continued to remain at foundation levels for years needed to be worked on.
“This does not facilitate our operation. Worse of all is our inability to generate Internally Generated Funds due to the uncompleted structures and the absence of a craft village,” he said.
Mr Kuubesingn therefore appealed to the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) and the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly to allow the Centre take ownership of the Bolgatanga Craft Village located on the premises of the Centre.
Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, the Upper West Regional Minister in an address delivered on his behalf by Mr Stephen Yakubu, the Upper East Minister, said the Festival afforded residents of the Region the opportunity to reignite their cultural values and traditions.
He said it was important for residents to relentlessly practise their culture and uphold the traditions of their ancestors as passed on to them and pass same to generations yet unborn.
Dr Salih noted that religion was not intended to do away with the traditions of the people, saying “If there is any cultural practice that does not conflict with our established religions, there is no way we should do away with those practices.”
He said the rich cultural display and traditions of the people exhibited at the festival should be encouraged and ensure that traditional dancers were invited to perform at all State functions in the Region.
Dr Salih said culture, tradition and development could thrive in a peaceful environment, and called on residents to maintain the peace in the Region, and commended the CNC and the RCC for organizing the festival.