Yenkassa (pronounced yen-kah-sa) means ‘let us talk/let us speak‘ in the Ghanaian dialect of Akan. From this word, a unique project is developing. ‘Yenkassa – Let us speak!’ is an initiative trying to save the art of oral storytelling by turning the stories into digital and contextual pieces of information. Yenkassa is working with citizens, content producers, filmmakers, photographers, government institutions and companies to collect the stories using various medias such as photographer, video, and the web. By using the latest technology to tell the stories, this will help bridge the gap between the older and younger generation, boost cultural engagement with the younger generation and keep the stories in circulation for years to come.
My last surviving grandparent just passed away a few months ago. I had met him a few times, but I didn’t have the luxury of hearing any of his stories. I know he had plenty to tell. Unfortunately I won’t get to experience that. My Mum could probably tell me some stories, but it wouldn’t be the same. There is just something unique about a Grandparent when they tell a story. Although Yenkassa will probably not have the same impact of story telling like a Grandparent, I think the project can modernise the art of storytelling in our culture and engage many, especially those of us who didn’t get to the opportunity to grow up in Ghana and listen to these stories from our Grandparents and Elders.
You can read more about this interesting project at Yenkassa.com.
