Cameroon's Cultural and Artistic Seasons : A Drive for its Cultural Diversity and Potential

   
       

African culture yesterday and today.cameroon is africa in miniature Photo Didier De Masso

        Cameroon is a multicultural and multilingual country.It is Africa in miniature. This uniqueness enables  a variety of possible potentials to be expressed and used for human developement. It is only within cultural diversity that true innovation can sprout. Culture (language, arts and technology) is an important aspect of human developement. It is at the base of certain forms of human behaviour it been itself a type of behaviour and a potent source of social and economic developement. Not only is man a social being but he is a cultural being. Our personal identity is deeply affected by the cultural factor. We are thus not just the product of our genes but of our culture in a historical sense. Following the waves of human evolution posited by Alvin Tofler long time ago. mankind is now experiencing the third wave of its evolution : the Digital age. This new culture charcterised by information production , technologies of  communication and information production is evidence of man's superiority over other creatures in the animal kingdom.Since human evolution is now a cultural one , the need to be sensitive to Culture and cultures ought to be a vital aspect of all citizens of  the world.We could call that a form of intercultural or transcultural dialogue. It is for this reason that ICT and Kulture's mission is to celebrate culture in all its diversity. A world without culture is void of all these things we love : music , arts such as photography, literature , cinema , theather. Culture brings us closer to God in the sense that it unleashes a powerful spiritual tendency. It unifies our goodness and joyfullness. In the creative process we become aware of our humaness and its potential. As artists and yes we all are in some way via the creative way we think,talk,  and the creative way we make things. We are all senstive to culture that is why we need it. In cameroon culture is a pivotal element in the social life of people. Even if  the government has not really done its maximum to make it a source of developement, Nonetheless, Culture in cameroon is very important.

musical culture is a very unique feature of  traditional cameronians. Traditional musician from the North of cameroon. photo Didier De Masso

Duala traditional chiefs during a traditional ritual, Douala, 2015. photo Didier De Masso

African culture is intimately linked to the practice of religion or the belief in a superior being. Cultural aspects of  religious beliefs in cameroon are revealing of the power of culture on religious beliefs. Here a performance at the Goethe Institute during the 100th anniversary of WW1 . Photo Didier De Masso

         As the cultural and artsic session started in Cameroon this year 2016, during, a press briefing at the conference hall of the Ministry of Arts and Culture on the 14th January 2016, the intentions of  the Minister, Professor Narcisse Mouelle Kombi  were limpid : The emergence of Cameroon as envisioned in its political and socio-economical backbone is rooted in cultural diversity. In fact, the theme of the cultural re-entry is " Cultural Foundations and Challenges of Emergence" . As he said , " this approach is inspired by the emergence of cameroon by the year 2035". Therefore, from the 19th to the 22nd Jaunuary 2016 , a series of activities  were organised to mark the opening of this session in Yaounde, Cameroon. This is very important as it will expose in the coming months Cameroonians to a variety of cultural expressions and manifestations.

With globalisation Cameroonian music evolves too. Young slammer performing during the science slam event at the Goethe Institute. Photo Didier De Masso

Cultural expressions are varied in cameroon and are encysted in all activities. here students at the Yaounde 2015 University games. Photo Didier De Masso

        This event  implies that culture is cameroon is going to take a new turn. We believe strongly in the role cultural diversity can bring. We love Culture, we love cultural diversity,  we love arts and we think that our cultural epoch is a unique opportunity in mankind's history to experience cultural diversity. Not only we have the means but the ways : The ICT-Kultur ! 

The ICT-Kultur is a very powerful culture nowadays that affects the way we think , feel and act. The first Cameroonian Keyboard is an expression of the ICT-kultur in context Photo Didier De Masso

Artist  Youmbi's paintings of cameroonian nationalist in Doula'Arts Douala 2015, Photo Didier De Masso

 Photography is part of  culture . Photo Exhibition during the Cameroonian Photography National days in 2015

woman from the north of cameroon holding a calabash as she matches during the international women's day 2011. Photo Didier De Masso

              Culture is thus a broad phenomenon. It encompasses, beliefs and practices. The technology, arts and languages of a people. As human cultural evolution changes  as a result of a natural order of things, we should expect to see new expressions of cultural diversity (hybrid cultures). The potential that ICT's gives  in speading culture is certain but much still needs to be done in developing countries such as Cameroon , to foster a sense of cultural management and profesional cultural entrepreneurship at all levels of the society. The 250 ethinic groups are a vast source of know-know and knowlegde which needs to benefit future generations  of the world. The need for training sessions, awareness raising seminars and cultural education to be made more relevant in academic curicula at all levels of the education system is a necessity. We love culture , We love our cultural identity ,  we believe in culture as a real foundation for emmergence, we believe in ICT and Kulture!