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Historical Threads: Intellectual Property Protection of Traditional Textile Designs: The Ghanaian Experience and African Perspectives

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 September 2008

Josephine Asmah
Josephine Asmah
Affiliation:
University of Ottawa. Email: jasma052@uottawa.ca
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Abstract

Defining the relationship between folklore and intellectual property continues to be an ongoing debate. Some challenges in defining this relationship center on the main characteristics of intellectual property, namely, the eligibility criteria and limited protection period that make the current construction of intellectual property incompatible with folklore protection. However, countries like Ghana have been using the intellectual property system as one of its tools to protect folklore. This article focuses on traditional textile design protection in Ghana, establishing the importance and significance of these designs in Ghana's history and culture and why Ghana is determined to protect these designs. After examining Ghana's efforts and the obstacles in its path as it uses the intellectual property law system to protect traditional textile designs, the article argues that there should be regional cooperation and international protection to strengthen individual national efforts.

Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Cultural Property , Volume 15 , Issue 3 , August 2008 , pp. 271 - 296
Copyright
Copyright © International Cultural Property Society 2008

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