Kilifi: 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 cultural practices of the Mijikenda people.
According to Kenya News Agency, 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. He stated that the MoU demonstrates that educators and elders can work together, combining knowledge and wisdom to bring progress to societies.
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. She highlighted that documenting the culture of the Mijikenda community would preserve it for future generations and benefit both the community and the university.
Dr. Tsomunga Chidongo, Senior Lecturer at Pwani University and the initiator of the collaboration, noted his vision to ensure Pwani University had similar collaborations with cultural institutions in Kwale, Tana River, Lamu, and Taita Taveta counties. He hinted at the possibility of establishing a centre for African culture studies at the university to ensure the rich African cultural heritage is documented and archived.