Elders Encouraged To Teach Children About Their Culture And Heritage.
Parents and the elderly have been encouraged to devote some time to passing on cultural knowledge to the next generation.
Speaking at the Kabarnet Museum grounds during celebrations for International Museum Day, Baringo County Director for Culture Wycliffe Maritim expressed concern about the growing cultural gap between the elderly and the current generation.
Maritim claimed that many youths and children were unable to communicate effectively in their native tongue, blaming this on a lack of systematic cultural knowledge transfer.
“I am urging parents and the elderly to create some time to teach their children about culture because it is very important in their life,” he said.
He stated that the current emphasis on modern technology and lifestyle has hampered the development of young people’s ability to recognize and appreciate their art and culture, as well as valuable norms and traditions.
Maritim, who presided over the celebrations, which were mostly attended by students from local institutions, noted that culture has many benefits, particularly in traditional arts, music, and beadwork, which are highly paid.
According to Lilian Amwanda, curator of the Kabarnet Museum, the facility plays an important role as the custodian of the community’s rich cultures and heritage. She encouraged people to be proud of their traditional cultures and natural resources.
Ms Amwanda urged residents to make it a habit to visit such sites in order to understand and learn about their history.
Elphas Wesonga, Management and Advisory Officer at Kenya Forest Service (KFS), emphasized the importance of preserving cultures, traditions, and natural assets in order to attract both local and foreign visitors.
“Baringo is unique because it has so many resources which, if properly exploited, would go a long way in improving the livelihoods of local and neighbouring communities,” he said.
At the same time, he urged residents to plant more trees, particularly indigenous species, during this rainy season in order to conserve and protect the environment and animal habitat.
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Since 1977, International Museum Day has been observed on the 18th of May to raise awareness of the importance of museums as a source of culture and cultural enrichment, as well as to foster mutual understanding, cooperation, and peace among peoples.
According to the International Council of Museums, which organizes the event, more than 37,000 museums from 158 countries and territories will participate in 2021.
The theme of the 2022 celebrations was “Power of Museum.”
Elders Encouraged To Teach Children About Their Culture And Heritage.