STATUS OF CULTURE AND CREATIVITY IN SIERRA LEONE

STATUS OF CULTURE AND CREATIVITY IN SIERRA LEONE Development and growth Allan S. Tuborku-Metzger alainmetzger@hotmail. com 1

CULTURE DEFINED l l 2 Culture is identified as the way of life of a people, moulded and expressed in modes of thought, history, religious and social formations. In a multi ethnic society like Sierra Leone, concentric patterns across ethnic groups identify what becomes a unique Sierra Leonean culture. Sierra Leone is home to about sixteen ethnolinguistic groupings

CULTURE IN SEIRRA LEONE l 3 Sierra Leone’s multicultural values, traditions and belief systems as manifested through the diverse languages and literary art forms, festivals, rituals, ceremonies, performing and fine arts, media arts, traditional knowledge, religious beliefs and practices, traditional cultural institutions and historic sites, monuments and antiquities, all constitute elements of a broader national culture

CULTURE IN SEIRRA LEONE l l 4 The Fine Arts are symbolic of the peoples’ way of life and their environment. The Fine Arts became an employment creation and income generation activity through the different types of art forms sold at hotels, local markets, along highways in the rural and urban areas. Some of these items range from locally woven, dyed textiles and garments, carvings, basketry, leather, bead and metal works.

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT l l l 5 Dance, drama and music constitute important elements of the cultural life of communities in Sierra Leone. National Dance Troupe in 1961, and the troupe won several international awards in its early days and recently, although today their location is a mere shadow of itself. Private sector organizations, theatre groups and institutions were created to contribute to the development of this sector

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT l l l 6 use of artists in development communication in such areas as HIV/AIDS prevention, poverty alleviation, peace and reconciliation Establishment of private recording studios is contributing immensely to the development of the music industry. decline of the cinema hall business was as dramatic as the progress of video halls and clubs

CHALLANGES l l 7 The arts, culture and creativity are not widely considered a priority. Activities of the Artists involved do not have their works protected from piracy. Social enterprise development non-existence of public supported infrastructure for promoting a vibrant development of fine Arts

CHALLANGES continued l l l 8 limited number of public exhibition spaces for Contemporary Arts like the National Museum which is in need of basic equipment and materials to effectively fulfil this purpose. Many of the artists are amateurish, lacking professional training, and require resources and materials there is no film institute in Sierra Leone to train artists

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS l l l 9 With government support, there are good signs that the amateur local video productions could form the springboard for the professional film industry to develop in time to come. Corporate sponsorship of private cultural groups and associations is on the increase Promote the publication of books, newspapers, learned and academic journals in Sierra Leonean languages;

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