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| Kijegere performing in Mauritius |
The
two Engabu Za Tooro cultural practitioners are Zebidayo Mwesige Abbooki
(Kaserebe Mukwikwi), a folklore artist and Stephen Mugabo Abbooki (Kijegere), a
ritual guide who attended the recent UNESCO global meeting in Mauritius to
showcase Uganda’s rich culture to the world couldn’t not believe it when they
received the news from Engabu Za Tooro Board Chairperson Msgr. Peter Kumaraki Araali
that they have been selected to go and attend the UNESCO global meeting.
“It
was a huge surprise attending a UNESCO global meeting to showcase Uganda’s rich
culture especially performing the traditional Runyenge dance and Empaako naming
ritual. I couldn’t believe it, I love my culture but people especially my peers
thought that I was just wasting time and energy promoting our traditions like
guiding people to perform Empaako naming rituals, guiding people to perform
marriage ceremonies, installation of a heir, teaching young people to perform
traditional Runyege dance and spending time to research on my culture because according
to them, there is no money in culture.” Said Kijegere.
Kijegere
adds, “As a ritual guide, I earn from culture and culture has sustained my
livelihood. attending a 10 day residential training of trainers from 19th
to 28th August, 2018 in Fort Portal organized by Engabu Za Tooro and
supported by UNESCO dubbed, ‘community-self documentation and revitalization of
ceremonies and practices association with Empaako naming system in Uganda’
further polished my love and enriched my expertise in culture especially skills
and knowledge to document intangible cultural heritage like Empaako naming”
The
one week UNESCO global meeting which took place at Swami Vivekananda
International Convention Centre (SVCC) in Port Louis in the Republic of
Mauritius from 26th November to 1st December 2018
attracted ministers of culture from around the world, UNESCO experts on
culture, UNESCO ambassadors from around the world and cultural practitioners
among others.
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| Mukwikwi before departing to Mauritius |
“I
was groomed by Engabu Za Tooro through its Talent Development Programme, its
where I identified my talent as a folklore artist and now I am a celebrity
because my folklore comedy is broadcasted everyday on TV West which is watched
by hundreds of thousands of people every day across Uganda.” Said Mukwikwi.
Mukwikwi
adds, “People used to think that there are no opportunities and money in
culture but they are wrong because I had an opportunity to go to Mauritius to
attend a global UNESCO conference and I was treated as a diplomat sleeping in a
five star hotel and rubbing shoulders with celebrity artists from all over the
world, ministers of culture, UNESCO ambassadors and
UNESCO experts from around the world among others and I am making money as a
folklore artist”
The
two cultural practitioners performed Empaako naming ritual and showcased
Uganda’s rich culture to the delegates at the sidelines of the UNESCO’s 13th
session of Intergovernmental Committee for Safeguarding of the Intangible
Cultural Heritage.
According
to Stephen Rwagweri Atwoki who presented Empaako safeguarding and
revitalization technical report during the UNESCO meeting and was the head of
delegation to the UNESCO global meeting in Mauritius indicated that the two
cultural practitioners were selected to go and showcase Uganda culture to the
world because they are young people who are very talented and above all have a
strong passion for culture.
Rwagweri
Atwoki adds “In the coming UNESCO global meetings, we shall be taking more
people who are talented and have a passion for culture to showcase Uganda’s
rich culture to the world if there are tangible community self-contributions
through Tutemu Engaro self-help cultural fund”
The
two Engabu Za Tooro cultural practitioners Kaserebe Mukwikwi and Kijegere will
be officially welcomed to Fort Portal tomorrow Sunday, 9th December
2018 at KoiKoi Cultural Centre in Fort Portal starting at 03:00pm so that they
showcase their experience in Mauritius to people from the land of Empaako.
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| EZT delegation to Mauritius |
Currently, Engabu Za
Tooro (Tooro Youth Platform) is implementing a UNESCO co-funded two year project
UGA 01210 aimed at revitalizing ceremonies and practices associated with
Empaako naming system in Uganda.
The
project is being implemented in the five communities of Batooro, Banyoro, Batuku,
Batagwenda and Banyabindi of Western Uganda.
More on
the UNESCO international meeting in
Mauritius follow the links;
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