By James Achanyi-Fontem,
Email: camlink99@gmail.com
The Cameroon Ambassador to Italy in Rome, His Excellency, Dominique Awono Essama, has inaugurated the first Cameroon House of Culture in Europe in the City Council Hall of Vasanello in the presence of top level officials from Cameroon, Italy and other parts of Europe. The artifacts used in decorating the Cameroon House of Culture were selected from the Lenale Ndem UNESCO Museum in Melong created by HRH Fonjinju Tatabong Alexander.
Speaking on the occasion, HRH Fonjinju told the audience that the most important element of Cameroon culture is to provide an environment that encourages a deeper appreciation and understanding of the history of a community and the people.
He added that the arts and craft from the Lenale Ndem UNESCO Museum in Melong carry symbolic meanings and will give visitors an insight of the historic development, social customs and religious morals of the different traditional cultures of Cameroon people.
He concluded by saying the Cameroon House of Culture in Italy is a dream come true of the members of the Lenale Ndem UNESCO Club in Melong and its role in the partnership agreement is to sustain exchange programs through education and valorization of the positive aspects of the culture of the two countries.
During the guided tour of the Cameroon House of Culture in Vasanello, the dignitaries of both countries were shown through the arts work and expressions, how Cameroon traditional village communities function, the role and functions of each member of the community. The works also traced past situations of misery, lost strikes and how the people were repressed by rulers.
The house of culture also carries a message of hope, courage and solidarity of the Cameroon people. The pieces exhibited in Italy were created between 1800 and 1950.
Present at the official ceremony were the Mayor of Vasanello, Antonio Porri, and the Mayor of Dschang, Bernard Momo, who initiated the twinning exercise of both cultures, Stefania Pinci of the Italian Ministry of External Relations, the Prefet of Viterbo, Antonella Scolamiero and the Prefet of Menoua Division, Naseri Paul bea, and Professor Anaciet Fomethe , Rector of the University of Dschang, only to name a few.
The Cameroon delegation to the inaugural ceremony was made of over 80 traditional leaders and dignitaries from the West, North West, South West and South regions of Cameroon.
