The Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has officially launched the Ananse Heritage Project, a cultural initiative designed to revive Ghana’s timeless folklore legend, Kweku Ananse, through animation, digital storytelling, and modern creative education.
The launch, held on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at the Solaris Luxury Heights in Ridge, was themed “Reviving Ghana’s Timeless Folklore Legend Kweku Ananse as a Catalyst for Cultural and Educational Transformation. “The event brought together government officials, creative industry stakeholders, educators, and development partners, all committed to preserving and promoting Ghana’s cultural heritage.
In her keynote address, read by Mr. Divine Owusu-Ansah, Director of Culture and Creative Arts at the Ministry, she described the Ananse Heritage Project as a major step toward reconnecting Ghanaian youth with the nation’s folklore traditions through innovative and accessible mediums.
She emphasized that Ananse stories are more than entertainment; they are powerful moral and educational tools that have shaped generations with lessons in wisdom, patience, cleverness, and community values.
The Minister also paid tribute to the late Former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, for her pioneering role in promoting folklore through the “By the Fireside” series, which helped preserve Ghanaian storytelling traditions for decades.
Gomashie commended Parables Animation Studio for spearheading the initiative, noting that their vision to modernize folklore through animation aligns perfectly with the Ministry’s mission to promote Ghana’s identity and creative economy. Recalling her earlier engagement with the team during her tenure as Deputy Minister, she expressed delight at seeing the project come to fruition.
According to her, the Ananse Heritage Project bridges the gap between tradition and technology, serving as an example of how cultural preservation can coexist with innovation to engage today’s youth. Hon. Gomashie reaffirmed the government’s commitment, under President John Dramani Mahama’s leadership, to developing the creative sector through initiatives such as the Creative Arts Fund.
Founder and CEO of Parables Animation Studio, Cycil Jones Abban, outlined the project’s components, which include public education, content creation, digital distribution, and capacity-building workshops. He noted that the initiative seeks to preserve Ghana’s storytelling traditions while equipping young creators with the skills to tell local stories for global audiences.
Mr. Parable expressed concern about the growing influence of foreign media on Ghanaian children, stressing the need to make local folklore accessible and appealing through digital platforms.
Other notable speakers at the launch included Prof. Kobby Mensah, CEO of the Ghana Tourism Development Company, Dr. Wale Okediran, CEO of the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA), Mr. Phil Philips, Commercial and Cultural Attaché at the Barbados High Commission, and H.E. Simone Giger, Swiss Ambassador to Ghana. They each commended Parables Animation Studio for its visionary initiative and pledged their support towards ensuring the project’s success.
The ceremony ended with an exhibition of animated folklore visuals symbolizing the fusion of heritage and innovation that defines the Ananse Heritage Project.
Source: MoTCCA
