What Does Cultural Creativity Mean to Me? Stories Transend Borders

Cultural creativity is the ability to transcend borders—both physical and imagined—through stories, ideas, art and innovation. It’s the intersection where diverse cultures meet, sparking something unique and innovative.

I first encountered this as a 10-year-old in Sierra Leone, West Africa. My teacher asked us to write about our favourite author, and I chose Hans Christian Andersen. I was captivated by The Princess and the Pea, a tale that made me curious about perception and sensitivity, and The Red Shoes, my first introduction to the horror genre. All the elders in Sierra Leone always told us to read the classics but they had no idea some of the literature we were reading that posed as children's stories were nothing short of disturbing.

Lady Chatterly's Lover Book Cover Image

I didn’t question the irony of my parents studying Shakespeare in Sierra Leone or their curiosity about the once-banned Lady Chatterley’s Lover because of the hype surrounding it. Literature, creativity, and culture flowed freely across continents, blending into our lives in ways we didn’t always recognize.

Years later, in sixth-form college, I read Ben Okri’s The Famished Road. As an African reader, I connected deeply with its themes and symbolism. But I couldn’t help but wonder—how did Western audiences truly understand this book? Could they grasp the layers of cultural significance? How could they comprehend the concept of spirit children, so integral to the story? And yet, this unapologetically African tale about how we experience the spirit realms won the 1991 Booker Prize.

Ben Okri receiving the 1991 Booker Prize

Then came Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude. This deeply Latin American story resonated globally, becoming a revelation to me. It taught me a profound truth about cultural creativity: unapologetic authenticity is the key. When creators confidently embrace their cultural roots, their work transcends boundaries, connecting with audiences on a much deeper level. People don’t just want exposure to new cultures; they crave genuine understanding.

To me, cultural creativity is the heartbeat of innovation. It’s what happens when stories, ideas, and art cross boundaries, sparking new ways of thinking and connecting us to the unfamiliar. It’s not just about sharing culture; it’s about truly seeing it, respecting it, and allowing it to shape our understanding of the world.

We live in a time of unprecedented access to cultures across the globe. But exposure alone isn’t enough. To unlock the power of cultural creativity, we need to approach it with empathy, curiosity, and care. When we do, we open doors to creativity that doesn’t just entertain but transforms.

What does cultural creativity mean to you? How has it shaped your understanding of the world?