It is saddening that we are losing our culture and it's values faster than we think. Children and modern day youths do not know their roots (villages), they cannot speak their languages, they cannot and are not interested in dressing in cultural atire and I can go on and on.
Some parents are not willing to teach their children their native language because they are afraid that the language will polute their sense of English. Funny enough, children who understand and speak their language, speak better English.
I am ever grateful to my parents that the first language I spoke was Esan language (one of the numerous edo languages) even though I was born and brought up in Delta State. This availed me the opportunity of been a multilinguist.
I speak and write Esan and Urhobo. I speak Ibo, a little Yoruba, Igala, Hausa, greetings in Hebrew, a little of French and few others I might not remember. The languages in my memory are so much that at times I mix them up when I want to speak them especially the ones I do not speak frequently. My joy is that it doesn't take me much pain to learn a language I really am interested in.
my niece, my daughter and I on our way to their school for cultural day
Causes of culture loss
Inter-marriage.
Lack of parental presence i.e parents aren't around for one reason or the other, to teach their children.
Loss of cultural values
Unwillingness of parents to imbibe cultural knowledge and values into their children
Colonization and embrace of western culture, throwing our culture away and feeling inferior about it.
Removal of history from our educational curriculum when it should be a compulsory subject to be learnt.
Suggestions on how to revive our culture
We need to be proud of our culture
Bring back history into our curriculum as this is one of the mediums through which our children can learn our culture.
Teach our children to value our cultural attire and stop feeling inferior in it.
Taking the celebration of cultural day in our schools serious as this exposes our children to their cultures.
Teaching our children our language, no matter how big they have become or how seemingly difficult the language is.
Taking our children to their roots, no matter how dangerous this seems to us. You do not need to inform them in the village that you are coming. Moreso you can come and go the same day. Do not think that distance is a barrier if they want to harm you.
Stop feeding children with negative information about their village.
Do not throw away telling of stories.
Social media, watching of television, hectic jobs and lots of modern things have made it almost impossible for parents to sit and discuss with their families. They do not have time to tell their children certain things they should know especially their family roots.
Children go out, see their relatives and do not know them because their parents enstranged them from associating with them.
This aforementioned should change.
In my husband's cultural atire, proudly igala
my niece and my daughter
My daughter's friend in her cultural atire, proudly Ibo
We have all betrayed our culture on d alter of civilization. Thanks for promoting and projecting the Igala Achi. Proudly oma igala
many people do think so tapih indeed now kebanyan people in the world no longer care about culture and even customs lelluhur tapih tatih affection if tradesikita must be lost because eramoderen eras very regrets it must happen to our children badahal we tawu if not we who teach it must be the child will not know our culture thanks
You are right dear. We need to teach our children about our culture!!!
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well you said very true and this is happening in new generation even they dont care what was our culture and why it is important.
Exactly my dear. We won't stop talking until our voices are heard.
Chaiii...I no fit laugh o...Those tribal marks drawn on both sides of your cheeks, revealing how Igala people look like. See how my baby Winifred Ojochenemi really resemble her people. Let me add Inikpi to her name. Baby Gift is now a big babe. I see her in her Afo attire. Hmm...our papa children go far for marriage. No wonder a friend of his calls him one Nigeria. All 4 daughters, none of us married from Edo State. You, @trendyevents, are even the one closer home. Kogi State is neighbour to Edo State.
We are complete Nigerians hahahaha. People loved the atire big sis and we enjoyed the cultural display.
I love to learn africa but right now, I need a translator for this post.
I love to learn africa but right now, I need a translator for this post.
Oooo my dear, feel free to speak your language and I will understand every bit of it.
saya berbicara tentang budaya afrika
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Roots are absolutely important! You're doing the right thing to protect them and bring up your children with knowledge and appreciation of it. Keep it up!
Thanks so much my dear. It's the best thing any parent can do.