The Techiman Dagaba Youth Association, has celebrated its 1-year anniversary.
The event which took place at the kenten Roman Catholic Park in the Techiman South Municipal Assembly, brought together young people from various backgrounds to come together and celebrate their cultural heritage.
Gracing the occasion was Hon. Andrew Dari Chiwitey, Member of Parliament for Sawla Tuna Kalba constituency, the Local Government Minister and Member of Parliament for the People of Techiman South, Hon. Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, representatives of the Member of Parliament of Techiman North, NDC parliamentary candidate of Techiman South, and the Speaker of Parliament.
The celebration aimed to educate younger generations about the rich culture and traditions of the Dagaba people. Through a series of speeches by invited guest, performances, and interactive sessions, participants, especially the Dagaba youth in Techiman, learned about the history, customs, values, and rich diversity of the Dagaba culture.
On behalf of the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Mr. Fredrick Yendaw, applauded the Dagaba Youth in Techiman and encouraged them to continue with their good works in the Techiman South Municipality.
He donated Ghc10,000.00 to the Techiman Dagaaba Youth Association on their one year anniversary
Addressing the gathering, the Member of Parliament for Sawla Tuna Kalba constituency, Hon. Andrew Dari Chiwitey, encouraged the Dagaba people in Techiman to take pride in displaying their culture.
Andrew Dari Chiwitey expressed concern that Dagaba individuals are abandoning their traditional practices, such as naming children and preparing indigenous cuisine, in favor of external influences.
“It is sad that typical Dagabas can’t speak their language, most of us think that when we teach our children to speak Twi and English we are good to go so most of our Dagabas in down south, their children can’t speak their own language, they either speak Twi or English which is unacceptable.” He said
He lamented over the erosion of Dagaba culture, citing the adoption of foreign customs, language, and food. He emphasized the importance of preserving their unique identity and promoting their cultural values.
Hon. Andrew Dari Chiwitey, therefore urged parents to teach their children the Dagare language, their local food and desist from the act of introducing them to smart foods.
“So I think it is time to engage ourselves and teach our children to speak our own language, even aside from that, we should be able to cook our local dishes and train them on how to eat those meals. These foods are better in terms of nutrition than the fast foods that we depend on.” He urged
James Mwinwel, President of the Techiman Dagaba Youth Association, explained to the media that the organization aims to unite Dagaba individuals who have migrated from Upper West to Techiman, promoting their cultural heritage and providing mutual support in times of need.
“We are all gathered here to celebrate our heritage, it is very important that we the Dabagas continue to learn and promote our culture, we have some people who travel from the Upper West to this place and pretend to be members of other tribes.
“They see our Dagaba tribe to be inferior so to do away with that mentality, we thought it wise to organize such an association so that we can reach out to all our people, especially the youth.
“The youth usually learn whatever they see without knowing the impact and consequences. They even learn other different cultures and neglect our own and doing that will not help us to promote our culture hence the need to form the association and celebrate our 1 year anniversary.” James Mwinwel told our reporter
The event served as a rallying call for the Dagaba community to reclaim and celebrate their rich cultural traditions, while also promoting peace and unity among the youth.
Source: Elvisanokyenews.com
