MINTOUL SW Resonates Tourism Culture in over 23 in Buea

• Taught them history, culture, traditional dishes, dressing etc of Bakweri
• Took them to touristic sites around Buea

 BY NDIMUH B. SHANCHO

The South West Regional Delegation of the Ministry of Tourism and Leisure (MINTOUL) has in consonance with its mission to promote leisure activities in children, inculcated in some 23 children in Buea the culture of visiting touristic sites with cultural, historical and geographical significance.

This was during a 3-day special leisure holiday programme organized to promote internal tourism and tourism culture amongst the children as well as prepare them to participate in subsequent editions of the national leisure holiday workshop organized annually by the Ministry of Tourism.

“We had five representatives this year at the national leisure holiday workshop in Kribi from the South West Region.  But we think through this regional programme, the number can increase because the interest will be developed. Also, some of our kids don’t know their environment; they just live where they are, go to school, go to church or visit relatives. They don’t visit touristic sites which have cultural, historical and geographical significance. So that is the kind of culture and values we want to inculcate in this children,” Madam Quan Delila Agnes Efeti Monono, South West Regional Delegate of Tourism and Leisure expounded.

To realise this goal, the staff of MINTOUL SW and partner institutions, from August 7-10, educated the children, between 8 and 14 years, on craftwork, drawing, language and origin of Buea, cultural dances and catering services amongst others. They also took them to the Lifafa Museum where they were exposed to some artefacts and their significance in relation to Buea, the 50th anniversary monument, stadium and the University of Buea; explaining the origin and significance of each of the sites. The children equally visited hotels where they were exposed to facilities there and taught the difference between hotels and home life.

Organised under the theme: Educational Leisure, Promotion of Culture and Peace, the special leisure holiday programme culminated in a grand event at MINTOUL South West Conference room in Buea, August 10, 2019. During the event, the impact of the maiden leisure programme was evaluated through a question and answer session on the language, traditional dishes, history, dressing, and dances of the Bakweri people. The event was also spiced by traditional dances, special demonstration of catering services and exhibitions of drawings like African and Cameroon maps and animals produced by the children using local materials amongst others.

Obsessed with the educational value of the programme, the children could not hide their feelings. “I want to thank you for giving us this wonderful opportunity to spend a resourceful holiday. The programmes were very educative as we learnt about the Bakweri culture, Arts and Craft, Table Setting, making and serving of fruit salad, general knowledge on tourism and guided tour to touristic sites in Buea,” the children’s representative testified, while also appealing that the programme be regular and for a longer period.

Reacting to the children’s appeal, the Regional Delegate announced that the second session of the programme will take place in December, 2019.  She encouraged kids to transmit what they have learnt to their friends in school when classes resume.