IT is heartening to learn that the Government will build cultural centres in all 10 provinces to enhance Zambians’ threatened cultural heritage.
What the society needs are cultural centres like the Kabwata Visual Arts and Cultural Association (KAVICA) that was established in the 1970s.
Situated along Burma Road in Kabwata Estate in Lusaka, the cultural centre has become popular for traditional Zambian artifacts to take home as souvenirs and gifts with Kabwata roundavales that showcase the history of accommodation in colonial Zambia.
This ambitious endeavour, coupled with the project by the Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child Health which has started developing architectural designs of welfare centres to be constructed countrywide, is welcome news.
Before he died, President Michael Sata issued a directive to revamp welfare centres countrywide with Government allocating funds for the project.
In some cases, the Government will just renovate the already existing infrastructure.
President Sata said when he was growing up, welfare centres were everywhere in all townships of the country, including the villages, but lamented the non-existence of such institutions now.
The late President said that welfare centres played an important role in society as they were also used as women’s meeting centres.
Together with cultural centres, these institutions will showcase the cultural heritage of each of the ethnic groupings so that the culturally-lost generation will know where it is coming from.
In the UNIP government, we had the Ministry of National Guidance once headed by Arnold Simuchimba established for the purpose of guiding morals and cultural direction of the nation.
In view of destructive junk entertainment that can emanate from the misuse of the computer, film industry and music, Zambian children are under siege and would end up being spoiled.
If left to their whims people in society don’t feel connected to their cultural heritage with the fear of adopting other cultures (usually foreign ones) arising in society.
What is it about cultural heritage that draws these people to it? Some may think traditions are archaic and no longer relevant, and that they are unnecessary during these modern times.
Perhaps for some, they aren’t; but for others, exploring cultural heritage offers a robust variety of benefits.
Those who lived in the days when culture guided almost every aspect of their lives understand the numerous benefits of adhering to one’s cultural heritage.
This is the reason we are hailing Tourism and Arts Minister Jean Kapata’s announcement of building cultural centres in all provinces because we know it will certainly lead to people being connected to certain social values, beliefs, religions and customs.
Culture on the other hand allows people to identify with others of similar mindsets and backgrounds because cultural heritage can provide an automatic sense of unity and belonging within a group and allow people to better understand previous generations and the history of where they come from.
In large cities where urbanisation has rooted, it can be easy to feel lost and alone among so many other cultures and backgrounds.
The Midlands and the Copperbelt of Zambia, for example, is a huge melting pot of people from all over the country and the world.
There are large communities based around certain cultural heritages, including other tribes, whites, Lebanese, Asian, and others.
Another benefit that comes from preserving cultural heritage as a whole is the communal support. Those that identify strongly with a certain heritage are often more likely to help out others in that same community in what is called positive ethno-centrism.
This should not be confused with tribalism whose motive is the very opposite of what we have cited above.
In cultural centres, children and even adults would have the opportunity to learn about the history of their tribe while at the same time learning modern skills that would combine tradition and modernity.
In short cultural centres will promote unity in diversity.