Paynesville – Visiting Liberia for the first time, the American singer-songwriter, JP Harris, says he is impressed that the Culture Union of Liberia has been able to keep the nation’s tradition alive and relevant for the younger generation.
Report by J. H. Webster Clayeh, [email protected]
Harris, from Nashville, Tennessee, is in Liberia to access the condition of the artistic industry.
He made the remarks Friday, May 10, when he met with officials of the Culture Union of Liberia. Mr. Kerkula Kamara, popularly known as Balawala Malawala, is the president of the union, which is located on the Duport Road.
“I learned in this week about how all the traditional bands, the music, the song and the story as just as much a part of Liberia’s culture today as they were 500 years ago,” Harris said.
The American singer-songwriter added: “And I really appreciate the work that everyone here is doing.”
He continued: “I am looking forward to trying to bring infrastructure development and help create the real art and cultural musical industry here over the next few years. We are here to stay.”
Harris also promised to be back during the Dry Season to kick start his many developmental plans for the artistic industry.
“We are not here to reshape anything. We are here to foster and support and elevate the platform of all aspects of arts and culture here in Liberia,” he said.
Harris added: “We want to give you guys better rights to your intellectual property. We want to give you better method for you to continue to preserve and forward the tradition that you guys have done such a great job with so far.”
At the event, the American singer-songwriter was gowned in a country cloth (Liberia fabric) by the Cultural Union of Liberia indicating the “everlasting friendship.”
Also speaking, the president of the Cultural Union of Liberia, Kerkula Kamara, appreciated the American singer-songwriter for his willingness in working with Liberian artists.
Kamara called on Harris to encourage many of his colleagues to find interest in coming to Liberia to develop the artistic industry.
He added: “Our culture is very rich; it has not been developed; it has not been promoted and it has not been explored. We are happy that somebody who knows about culture somebody who wants to help Liberia is in our midst today.”
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