by RAYMOND LAWRENCE

When we speak about national culture total of material and spiritual values created, accumulated, strengthened and developed by a given a nation in the course if its history. The development of these values is conditioned by economic, social, political and technological circumstances.Culture however is never singular and univocal. It is multi-faceted and it comprises various factors which make up a complex whole. These factors include race, language, the arts, cuisine, dress and traditional customs.There is a distinct importance of national culture in the life of any country. It gives citizens a sense of belonging, a sense of identity and a sense of pride in the realization that their country holds their roots, their heritage, their traditions and a way of life with which they can easily identify.There are also tangible and intangible elements which make up the culture of any country. The tangible part of our cultural heritage consists of artifacts such as a cannon, an historic house, a book on a library shelf, or machinery in an old sugar mill.Th intangible elements on the other hand are our stories, songs, tunes, dances and knowledge of processes, beliefs and languages.This difference does not give one type of evidence more importance than the other. In fact, the tangible and intangible are different aspects of the same cultural item. So in order to understand a physical artifact like a pot, it is necessary to consider the traditional intangible associations - the processes by which it was made, the symbolism of the designs in its decoration, and the ways in which it was and is used.Culture also encompasses both the traditional and the contemporary expressions of a country - not either/or but both. The traditional and contemporary are two sides of the same coin.Culture can also be described as a process - a continual process, of defining and redefining all the various aspects which make a country's culture unique and identifiable. At the same time the process helps individual countries to see how similar or different they are to other countries and how important it is to share one's culture with others in an effort to create greater cooperation and goodwill.Culture can be compared to the roots and branches of a tree. The roots are the traditions of a country by which the culture is grounded and rooted and the branches are all the creative, innovative and modern expressions which emerge as the culture evolves. Culture is dynamic and it changes, but then our history and heritage are what give texture and direction to the changing modern day expressions.