Chronicle Editor
Vincent Gono, Features Editor
THE need for Third World countries to move in the tide of socio-economic growth retracing the footprints of global powerhouses should not be in haste.
It must be a gradual process that is not divorced from national beliefs, culture and identities but with emphasis on knowing how to inherit before becoming good innovators.
Unfortunately, growth in African countries is elusive because models of development are prescribed from former colonial countries whose cultures Third World countries are borrowing heavily from without much thinking.
Lessons can however, be drawn from China and India that have demonstrated the importance of culture and heritage in developing societies from past to present and their model can be used by most Third World countries that are struggling to unbuckle themselves and decolonise their identity from imperialist systems.
Cultural perspectives exemplify values, attitudes, and behaviours that influence development.
Development in most developed countries has been anchored on a pride of identity, use of traditional cultural resources and an unwavering focus on indigenous knowledge systems as the umbilical cord that connects its people to all development facets.
Admittedly, culture is porous. But its porosity should not mean that it continuously borrows without preserving its own good things. Culture allows people to use solutions that are not alien to their values, beliefs, ideologies and philosophy.
Culture generates assets such as skills, products, expressions and insights that contribute to the social and economic well-being of a community.
Many countries in East Asia, particularly China, have been resisting traditions from Western culture. It is the use of Asian values and institutions that is responsible for the Chinese economic advancement.
Zimbabwe is very diverse along most human dimensions: ethnicity, language, culture, history and economic well-being.
Despite the diversity, there are common threads that contribute to the lack of economic development. There is no proper definition of what the national question is and what constitutes the national dream and as such therefore, patriotism to core national values and aspirations have been vague.
African philosophy scholar and academic Mr Joel Mukusha said in an interview that most African countries were buckling under the weight of a history of oppression and needed strong lessons from China on redefining themselves, their development goals, values and philosophy without them being prescribed by former colonisers.
“China has managed to define itself without prescribed doses of imported ideas. Home grown solutions have been nurtured that people identify with, communism, socialism and Marxism have been popularised to define and re-energise the Chinese Dream where patriotism is cultivated and where inherited culture and traditions meet harmoniously with innovation to produce a modern country not divorced from cultural beliefs that bind the society,” he said.
Mr Mukusha said Africa should follow the philosophy and culture of Ubuntu/Hunhu which emphasises the ideals of communism, patriotism, respect, trust and hard work. He said such values, if upheld, would see Zimbabwe developing its societies.
“Culture is socially transmitted behaviour, patterns, norms, beliefs and values of a given community. It is a set of shared and enduring meanings, values, and beliefs that characterise national, ethnic, and other groups and orient their behaviour. Culture is dynamic, interactive, and synergistic, and it intermixes with all the elements of a society, especially economic development.
“It is measured by indicators of individual values and beliefs, such as trust and respect for others, and confidence in individual self-determination,” he added.
Former Ambassador to China Christopher Mutsvangwa said if DNA is the foundation of the institutional memory of living organisms, then culture is its equivalent in the institutional memory of society.
Culture, he said, is the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively. It is shown through ideas, customs and social behaviour of society. It is the embodiment of shared values that define the identity of a social grouping.
“China with the largest population on earth has developed its culture over 5 000 years. Its capacity to defend itself ensured that by and large its society could repulse, withstand or absorb repeated ructions from other outside societies.
It is this aspect that has given Chinese culture pride of place among its society and admiration from other societies,” said Ambassador Mutsvangwa.
President Mnangagwa has however, demonstrated his grounding in culture when he recently made a visit to various historical and cultural sites in Bulawayo in what historian and cultural activist Pathisa Nyathi aptly described as de-emphasising politics.
The visit gave practical meaning to the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) which emphasises that culture has the power to transform entire societies, strengthen local communities, foster strong family values and forge a sense of identity and belonging for people of all ages. Culture plays an essential role in promoting sustainable social and economic development for future generations.
He urged the Ministry of Higher Education, Innovation, Science and Development to incorporate requirements of Creative Cultural Industries (CCI) in their innovation hubs and requested greater clarity on operationalisation of the hubs.
Nhimbe Executive Director Mr Joshua Nyapimbi said there were a number of positives they have realised ever since there was a demonstration of political will in raising the arts and culture industry from its death bed.
He said the launch of the Bulawayo Arts Festival and the Bulawayo Cultural Heritage Corridor was testimony that the country was moving towards the intersection of culture and development.
“We have a lot of positives to tell. There is an encouraging feeling that the country’s leadership is realising that culture can be used as a vehicle for development.
The President launched the Bulawayo Arts Festival (BAF) and stayed for a 40-minute performance. We are also moving to make BAF a calendar event such as ZITF and we want to incorporate regional performances as a vehicle for unity and tourism,” said Mr Nyapimbi.
He said they were hoping for consideration in the national budget adding that there would be an arts, culture and heritage officer who will be in charge of co-ordinating arts and culture events.
NDS1 clearly articulates this when it says, “As a collective phenomenon, national identity can arise as a direct result of the presence of elements from the ‘common points’ in people’s daily lives.
These include national symbols, music, language, the nation’s history, national consciousness, and cultural artefacts.
“The expression of one’s national identity seen in a positive light is patriotism, which is characterised by national pride and positive emotion of love for one’s country. Cultural programmes contribute towards improved social cohesion, sense of national identity and pride.”
The objective according to the economic blueprint is to increase the level of local consumption of cultural products and services from 15 percent in 2020 to 40 percent by 2025 and Mr Nyapimbi believes the objective is achievable.
“The Government and the corporate sector have shown interest in working to support and promote culture. We have not met the macro-economic fundamentals but the little we have and the efforts will bring us to a point where we will say our cultural industry is growing,” he said.
Culture extends across all the dimensions of social capital such as mutual confidence, trust and responsible civic behaviour. Unesco emphasises that culture is a key element in the fight against poverty.
Preserving cultural values is very important for development and Zimbabwe should develop and value trust in its institutions so as to validate the social contract between Government and the governed.
Trust is a measure of how people evaluate the moral fabric in their society and a lack of it breeds other ills such as dishonesty and corruption.
Online Reporter