Head of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Ghana Abdourahamane Diallo praises Highlife music as an integral part of Ghana’s culture which is a good thing.
The Ghana Folklore Board and the Ghana Cultural Forum held a conference to discuss plans by which Ghana’s Highlife can be listed as a UNESCO’s list of ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’(ICH).
Mr. Diallo, said there should be proper documentation of the Highlife music to help the easy facilitation of its enlistment which would take about two and half years.
“Music plays an important role in society and a universal language of cohesion and excellent representation of the power of living heritage to unite humanity around shared values and aspiration.
“Highlife music is an integral part of the intangible cultural heritage in Ghana and the sub region and has over the years contributed to dialogue on societal issues,” he said.
Mr. Diallo was however optimistic about the eventual enlistment of Highlife music on UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage, but urged stakeholders to come together to aid in telling the story of the Highlife music through documentation.
“So in the nomination process Ghana would be asked to demonstrate that Highlife music satisfies certain criteria and the need to sustain its visibility, awareness, as well safeguarding measures to protect and promote Highlife,” he said.
The conference, was attended by some Highlife legends and some high profile dignitaries including Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Hon. Mark Okraku Mantey, Smart Nkansah, Ackah Blay, Dr. Kwesi Owusu, Amandzeba, Bessa Simons, Ahuma Bosco Ocansey among others, talked through the roadmap by which the HipLife music could be preserved and safeguarded for future generation.
Stakeholders discussed the need to create opportunities for further growth of Highlife music to meet current competition from Africa and Abroad.
In the wake of UNESCO listing of Jamaica’s reggae music and the rhumba music in Congo, the Highlife music conference was to seek among other things to establish a roadmap for Highlife music to be added to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh / Ahotor Newsroom.
