Painting as a Tool for Preserving Ngas Culture

Culture refers to the shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviours, and artefacts that characterise a particular group of people. It encompasses the language and communication of a people, as well as how they live and interact with one another in a given society. Language is a system of communication that conveys meaning between individuals or groups. It enables the sharing of ideas, thoughts, emotions and information. Language can be spoken, written, or signed, and it plays a fundamental role in human interaction and understanding. The Ngas language and culture in Plateau State, Nigeria, like many other indigenous systems of knowledge, face significant threats of extinction due to globalisation, urbanisation, and the dominance of languages like English and Hausa. Some authors attempt to document certain aspects of Ngas culture and tradition, but the preservation of these through painting is largely underutilised. This paper highlights the role of painting as an art form, and other artistic interventions function as repositories of the Ngas language, history, philosophy, and social values. The analysis demonstrates that such paintings in public spaces can spark an endless conversation about the culture and traditions of the Ngas people, more than any book on a shelf. The essay concludes by emphasising the importance of supporting artistic practices that promote the preservation of the Ngas language as a strategy for continuity and a unique cultural identity for future generations.