The Culture Debate

LIBERIAN CULTURE: What is it?

What do people mean when they talk about Liberian culture? What is Liberian culture and what is not? What culture is practiced in Liberia? Whose way of life is it? Is it possible to separate one's systems of solutions or problem solving from his/her culture? What really do we mean when we say Liberian culture?

I submit that the issue about respecting or not respecting Liberian Culture will be addressed within the context of attempting to answer the above questions and other subsequent ones. These require some thoughtfulness and soberness. This will also require that we shed the existing image of Liberian culture that most of us limitted to Kendayah and look at culture within a braoder context.

But while doing so, it will serve us well if the discussion is about the integration of the various facets of the Liberian society(culture) into a system of solutions. But the idea of one talking about what is Liberian culture and what is not is like making fools of ourselves. If the way we interact in Liberia is not part of our culture then whose culture is it? The language, the food, the ceremonies and their protocols, religious practices, naming processes, governments, administrations, etc.. are all part of the Liberian culture and no other. The idea of Liberian culture and non-Liberian culture is the embedded in a slave mentality that was engendered during the Americo-Liberians( even the idea of Liberians calling themselves Americo-Liberians is another illusion. this is another discussion anyway) rule. It came out of ignorance. I am surprised that inspite of the increased awareness amongst many people of the globe, certain people in Liberia still think of their way of life as not part of the Liberian culture. So whose culture is it? British culture? Afghan culture? Whose culture is it? the languages Liberian speak, whether English(liberian English, Kpelle, the way we run government, or all the foods we eat).

Culture is adaptable and once it is adapted it becomes one's culture (i.e. the people who practice it.) When Western culture is adapted by Liberians, it is no longer a Western Culture, it becomes Liberian Culture. As long as it is accepted as a system of solutions. So, we need to stop creating this stupid divide or a peripheral feel good attitude. We need to stop limiting Liberian Culture to just dances, Poro, and Sande societies, etc. Everything we do as Liberian to solve problems is our Liberian Culture. It is an illusive paradise that one creates for himself/herself when he/she begins to think that he/she is a Liberian but is not a Liberian by culture. How is that possible? How can one be a Liberian yet think of himself/herself as a stranger by culture? It just happens that every culture has many dimensions and facets.The Liberian way od life is no exception.