Empaako Heritage promoted in an International Conference

IFCCD President putting on Empaako jumper

The President of the International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity (IFCCD) Her Excellency Madam Mane Nett, from Chile, South America adopts Empaako Atwoki to emphasize the need to safeguard the cultural heritage of communities across the globe.

This was during a brief ceremony to recognize Empaako heritage organized as a side event during the 5^th Congress of International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity taking place at Gouverneur Hotels, Montreal Canada 24^th to 29^th October 2018.

The side event was organized and sponsored by the Ugandan cultural NGO – Engabu Za Tooro (Tooro Youth Platform for Action) which was admitted in the congress in observer capacity.

While adopting the Empaako Atwoki, Madam Mane Nett said “Just like any other intangible cultural heritage, while Empaako heritage belongs to particular bearer communities in Uganda, it is of interest to entire humanity. When we lose a heritage, we lose an irreplaceable part of humanity” She invited Engabu Za Tooro along with representatives to ritual leaders from Empaako communities for cultural exchange and observing the rituals that are associated with adopting Empaako.

IFCCD conference in Canada

Shared and transmitted across generations, Empaako is a naming system whereby in addition to sur and given names, a person is given a special name selected from a fixed and closed list of 12 of them which are shared by the entire society and, in the beliefs of the bearers, by the entire humanity.

The 12 Empaako names include Okaali, Bbala, Acaali, Apuuli, Araali, Atwoki, Adyeri, Abwoli, Akiiki, Abbooki, Amooti and Ateenyi. 

These words are literary meaningless in their linguistics context but functionally are a declaration of love, respect and affection, defining a web of human relationship and social interactions. 

Their transmission at birth and adoption is associated with complexity of rituals and ceremonies of which meaning and interpretations form the basis of the value system, living heritage and identify of the bearer communities which are found in western Uganda, Northern, Tanzania and Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Group photo of some participants

Empaako heritage was inscribed by UNESCO on the world list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding in 2013 and the communities are currently implementing UNESCO-co-funded project on documentation and revitalization of associated rituals and practices.

You can view all the photos of the Canada conference on flickr, follow the link https://www.flickr.com/photos/158032353@N06/?  

Engabu Za Tooro Executive Director’s statement before departing for the Canada conference on YouTube, follow the link https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KholrdAFfHQ