SPEECH BY MINISTER OF CULTURE, ARTS AND SPORTS AT THE PUBLIC PRESENTATION IN THE

CEREBRATION OF AFRICAN CULTURE CEREMONY HELD AT NJOMBE REGION, 18 NOVEMBER 2023.

Allow me to begin by expressing my sincere appreciation and great thanks to Comrade Antony Mtaka;

A regional commisioner of Njombe Region for Inviting me in this prestigious Region.

Also let me recognize the presence of Regional administrative secretary;

Regional Districts commisioners;

District Excutive Director;

Leaders of varios parties, stakeholders and cultural pioneers attended this event;

Inivited Guests;

Ledies and gentlemen, I salute you all in the name of union.

Let me commnce my talk in this great event of cerebration of African culture in our Region by focusiong
on creating awarness about Meaning, Origin, Relevence, and effects of western civilisation on african
culture deginity. Ledies and gentlement when we are talking about culture we talk about all aspects of
life we have, culture is a cross cutting aspect to human life, On appreciation of that let us commemorate
together when a great psychologist named B. f Skinner as (cited in Agha, 2014) who pointed that culture
is (Totality of how people live and behave p. 38). Also we can commemorate together from Akama in
2012 who highlighted that (culture is that complex whole which includes knowledge, Belief, Ats and
society at all p. 91) so we see how cross cutting of culture to our daily life is.

Ledies and gentlement, I can't have any say on the power of African culture without acknoledging to
you about relevance and origin of African culture, so we must first recognize the origin of African
culture, I normally prefer to use the Wolof proverb which state that "If you know the beginning well,
the end will not trouble you. This proverb will guide me and you to know the origin of African culture
first and there after we can proceed.African culture holds significant relevance and importance due to
its rich history, diversity, and influence on various aspects of life. The origin of African culture can be
traced back to ancient civilizations and tribes that have existed on the continent for centuries ago. These
cultures have contributed to shaping traditions, languages, art, music, dance, clothing, cuisine, and
social structures that are unique to each region and community at large.

Furthermore, The relevance of African culture lies in its ability to preserve heritage, pass down wisdom
through oral traditions revealed on African proverbs, forlktale and forlk lore. Also maintain a sense of
identity and belonging among African people through African practice like unity in burial ceremony
perfoming rituals and inter-marriages among tribes. It serves as a source of pride and unity through use
of mother tongue language as we people from Njombe we have our mother Tongue like Kibena,
kipangwa, kikinga and other relevant tribal languages, Also fostering a strong sense of community and
connection among individuals. African culture also plays a crucial role in shaping values, beliefs, and
societal norms that guide behavior and interactions within communities. In nutshel im sure we have
understood on the relevamce and origin of our Culture.

Ledies and gentlemen, After a short look on the relevance and origin of African culture, Another point
to bear in our mind is that Culture is dynamic, that is African culture is changing, And the most
influencial element on the call for the change of African culture is Globalization. Further more we cant
talk about African culture change without reflecting on tension between old and new culture. The
interference of new culture to African culture can be traced back during the introduction of Islam,
Christianity, colonization, Westernization, industrialization, and modernization, these can be termed as
a common themes in the analysis of contemporary African cultural changes. Therefore we can argue
that rapid changes have followed due to the introduction of new faith So change of ideas and beliefs
have been reshaped African people's mind by knowing that their beliefs and faith's are outdated. Apart
of that Colonization and westerwnization had a great changes in our generation as revealed on Western-
oriented schools where as it become the source to socialize youth, and creating new occupations, these
schools aimed at imposing African graduate to European culture and creating them to be slaves of
Western cultures in aspect of language, wearing style and life structure at all. Therefore we can appoint
that these changes are the call of hygine decay and deterioration of Acrican culture, so we must take
care on that.

Ledies and gentlemen, following the decay and deterioration of african culture, we must stand strongly
against these New imposed culture, we can refer to our late prominent figures who stand strongly in
resistance of Western culture. There are many examples of Africans who have resisted or opposed
European cultures. And stand strongly on emphasizing African culture practice, we may look on some of
them like Julius k. Nyerere, Our late President, who stand to build an African identity and promote
African culture instead of imitating European cultures. Also in South African there is activist named
Steve Biko, who opposed the racial segregation of apartheid and emphasized the importance of
embracing African culture.anaother one is Wangari Maathai, An environmental activist and Nobel Peace
Prize laureate from Kenya, who emphasized the importance of protecting the environment and African
culture against the destruction caused by European cultures. Now by following their feet we can try to
our best level on resistance of these western culture by practicing our relevant cultures like practicing
traditional ritulas, insisting government to reform curriculum which will co-occur with our natural
enviroment so that our studens could receive a relevant eductaion grounded in our natural context, also
we must commence our natural dances groups, and other ethical practices at all. And to reach at the
target point we must refer together in swahili proverb which states that "Umoja ni nguvu na utengano ni
udhaifu" so we must unite all together to make sure we overthrow the dorminance of Western culture
over African cultures.

Ledies and gentlemen, we swahili people we normally tend to use our saying that "Hakuna marefu
yasiyo na ncha" to mean that every thing has its end so we wish one day the dorminance of western
culture over our culture will end, and by saying so let me mark the end of my presentation to you, also
let me wish a good cerebration of the day.
God bless Africa.

God bless Tanzania.

God bless you and thank you for your kind attention.