Accra launches 2013 Kente festival

A national identity and national pride awakening programme dubbed the Kentefest’13 was on Friday launched in Accra.

The festival, which is slated for Mid-September this year, was initiated by Queen Asabia Cropper and her bother the “Kenteman”, both renowned Ghanaian musicians currently based in the USA.

It is envisaged that the festival would be a formidable platform capable of bringing together and reminding all Ghanaians both at home and in the Diaspora about the essence and power of the philosophy of unity and diversity.

According to Queen Asabia Cropper the festival would involve a week long programme and activities would include courtesy calls on the President and the ten Regional House of Chiefs; kente, Fugu and Beads exhibition; and presentation of awards and citation to deserving Ghanaians and individuals in the Diaspora.

She said there would also be a quality Highlife music and non-denominational thanksgiving service to be climaxed with a gospel music night.

She said the aim of the festival is to get the youth involved and show interest in the Kente cloth and its enduring philosophy of unity and diversity behind its creation so that they could also pass it on to the next generations.

To her, the pride of this unique and rich fabric must not be downplayed and confined to the boundaries of the country alone, but must be celebrated by all.

She said Kente is a matchless indigenous fabric and a very unique trademark that separated Ghanaians from the multitudes of citizens across the African continent and the world at large.

“Our fore fathers consciously and concertedly created the Kente masterpiece on the pillars of sound philosophy of absolute unity in diversity,” thus the fabric was made to stand for an enduring unity in diversity, power to serve, authority to lead and dignity to promote statesmanship, she said.

Ms Dzifa Gomashie, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, urged every Ghanaian to at least own a Kente cloth or a strip in their wardrobe to identify them as true indigenes.

She said it was time Ghanaians accepted and projected their own indigenous and artistic products rather than striving to project foreign cultures, arts works, music and way of life.

She commended the initiators of the event and pledged the Ministry’s support to promote and sustain Ghana’s indigenous and artistic industry for development.

Source: GNA