By J. K. Nabary, GNA
Winneba (C/R), March 30, GNA – Alswel Academy, a private basic school at Winneba Junction, has commemorated the 2024 Ghana Heritage Month with a colourful durbar and exhibition of local cuisines at the school’s premises.
The event saw school children dressed in traditional costumes of all the 16 regions showcased the various unique rich Ghanaian culture and also entertained the gathering with displays, drumming and dancing.
The Durbar on the theme: “Exploring Ghanaian Culture through Local Foods for Healthy Living,” brought together parents, assembly members, heads of institutions and staff of the school, all wearing locally made Ghanaian dresses.
Madam Dinah Anderson, Effutu Municipal Director of Education, stated that exploring Ghana’s culture through local foods was not only a delightful culinary adventure but also a gateway to healthy and nourishing lifestyle.
She commended the Principal, Management and the Staff of the school for working hard to maintain the school as one of the best private schools in Effutu Municipality and urged them to continue with the good work.
“Ghana is a renowned nation known for its vibrant traditions and warm hospitality with diverse culinary heritage which reflected its historical values and culture of cooking healthy and nutritious local foods,” Madam Anderson stated.
She explained that food was not merely a meal, but a powerful medium, which connected people to their roots, tradition, and identity, adding that in Ghana, where food was of great significance, the culinary traditions were as diverse as the ethnic groups that comprised the beautiful nation.
“One remarkable aspect of Ghanaian cuisine is its reliance on locally sourced ingredients. The fertile soils of Ghana yield abundance of crops such as yam, cassava, plantain, maize and millet and these staples form the foundation of many traditional Ghanaian dishes, providing sustenance and nourishment to countless generations,” she indicated.
Madam Anderson said by embracing local made foods, “we are not only supporting the local farmer and the economy, but also tapping into the nutritional benefits of fresh unprocessed ingredients.”
“However, as we commemorate our culture through local food, we must also address the challenges faced in preserving these culinary traditions in an era of globalisation and changing dietary preferences,” she observed.
Madam Anderson noted that it was crucial to strike a balance between embracing innovation and safeguarding the country’s cultural heritage through the promotion and consuming of local foods.
“Let us come together to celebrate the diverse and tantalising flavours that our mother Ghana has to offer and to embark on a journey towards a healthier future,” she added.
Prof Yaw Asamoah of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), in an address on Ghanaian Foods, said though the local foods had their origins, the majority had risen to national delicacies where no particular attention was paid to where they came from or who ate them, be it waakye, tuo zaafi or banku.
”All we know is that they are our food and we must enjoy them, binding us together with a common destiny instead of people of varied backgrounds,” he stated.
Madam Ann Belinda Baidoo, Principal of the School, said the school decided to climax the Ghana Heritage Month celebration with a food baazar, focusing on food prepared with corn.
Cuisines such as tuo zaafi, akple, banku, fante dokon, oblayo, kokomuoko, piiwa and apapransa, all prepared with corn, featured prominently to encourage parents as well as the children to patronise local made meals which reflect the country’s heritage and had proven to be highly nutritional and healthy.
GNA