In an attempt to promote Acholi culture, Ker Kwaro Acholi, the Acholi cultural institution plans to set up an Acholi cultural heritage day.
The heritage day is meant to be used to revive Acholi cultural practices which are perceived to be on the decline. These include: bonfires, rituals, dances, dressing, Mato Oput (the traditional justice system) and marriage practices, among others.
The Prime Minister Ker Kwaro Acholi, Ambrose Olaa revealed that plans are underway to designate a day were individuals will showcase their talent in cooking traditional dishes, dressing and games and sports.
Olaa explained that on heritage day families will converge and have the opportunity to interact and learn from each other Acholi cultural practices.
According to the Premier, Ker Kwaro Acholi, has already put up a committee chaired by Simon Oyet, the Nwoya County Member of Parliament (MP) which has been tasked to begin initial planning for the heritage day. The day is planned to be annual and will be held at the palace of Rwot David Onen Acana II, the Acholi paramount chief found in Bar-Dege Division in Gulu Municipality.
Olaa also revealed that Ker Kwaro Acholi is looking for funds to build a cultural centre which will act as a museum and an archive centre were information about the Acholi people and their cultural practices will be archived.
Other facilities at the cultural centre will include; playground, lodging facilities that will be made out of local materials and a conference hall for rent.
In 2014, UN agency, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) documented at least 20 ceremonies and rituals practiced by the Acholi tribe.
The Speaker Gulu Municipal Council, Peter Okwera Onen welcomed the development and said Acholi culture needs to be promoted. He cited the example of many school children and even Acholi leaders being unable to sing the Acholi anthem.
Cecilia Ajom, the Principal Cultural Officer at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development revealed that government had noted with concern that some of the cultural practices are under threat.
Speaking in Koro in Omoro district last year during a cultural function, Ajom said documentation of cultural practices will go a long way in preserving and protecting some of the dying cultural practices.
14 Comments
Leb Aye gwoko ngec pa kaka, tekwaro ki anywalli pa kaka ducu. Kakki weng gitye tek ka guilo lebgi malo, Ka ni kidumo aduma ki Acoli i leb pa lurok ci tekwaro ne ki ilo ningning? Kigoyo dud lutino ni pien guloko leb Acoli i gang kwan?
May I suggest during Dec/Jan Dry Season for obvious reasons of Rain and no farm commitments. There used to be similar events (pyem myiel at village and county levels) in the 50’s. Long-term to include LUO-wide festival including LUO speakers like Adhola, Lango, Alur, Joluo (Kenya) and the multitudes in DRC (Alurs here created Congolese Music), South Sudan and Ethiopia. A good film Crew to document will be used to promote culture internationally so as to boost Cultural Tourism currently hijacked in Kampala. Is former heart Beat Chief still around. Where is THAT Anaka Otole Group (about 60 plus dancers) I saw on the Internet 4 years ago? I have been thinking of it too. GOOD LUCK!!
Pyem myel nongo peke ento mwuni aye gukelo tuko ducu me pyem calo kit ma i lobogi. Onongo Acoli tuko myel ci dano gibolo lim ka tyen lumyel me yallo diro ducu. Gin waco ni diro aa ki bot Lacwec.
I think it is better for Acoli people to recover their culture first before going out otherwise the children will get confused too. It is good to search history too, scholars, elders should be involved. Labolle Lingala myel kwele ma mwuni me France aye gubedo ka cullo pire me ballo jo Congo.
Acholi lupyem wachon i yoo me deyo kom me myel, goyo awal in larakaraka, yono ngut, Pyem nene time wachon – mego otita kwo tino meg gi (1930-1940s). Pyem kelo pwony ki mede me wek lwak myel meg wu oloo. Bolo cente is a novelty -lucaro ningo cente peke ikare machon, Labongo pyem dingidingi onong gik i Palabek. Kombedi bul kigoyo labongo nyang -apoka poka pe ikin bul mene ma kigoyo i larakaraka, dingidingi bwola otole. The best drumming was Pawidi and that done by Watmon. Alur DRC was mentioned in zest to indicate the extreme talents among the luo in all field of endeavor ( I could have mentioned Obama). I am a senior citizen and watched the evolution of our culture from the side lines not an expert.
I kare 1930 -1940 onongo dong Mwuni aye tye ka loyo piny do. In i kwano kit ma gubedo ka nekko tekwaro cok-cok gin ma Acoli timo ducu? Gin gubedo ka timmo jami kilong.
Labolle cuna nongo pe kitimo i dyewor i te myel ruma. Onongo awobe ceto gang pa anyakagi kine cawa apar me dyeceng gik cawa apar wiye aryo. Pol myel Acoli ducu nong kitimo i dyeceng. Mwuni gujuko myel Acoli ducu. Kicako dwokko myel ma wanongo loc ken.
Man lok maber adada. It is part and parcel of the revival of Acoli. I also agree with the idea of extending it to the whole of the Luo identities. I saw an interesting portrait of the interconnected Luo people throughout the region. It is something to shoot for.
https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10210720609824097&id=1014759216&set=a.1545115180538.73921.1014759216&source=48&refid=17&_ft_=top_level_post_id.10210720609824097%3Atl_objid.10210720609824097%3Athrowback_story_fbid.10210720610224107%3Athid.1014759216%3A306061129499414%3A30%3A0%3A1488355199%3A1948195283249566838&__tn__=E
I discovered this site “Gurtong”, about the Peoples and Cultures of South Sudan’s 64 Ethnic Communities very interesting – See more at: http://www.gurtong.net/Peoples/PeoplesProfiles/tabid/71/Default.aspx#sthash.3ztBBLh2.dpuf .
Covers the many Southern Sudan ethnic groups in detail. I looked at the similarities of their food crops, dances, traditions etc. I realize that the bombarded (ravaging 20 year genocide) and diminishing Acoli traditions can be recovered/resurrected from some of these cultures and descriptions.
Finally a very GOOD book”Te Kwaro Pa Acholi Me Sudan” by
Kassiano, Saturnino Olaa in Luo. Costly but 225 pages is very worth it.
Online order at:
https://www.sil.org/resources/publications/entry/62643
Thanks
All the information is vital – we who can read or write should inform the people, elders and find out their suggestions.
Myero kirib tam ki ngec ka wek okony lwak maber.
Apwoyo
we who can read or write should inform the people. Well said! It is important for every citizen to be educated. The challenge in Acoliland is that many People are not able to afford Quality educatiob for their children. The war we went through the left us poor and behind was a Major Course of cultural decay and poor education. The government is giving the Karamojong Special Treatment. They get scholarship and financial Support for free education. Our leaders must demand this Special treament for the People of Acoli. Afterall no one stopped the karamajong from embracing education. They are a riggid People who no Change.
Further on Olaa’s book “Te Kwaro Acholi me Sudan”
watch youtube interview at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU8k5mFRXS8
It is true that we have to do more. Some of us are teachers, we can start posting teaching materials on line in Acoli. I believe science and other subjects should be taught in Acoli. English is not the only language of instruction. Also education is good so long as it promotes our knowledge system too – it should not misinform us that foreign system is better than our own system – this misinformation creates unskilled population with lack of employment. It serves to promote outside businesses and not our own.
The Karamojong have suffered a lot too. They were begging on the streets of Kampala due to hunger.
An mere pud atidi ento abedo latin ma onongo maro winyo lok me kwaro ma bene atye ka winyo watin dok bene atye ka winyo some contradictions mogo kany? Aaa bene ki kal kwaro. I’m over the moon that at last KKK pa Acholi has started working towards rooco kwo pa wan Luo ma onongo dong otuc woko calo tee cuporia tutu ladod ni.
Anyway yam onongo nino dwe me ryemo jwee tye I Acholi do? Dong peke pingo? Ki katye ci pingo pe kiket the second day after kiryemo jwee obed nino me cako festive season? Kawiya pud poo bedo onongo on 30th of October or 1st of November very early in the morning ma dano jwato kabutu gi pretending to beat jwee out off bed and chasing it outside. Does anyone knows what I’m talking about? This is just my opinion and reasons on setting the right day that should start with cleansing the whole region traditionally of bad spirits. After all it’s our traditional and there’s nothing wrong with it. Even Christians have their way of appeasing the souls during November months Catholics gi lwongo ni dwe ma leng pa joo muto. And not only that November dwe Ma cam dwong dok wele pud nongo yot, apwaa bene pe rac totwal calo December Jan and Feb. Lastly village people will roam safely without fearing bush fires pien nongo lum pud ngic.
do not Forget how they raided our livestocks. And yet they have a specila ministry that takes care of their high education. We the Acolis have all the right to advocate and demand for such a ministry and that is what I am saying.