By Guest blogger, Robin Dopoe Jr.
Editor: J.S. KAI-LEWIS
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Liberia
Culture Ambassador Juli Endee (2nd from right), at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
celebrating the new Intellectual Property Law; (Bottom) she dressed in traditional attire during the visit of US
first lady Michelle Obama. (Photos credits C Liberia Clearly)
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It is not my
intention to disrespect Juli Endee and her title as Liberia Culture Ambassador;
in fact, I hold her in high regards for the vital role she plays in helping to
restore peace in Liberia through culture during the 14 years of civil crises.
For me, I believe Ambassador Endee will forever go down in
history as one of the few cultural leaders who used their skills during the
height of the wars to convince soldiers to disarm and seek peace, for which she
is admired by Liberians and foreign residents.
However, in
recent times I have come to notice that Amb. Endee is falling short of her task
as Liberia’s Culture Ambassador.
Using her
position back then to promote peace was great, but it is still required of her to
be the symbol of Liberia’s culture, especially through her physical appearance.
Ambassador
Endee knows very well that culture is not just limited to arts and beliefs
systems; it also comprises a particular way of life, including dress code. Therefore,
her recent public appearance at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry dressed
in western clothes caused me to question her cultural orientation.
From the
top, her hair was done in weaves, eyebrows shaved, with false eyelashes, which
is not part of the traditional look of Liberian women.
The danger
in this is that because of her status, young girls would copy this ‘look’ and
take it from simplicity to immorality.
She will
then find it difficult to admonish these girls against copying the western way
of dressing, when she herself is involved in the same practice.
However,
during the recent visit of US first lady Michelle Obama to Liberia, Amb. Endee’s
dress code was purely traditional, which signaled to Mrs. Obama that Liberians
respect their cultural heritages and values.
The dress
worn during Lady Obama’s visit is what’s expected of Endee in her role as
‘Culture Ambassador’ on the daily because it represents us and encourages
everyone to help resurrect Liberia’s decaying culture. By dressing that way,
she will continue to motivate people to emulate her in promoting and respecting
Liberia’s cultural values and norms.
Commenting
on her title as Culture Ambassador to a Chinese media organization, she said
"I got it as an honor from the Liberian people in 1995 for promoting the
culture of Liberia through my dress code, music, dance, attitude and discipline
in terms of culture - and for all of the research I have done.”
If one of
the many reasons she got the title as Culture Ambassador was through her dress
code, then why not continue to dress like that and in the process spread
knowledge of our traditional dress code and influence someone to make local
threads his/her daily norm?
Amb. Endee,
as a woman from a cultural and traditional background, you should know that any
foreign dress code or artificial accessory you apply directly throws a dark
cloud over Liberia’s cultural trajectory.
Again I ask,
does she see that the appearance of other African traditional leaders on a
daily basis actually promotes their respective country’s culture because of the
way they dress?
The Ambassador knows this, but it seems
that she is forgetting her duty, which is totally harming the process of
sustaining and promoting Liberia’s culture.
Ambassador
Endee’s recent appearance is promoting the neglect of Liberia’s cultural values
to many people, and is the result of talking and not taking action.
In closing, since the end of the war, the
Ambassador has not done much in the way of really promoting our traditional ways
of life.
Postscript
The
views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author’s, and in no way
represent the views of C Liberia
Clearly.
Robin
Dopoe, Jr., is a freelance art and culture writer for the Daily Observer
newspaper in Liberia. The Nimba born, is the Press and Public relationship
officer of the Liberia Nation Movie Union. Not only that, Robin is also a music
coach and a bio write.
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