Sierra Leone is a small nation with a population of 7 million people. This text presents an overview of the cultural policy of the west African country.
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| The national dance troupe of Sierra Leone at a performance. Photo: US |
The cultural policy of Sierra Leone seeks to establish national identity, strengthen cultural understanding and inculcate consciousness and appreciation of the arts among the citizens. It also seeks to incorporate essential elements of the culture into the national development framework with a view to contributing to the alleviation of poverty and to stimulate and foster creativity in all aspects of national life.
Ministry of tourism and cultural affairs
The Government of Sierra Leone created two ministries in 1973 to take charge of cultural activities: the Sierra Leone National Dance Troupe and the Hotels and Tourist Board. At the time of creation, these ministries received 0.4% of the annual national budget.
The director of the National Dance Troupe directs the country's troupe, with three directors assisting him. These are the publicity director, public relations director and the rehearsal and performance director. The first is responsible for advertisement of the troupe’s performances within the country and internationally.
The public relations assistant director is responsible for letting the media and public have knowledge of the troupe's history and also keeps the public and media informed about the activities of the troupe. The rehearsal and performance assistant director is responsible for assisting the Director in the rehearsals and performances of the troupe. He is responsible for making sure the troupe is well-trained and prepared for every performance of the troupe
The troupe is always camped in a village and a public announcement is made whenever there is a performance.
In 1974 – 1975, the ministry started receiving a sum of 7 000 leones ($1) from the approved annual budget as a salary for top management staff. In 1975 – 1976, the parliament decided to increase the budget so junior staff and members of the dance troupe get paid. It was concluded that a sum of 67 874 leones ($9) will be budgeted for the ministry. In 1976 – 1977 the Government decided to increase the budget for the ministry to the sum of 70 647 leones ($10), an improvement although the budget remains a microscopic percentage of the national budget.
The current policy
The Constitution of Sierra Leone (1991) commits itself to the preservation, protection and promotion of the country’s cultures and heritage. The budget for the Ministry of Tourism has risen to over 6.5 million leones ($845 000) a year.
Recent increase in tourists, mushrooming of new hotels and hospitality facilities all over the country is positive indication of the potential of the tourism sector. This is another evidence of the Sierra Leonean government's push for diversification of revenue. To consolidate these gains, the government supports the preservation, protection and marketing of the rich cultural history and heritage of Sierra Leone and strengthen the institutional capacity of arts and culture.
The country's government will also support the restoration of cultural heritage infrastructure, and encourage activities promoting domestic tourism including popularizing field visits by schools to tourist sites such as the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary and the Tiwai Birds Sanctuary in Bo and Bunce Island.
These efforts will be supported through existing arrangements aimed at enhancing the creative industry and tourism, thus enhancing the sector's contribution to Sierra Leone's employment and wealth creation.
References
- Cultural Policy in Sierra Leone by Arthur Abraham.
- Government Budget and Statement of Economic Financial Policies (2018).
- 709 carat Sierra Leone 'Peace diamond' sold for $6.5m in New York auction
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Source: https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/cultural-policy-sierra-leone
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