Members of the Dalung Youth Cultural Group have renewed calls for the preservation and protection of Dagbon culture, warning that increasing influence from modern and foreign lifestyles is gradually eroding indigenous traditions, especially among the younger generation.
Culture remains a defining identity of every ethnic group in Ghana, particularly in the Northern Region, where traditional dress, music, dance, and language distinguish one group from another.
However, the group observes that with the advent of modern instruments, technology, and foreign influences, many young people are abandoning their cultural roots.
In an effort to sustain Dagbon culture through music, dance, and traditional attire, the Dalung Youth Cultural Group has adopted the philosophy of early cultural education, inspired by the quote “Catch them young and they shall be yours forever.
” The group focuses on training children at the basic school level, especially girls, in traditional Dagbon dances and folklore. According to the trainers, early exposure to culture helps shape lifelong values and identity, enabling young people to grow with pride in their heritage rather than replacing it with foreign cultures.
The group regularly takes advantage of public and national events, including this year’s District Farmers’ Day celebrations, to showcase forgotten Dagbon dances and traditional stories, bringing them back to the public eye.
Speaking to Zaa News, one of the trainers, Baba Alhassan, said the group was formed in 2010 with the sole aim of educating young girls about Dagbon culture to prevent them from being negatively influenced or “brainwashed” by foreign cultures.
Mr. Baba Alhassan, trainer
Another trainer, Issahaku Abdul Fatawu, said his motivation to train young people was inspired by his mother, who was a gong-gong beater. He explained that to avoid the embarrassment of being a Dagbana who cannot sing, dance, or demonstrate Dagbon culture, he took it upon himself to pass on what he inherited. “This cultural group is now 14 years old, and my mother was part of it as a trainer from a family of gong-gong beaters,” he stated.
Mr. Fatawu stressed that Dagbon culture must be preserved and properly guided to prevent it from being distorted over time.
Some of the young girls who perform with the group told Zaa News that they do not regret learning their culture and encouraged their peers to embrace their roots rather than allowing modernity to sweep them away at the expense of their identity.
The Dalung Youth Cultural Group continues to advocate for stronger community support to ensure that Dagbon’s rich cultural heritage is passed on to future generations.
