OPINION : The Overlooked Power of Culture and Creative Arts in Honoring Our Heroes

By: Patrick Yao Amegede

While the state funeral for the eight fallen patriots, though solemn and dignified, missed a vital opportunity to showcase Ghana’s rich cultural identity and creative spirit.

These heroes served not only the state but the soul of the nation—and that soul is deeply rooted in our traditions, music, art, and storytelling.

Culture and creative arts are not just decorative—they are expressive tools of national memory. Their absence from such a historic farewell felt like a silence where there should have been song, dance, and a visual tribute.

Imagine:

• Traditional drumming and libation ceremonies alongside military honors symbolize ancestral respect.

• Poetry and spoken word by Ghanaian artists to capture the emotional depth of the loss.

• Visual art installations or murals to commemorate each hero’s legacy.

• Cultural groups from the regions they served performed tributes in native languages.

These elements could have transformed the funeral from a formal event into a living tapestry of Ghanaian identity, bridging grief with pride, and mourning with meaning. If we truly want to honor our heroes, we must let our culture speak. Not just through protocol, but through the vibrant expressions that make Ghana unique.

God help our own land, Ghana.