Govt to incorporate Kente weaving into school curriculum — Tourism Minister

The government is to integrate the weaving of Kente into Ghana's educational framework to help create employment opportunities for aspiring artisans, preserve the country’s cultural heritage and help boost Ghana's tourism potential, the Minister of Tourism, Andrews Egyapa Mercer, has hinted.

He said although kente was admired all over the world, the deeper meanings and craftsmanship behind it were often overlooked, and that education could play a crucial role in addressing the gap, and cultivate an appreciation of our culture among the younger generation.

" To create this awareness, we must integrate kente weaving into our school curriculum", he said, adding that teaching students about the history, symbolism and artistry of kente would foster a sense of pride and ownership of our cultural heritage.

Bonwire Festival

Mr Mercer made this known at the grand durbar of the Bonwire Kente Festival 2024  at Bonwire in the Ashanti Region last Saturday, where he had represented President Akufo-Addo as the guest speaker.

On  the theme: " Sustaining the Kente Heritage Through Education", the durbar, which attracted several dignitaries, including public officials, celebrities, traditional leaders, natives of Bonwire, nearby communities and visitors from the diaspora, was a colourful event dominated by kente.

Present at the ceremony included the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah; the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Akwasi Agyemang, and a former Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Dr Agyemang Budu, who chaired the event.

"When young people understand and appreciate their heritage, they are more likely to take pride in it and pass it on", he said, and that this empowerment could lead to several positive outcomes.

Additionally, he encouraged local artisans and weavers to  share their knowledge and skills with the youth through workshops and demonstration, for them to appreciate the intricacies of kente weaving.

UNESCO

In the government's quest to preserve and promote kente , he said it had taken significant steps in collaborating with UNESCO to highlight this cultural trend.

"As we speak, a dossier has been submitted to secure kente's recognition as an intangible cultural heritage by December this year", he noted , emphasising its profound cultural significance.

Digitisation/Kente College

Furthermore, he noted that in this digital age, leveraging technology could significantly enhance awareness.

Mr Mercer said coincidentally the Vice-President and flag bearer of the NPP, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, recently announced an eminent launch of a digital platform for the music industry, and encouraged the people to vote massively for him in the December polls to ensure that Ghana's digitisation agenda was deepened to include the cultural heritage.

Again, responding to a call by the Chief of Bonwire, Nana Bobie Ansah II, for the government to establish a 'College of Textile and Cloth Weaving' at Bonwire, he said with the already solid foundation laid by President Akufo-Addo, they could be assured that Dr Bawumia — when voted into power — would look favourably to the request for the proposed college.

Commendation

For his part, Nana Bobie Ansah II showered praises on President Akufo-Addo and his government for the huge infrastructural investment in their communities which had impacted favourably on their economic activities.

He said, aside from the building of a court complex, the setting up of "a state of the art" Kente Museum, and the revamping of the Bonwire SHS, it had also completed key access roads within the communities, ensuring easy market access and tourism.

" As you can see for yourselves, the major road network in Bonwire and neighbouring communities has been asphalted", he said.

History

In the 17th Century at Bonwire in Asante, two brothers — Kuragu and Ameyaw — who were hunters, studied the way and manner , the spider weaved its web and replicated it in designing the kente.