RECAN 2019 Spotlights NW Cultural Heritage

RECAN 2019 Spotlights NW Cultural Heritage

"Whatever else this cultural jamboree represents,  it is for us an artistic and cultural awakening, a renaissance of arts right here at home." These were the words of Tata Patrick, representative of North West artists during the 2019 edition of the National Artistic and Cultural Season Relaunch dubbed RECAN 2019 that took place in Bamenda,  N.W region last Tuesday October 8th under the theme "Contribution of the art and culture sub section in the constant consolidation of unity, peace and harmonious living together in an emergent Cameroon."

Fire spitter

Presided at by N.W governor Adolf Lele Lafrique, the event kick started with a carnival that saw the culturally dressed artists and crafmen marching from Customs Junction to the courtyard of the NW regional delegation of culture where 23 artistic and cultural stands were mounted for the exhibition of the various arts and cultures of the North West region,  cutting across street arts, editors, literary arts, traditional games, theatre, photography, multimedia, story telling and poetry, specific arts, traditional medicine and pharmacopoeia, cinematography and audiovisual arts, plastic arts, musical arts, higher education, culinary arts alongside holders of intangible knowledge and divinatory arts.

Beats Products

The ongoing Anglophone  crisis greatly affecting the two English speaking regions of Cameroon let to the suspension of all cultural festivals like "Lela" "Ngonso" and "Abenefor" that used to be organised annually in Bali,  Nso and Mankon respectively. The crisis apart from destroying property is said to have also destroyed the culture of the North Westerners especially as instances of palaces being attacked have been recorded. The case of the Bafut palace attack is still very fresh in minds despite it being a certified UNESCO cultural heritage site during which shrines were desecrated, artifacts destroyed, some looted and other abominable acts committed by state security forces,  according to the fon of Bafut.

Culinary Arts

Traditional delicacies of the NWR

RECAN 2019 was thus a rare moment to rekindle hope in the minds of the people that no matter what, their cultural values can never be allowed to get extinct. The touristy event had paintings,  fashion designer wears,  drawings,  fibre works like baskets and bags,  carvings, traditional regalia etc on display. The North West governor Adolph Lele Lafrique and entourage visited all the stands to be schooled on  the perculiriaties of the various artistical works and how they're made.

N.W Governor Adolph Lele Lafrique Presiding at the Event

Assessing the success of the cultural jamboree, the governor  first began by appreciating the wonderful job done by the steering committee of the event. He then said "It was an occasion for me after having led the delegation of the NW region to the Major National Dialogue convened by the Head of State where issues of culture were discussed, culture being a unifying factor to still recall the role of culture in building national unity and living together in our country." He also appreciated the arts and culture men and women in the region for their formidable contributions to national unity. The governor promised them that like the Head of State said,  "Culture will not be neglected in the process of our country becoming emergent come 2035" He ended by encouraging private investors to invest in the cultural domain,  to harness cultural potentials and use it as a tool to develop our communities,  region and country.

Traditional musical instruments 

Street Arts Corner

Paintings 

Apart from the exhibition stands,  attendees were treated with a special lunch involving almost all the traditional dishes of the North West  like sweet yams and ndole, porridge plantains,  achu and black/yellow soup, corn fufu and vegetables together with palm wine. While some ate with spoons,  others ate with their fingers. The event ended with a special request from the artists for it to be staged annually in the region.