EXPLORING AND PRESERVING OUR AFRICAN CULTURAL VALUES AND HERITAGE IN THE FACE OF GLOBAL CIVILIZATION

Abstract

Why and how should Africa's cultural heritage be preserved? Africa is a home for a wealth of traditions, customs, and historical legacies that have been bequeathed through the ages. In the face of modern civilization, however, many of these cultures which are true to life stand at risk of extinction. If the true African past is lost to civilization, then there will be a gap in continuity between the past, the present and future generations. In order words, Africa can hardly speak of identity within the global community. This makes the question of preservation of African heritage expedient in contemporary African literature. This work employs the critical method of study in philosophy to explore some of the African cultural values and examine the consequences of preservation or non-preservation of the true African heritage. It finds that it is only through preservation of true African culture and traditions that African people can maintain a sense of identity and belongingness, and a sense of unity and cohesion which are essential to development within African communities. Preservation of a people's heritage is indispensable for its development and indigenous knowledge management. This paper argues that the key to preserving African culture lies in making it accessible to younger generations through education, documentation, and languages.