National culture is a part and parcel of a cultural life. A culture is the utmost manifestation of a nation’s being and it is inter-connected with the nation’s subsistence. Practicing national culture is essential for all the people who live in the country, especially in the colonized country. National culture inspires and drives the people of colonized country to keep their own existence. Many writers and thinkers have conferred about culture and its practice in the national sector. The French thinker and psychiatrist Frantz Fanon (1925-1961) is one of them who highlighted on national culture in the colonized country and its continuous practice after decolonization in his last famous book “The Wretched of the Earth” (1961). The practice of national culture helps a nation in building itself in a new form.
National culture cannot be kept in practice without native intellectuals. In a once colonized country like Bangladesh, India, Algeria, Congo etc they must ‘throw their body and soul into the national struggle’. Fanon has given more emphasis on the re-education of the intellectuals. They are asked to delve into own rich culture. They should avoid thinking of the West and its thoughts as the universal and eternal essence. They can contribute to the colonized country and its nation in developing their own culture by nourishing their talents. They should promote national culture and its values to fight for liberation through their songs, paintings and literary works.
The colonizers subjugated the colonized nation mentally, physically and psychologically. They compelled them to filter the native knowledge by the colonizers’ thoughts. The colonizers left their authority permanently over the native during colonization and after decolonization. That is why, Fanon emphasized on the evolution of native people in every aspect. The natives have to be more concerned about own culture and have to keep it in practice at the same time.
The influence of national culture is not deniable in the liberation war of Bangladesh. The people of every sector encouraged and practiced the native culture. The native intellectuals played a great role during the liberation war to encourage the freedom fighters by composing songs, practicing Bangla language, singing Rabindra sangeet, writing poems etc. The national poet, Kazi Nazrul Islam, is one of them who wrote excellent poems such as “The Advent of Anandamoyee” and “Rebellious” that inspired the natives to raise their defendant voice against the oppressors and their theory of capitalism. National struggle is the sign of national practice of culture. That’s why people should practice national culture to sustain their own existence.
However the eradication of colonial power and its compact authority is not so easy. The invisible power still exists on the native human mind as psychological hegemony. The invisible chain of colonial power restrains the native people from practicing and celebrating own glorious culture. After liberation, Bangladesh has become culturally sub-standard where the natives are not conscious about the colonial influence over their mind. At present, Bangladeshi national culture is being practiced but ‘clandestinely’. The colonial domination over the national culture has become more powerful and influential and the victim of such situation is the present generation. Gradually, the national culture is losing its spirit and it has turn into a mixed and multi-colored culture.
The existence of a culture depends on its practice in the national context. Not only the political educators but also the artists, scholars and other professionals may contribute and assist in decolonization process of a colonized country. They will have to put efforts collectively to shape a pure national culture and throw out the curse of colonization.
It is needless to say that the natives have to show a positive attitude towards their own national culture and reflect that attitude in their personal, social, political and cultural life. A native will have to have adequate knowledge of understanding a culture and its significance. So, it can be stated that the practice and celebration of national culture should be initiated by the government and other organizations to let the people know that our national culture is not less glorious and significant than others. No space should be left for cultural imitation that does not have any magnificence. In Bangladesh, cultural imitation should be discouraged by all.
(The writer is schooling with Notre Dame University Bangladesh.)
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