This thesis analyses how Gabonese Cultural Identity is perceived by young adults within the city of Libreville, the capital of Gabon. My aim is to discuss on its origin, its meaning and its transformation within Gabonese society from the Pre-Colonial to the Post-Colonial period. I point out the role of French Colonisation and the use of Education and the French language as means to implement its policies among Gabonese population and spread French culture. I also highlight how Gabonese authorithies as an independent state deal with the issue of Cultural Identity.
Berry’s concept of Acculturation will help us to understand what is happening when two cultures meet and the consequences of this process. I also emphasize the new technologies and social media as being part of the modern world, giving some examples of the relationship between Gabonese Cultural Identity, tradition and modernity.
My research demonstrated through the interviews that there are many kinds of Gabonese Identities and that the multicultural society is composed of a diversity of communities. It can be argued that the new generation is more attached to modernity compared with the older generation who prefered tradition which is mostly linked to the past. Another important striking point was the adaptation of Gabonese Cultural Identity to other cultures and the use of new technologies for the promotion of their Gabonese cultural heritage.