Africa-Press – Angola. The National Union of Artists and Composers-Sociedade Anónima (UNAC-SA), in the province of Zaire, expressed, this Tuesday, in Mbanza Kongo, its satisfaction with the continuous preservation of habits, uses and customs by the inhabitants of the region.
In the aftermath of National Culture Day, marked Monday, January 8, the regional delegate of UNCAC-SA for the provinces of Zaire and Uíge, Bernardo Alves Mayifuila, stated that the tradition is safeguarded, as a result of intergenerational exchange work.
He highlighted, as an example, the Kikongo mother tongue, the region’s typical dances such as makuebo, kindoda, lusende and others, as some of the attributes of intangible heritage that continue to be perpetuated within local communities.
In terms of traditional gastronomy, he spoke about the preservation of the region’s characteristic dishes, namely ntolola, nsaki ya madezo, kindungu, nsuesua and many others, as well as maruvo, where nsamba and lunguila stand out.
He also referred to traditional medicine, whose treatments based on roots, leaves and other natural substrates continue to be preferred by many local inhabitants, for whom it is proof of the preservation of the cultural identity inherited from the ancestors of the Kingdom of Kongo.
However, the UNAC-SA delegate in Zaire admits that there are some aspects of local culture that, due to globalization, have been lost over time, but without going into details, a situation that he considered normal, acceptable and understood within the scope of the concept of dynamism..
“Globalization brings new elements to our culture, but the important thing is not to lose our primary identity”, he maintained.
On another note, Bernardo Alves Mayifuila complained about the lack of spaces for local culture makers to exhibit their arts, in the most varied fields, from sculpture, painting, theater, music and dance.
“We lack culture houses, for shows, painting exhibitions, sculptures, trova”, he said, stressing that this situation affects artistic production, also considering that there is a tendency towards the devaluation of art itself in the region.
He also referred to the systematic violation of copyright and intellectual property by local promoters of musical events and institutions that consume the artistic product, without any financial compensation.
He assured that these and other concerns are being seen with special attention by his institution, which works with entities linked to culture and local government, with which it intends to strengthen institutional relations.
He said that his mission, as local head of UNAC-SA, is to establish partnerships, promote the artistic works of members, defend copyright and other issues linked to the development of the arts at Zaire level.
Bernardo Alves Mayifuila took office last December, to hold the position of regional delegate of UNAC-SA, for the provinces of Zaire and Uíge, with headquarters in Mbanza Kongo.
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