Pwani University has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Malindi District Cultural Association (MADCA) to collaborate in researching and documenting the Mijikenda cultural heritage for future generations.
The Mijikenda culture, under threat due to the influence of Western religion and modernisation, faces the verge of extinction, and the collaboration marks a significant step towards reversing this trend and preserving the progressive cultural practices of the Mijikenda people.
Speaking at the signing ceremony at the MADCA Centre in Sabaki, Malindi Sub County, Monday, MADCA founding Chairman Stan Kiraga highlighted the importance of the collaboration, which, he said, resonated well with the call by Africa’s founding fathers.
“This is the clarion call made by the first African presidents, such as Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, and Jomo Kenyatta, whose call was that education should be beneficial to African communities,” he said, adding, “Today, we are fusing education and culture because that is the foundation stone of development.”
MADCA Secretary General Joseph Karisa Mwarandu emphasized the partnership’s role in helping current and future generations appreciate the Mijikenda cultural heritage and the call to return to their roots.
“The signing of this MoU is a demonstration that educators and elders can work together. Educationists have knowledge, while elders have wisdom. When knowledge and wisdom are fused, they can bring tremendous progress in our societies,” he said.
Dr. Nancy Ngowa, Chairperson of the Department of Languages and Linguistics at Pwani University, expressed the university’s commitment to the collaboration, which she said would enable the Kilifi-based institution to impact the community.
“We are documenting the culture of the Mijikenda community to preserve it for future generations. This MoU is unique as it allows the university to have a direct impact on the community,” she said.
She added that preserving indigenous knowledge would benefit not only the community but also the university as an institution.
Dr. Tsomunga Chidongo, Senior Lecturer at Pwani University and the initiator of the collaboration, noted that his vision was to ensure Pwani University had similar collaborations with cultural institutions in Kwale, Tana River, Lamu, and Taita Taveta counties.
“This is the beginning of a unique period for Pwani University. We hope to collaborate with other cultural centers in Kwale, Tana River, Lamu, and Taita Taveta to document our communities’ cultural heritage,” he said.
Dr. Chidogo hinted that in the future, Pwani University might establish a centre for African culture studies to ensure that the rich African cultural heritage is properly documented and archived.
By Emmanuel Masha
