Authors
• Musa Adamu Labaran, PhD,malabaran.mac@buk.edu.ng,Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria
•
Abstract
In the face of globalization and cultural homogenization, film has become an increasingly important medium for the affirmation of cultural identity and the preservation of indigenous knowledge. Film serves as a visual and narrative archive, preserving oral traditions, languages, rituals, cosmologies, and daily activities that make up a community’s intangible legacy and guaranteeing its continuation through the generations. Films are not only preserved indigenous epistemologies but also give them new life by converting cultural memory into a dynamic, lived activity that appeals to both younger viewers and audiences around the world. The paper adopts Cultural Identity Theory. The paper employs a conceptual framework to develop a thorough grasp of how film functions as a storehouse of indigenous knowledge and a means of identity affirmation by interacting with theoretical, empirical, and interpretive literature. Peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, conference papers, and reliable institutional reports published within the last 20 years are among the works that directly examine the intersections of film, indigenous knowledge, and cultural identity. These works are chosen for inclusion in this review based on their currency and relevance. The paper argues that by giving indigenous peoples the opportunity to tell their stories, assert their agency, and question prevailing images that have historically marginalized them, film serves as a venue of cultural identity creation and affirmation. Film becomes a tool of empowerment and resistance when it is based on community-driven and participatory creation, encouraging pride, intergenerational communication, and cultural sovereignty. The paper concludes that film is one of the most effective and long-lasting mediums for preserving indigenous knowledge and reinforcing cultural identity in an era of growing globalization, technological innovation, and cultural uniformity.
Keywords
Cultural Identity
Film
Indigenous
Knowledge
Medium
and Preservation
