Ghana’s highlife music genre is set to be officially recognized by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) as the country’s intangible cultural heritage this year. The announcement was made by Ama Serwah Nerquaye-Tetteh, the Secretary General of the Ghana Commission for UNESCO, during a recent industry event.

Nerquaye-Tetteh revealed that after years of consideration, Highlife will finally be acknowledged by the international organization as a product of Ghanaian origin. “This year at UNESCO, we are listing Highlife as an original product of Ghana,” she stated.

Addressing questions from the event’s host, Kofi Okyere Darko, regarding the true origin of the genre, Nerquaye-Tetteh emphasized that no other country had contested Ghana’s claim. “We have put in the application and we haven’t heard anyone claiming it originated from their country. We know the history and so we are finalizing that,” she assured.

This recognition comes after years of efforts by Ghanaian institutions like the Ghana Folklore Board and the Ghana Cultural Forum. The inclusion on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) list places highlife alongside other iconic cultural expressions like Jamaica’s reggae and Congo’s rhumba.

Intangible cultural heritage, as defined by UNESCO, encompasses practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, or skills that are integral to a place’s cultural identity.

This non-physical intellectual wealth includes folklore, customs, beliefs, traditions, knowledge, and language. With this listing, Highlife will join the ranks of other celebrated music genres recognized by UNESCO as intangible heritage, including Jamaica’s reggae and Congo’s rhumba. This acknowledgement not only honours the rich cultural history of Ghana but also reinforces the global significance of Highlife music.