Why
culture is vital in a nation's development
When we
use the word culture, what does it convey to us? Traditions and customs come
closer to our perceptions.
By
Oscar Kimanuka, The New Times
Published
: August 12, 2016
When we use the word culture,
what does it convey to us? Traditions and customs come closer to our
perceptions.
The Oxford Dictionary defines
culture as “the quality of enlightenment and refinement arising from an acquaintance
with and concern for what is regarded as excellent in arts, letters, manners,
the sum total of the ways of living built up by a group of human beings and
transmitted from one generation to another”.
Thus a person can be
described as being cultured or uncultured.
Culture is one of the main
pillars of development and sustenance of communities and no society can
progress in its absence. It is the identity where common values, attitudes,
preferences, knowledge are attributed to the behaviour in a particular social
group, and has a positive influence on social development in any given country.
Traditional celebrations are
some of the core aspects of any culture. Whether it is a wedding, a harvest
festival, a religious holiday, or a national observance, our celebrations are
woven tightly into our overall cultural identity. Celebrating our traditions
offers an excellent opportunity for intercultural exchange and understanding.
The undertakings contribute
to an increase in the intellectual potential and build conscious, open and
tolerant society.
Last week, Rwanda celebrated
the annual national harvest day, locally known as Umuganura, the first-fruit
festival which is one of Rwanda’s ancient royal rituals. The event went along
with one of the biggest unrivalled biennial African dance festival, Pan-African
Dance Festival (FESFAD).
The events took five days
celebrating Africa’s unique cultures under the theme “Culture, the cornerstone
of development”. A number of countries participated showcasing their rich cultural
dances alongside Rwandan famous cultural dance troupes.
Cultural events are fun,
entertaining and educative. They allow individuals to integrate physically and
mentally. It has been noted at many levels of society that a dynamic cultural
sector is a requirement for a well-functioning public sphere with arenas for
critical debate and the exchange of ideas.
Identity expressed through
culture is a necessity for all human development. It creates the fundamental
building blocks in our personality and in the ties that link us to communities
and nations.
The quality of our lives
depends, to a great extent, on our being able to take part in, and benefit from
our culture. We instinctively know, with no need for explanation, that
maintaining a connection with the unique character of our historic and natural
environment, with the language, the music, the arts and the literature, which
accompanied us throughout our life, is fundamental for our unity by providing a
sense of who we are.
There is an intrinsic value
of culture to a society, irrespective of its place in the human development
index, which is apparent to everyone and which makes it a prerequisite
consideration for any development.
A growing number of authors
also seem to agree that economic growth will take more than an infusion of
investment capital, more than an import of the latest technology, even more
than dependable political and economic institutions. A constellation of
cultural values suited for modern business seems to be a critical ingredient for
any progression.
Culture is a powerful driver
for development, with community-wide social, economic and environmental
impacts. Peoples’ lifestyles, individual behaviour, consumption patterns,
values related to environmental stewardship and our interaction with the
natural environment are mostly influenced by their cultures.
If development can be
regarded as the enhancement of our living standards then efforts geared to
development cannot ignore culture. Interventions that are responsive to the
cultural context and the particularities of a place and community, and advance
a human-centered approach to development, are most effective, and likely to
yield sustainable, inclusive and equitable outcomes.
The role of culture in
creating green jobs, reducing poverty, making cities more sustainable,
providing safe access to water and food, preserving the natural resources such
as forests, and strengthening the resilience of communities in the face of
disasters, is truly major and irreplaceable.
Politically, culture plays a
natural part in a development policy that is serious about human rights. A free
and strong cultural sector will promote other rights and values such as freedom
of expression, diversity and debate about needs in society. Culture ensures
unity during crisis, influences identity, debate and dialogue. It is important
for nation building and for peace and reconciliation.
Culture lays essential
foundation for other political rights and is equally important in the link
between the ancient and modern democratisation. The modern democracy that we
have is an extension of what our forefathers or rulers established. The whole
process of organisation of states during and after the colonialism would have
been easy were it not for prior existing structures.
Rwanda is one of the
countries on planet earth that have great cultural attributions. It is needless
to say that our tremendous efforts and achievements to date have been greatly
influenced by the culture of kindness, hard work, self determination, unity, common
purpose as well as our arts, music and firm traditional values.
These have been absolute
pillars of our solidarity and development. As the late Secretary General of the
United Nations, Dag Hammerskjold, once said, “If we go to the root of the
matter, it is our concept of death that decides our answers to all the
questions which life poses”.
