Symbol, authority and identity: a philosophical scrutiny of New Juaben regal regalia

The New Juaben Traditional area chiefs and queens are passionate about their culture, showcasing their heritage at festivals, funerals, marriage ceremonies, and durbars using various regalia for various purposes. Globalisation and modern influences continue to threaten traditional cultural practices with extinction. In this era, undocumented traditions are at risk of misrepresentation and erosion. For this reason, the study sought to identify, describe and document the relevance of the designs, cyphers and functions of the New Juaben chief’s regalia for posterity. A descriptive research design was used for the study. The purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to identify 35 respondents, including chiefs, sub-chiefs, queens, linguists, and elderly men and women. Primary data was garnered using observations, unstructured interviews and opinionnaires. The data was analyzed thematically. The findings showed that all the regalia used by the chiefs and queens have designs and cyphers that have relevance and functions in our traditional societies. Besides, the chief’s regalia has an aesthetic value that educates people at all times. The study recommends that the functions and purposes of all the New Juaben Chiefs and Queens’ regalia should be documented for future generations and cultural education.