Cultural Tourism and Sustainable Development: A Case Study of the AvatimeAmu (Rice) Festival in Volta Region, Ghana
This article seeks to evaluate and document the Ava time Amu (Brown Rice) Festival; one of the renowned cultural and artistic festivals in the Volta Region of Ghana. An attempt to bring to light the relevance of the festival towards sustainable tourism development is made. African traditional festivals are relevant mostly in their aesthetic arts and African art is great art, worthy of a place among the other great arts but materials on the subject are hardly accessible. The work is centered on the use of descriptive survey method and written documents. The Festival, as a conduit of cultural tourism showcases the rich cultural heritage of the indigenes. It exhibits variety of traditional events including puberty & purification rites and dishes using Amu (brown rice).The artistic ingenuity and innovation of the communities are displayed. It is a festival that would be well cherished by tourists because it creates an avenue to display African culture and art. Christianity seems to have had a negative influence on the rich cultural value of this Festival. It is concluded that relevance of the Amu Festival is in the display of African aesthetics, the showcasing of the rich and dynamic African culture for the correction of societal ills and sustainable development.
