• 'We want to be alive to our original cultures, understand them and see how we can blend them with modernisation'
King Peter Mumia II will host his counterparts from all over Africa during the inaugural Western Cultural Festival next month.
The festival is set for April 12-14 at the Agricultural Training Centre, Busia town.
The Wanga kingdom royalty, traditionally referred to as Nabongo (King) Mumia, has invited monarchs from neighbouring Uganda, DR Congo, Togo and Ghana, among others.
The festival will showcase Luhya traditions and heritage. It will involve the five Western counties—Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, Trans Nzoia and host Busia.
Other communities living in the region have also invited to showcase their heritage. They include the Teso, Saboti, Luo and Kikuyu, among others.
The Nabongo will invite elders' councils from other communities.
Five neighbouring districts in Uganda will be represented at the festival as they share cultural similarities with the Abaluhya community.
Each community will put up a boma (homestead) at the venue.
Dhamini Uzima Foundation's Wilfred Maloba, the organising committee's chief officer, said the event is aimed at preserving and passing the community's traditions to the young generation.
"This festival will bring all the subtribes of Luhya and other communities living in the five counties. It will be an opportunity for the inhabitants of this region to know and understand each other's traditions and artefacts," she said.
"We want to be alive to our original cultures, understand them and see how we can blend them with modernisation. We want this to be a turning point for our young boys and girls."
The event has received Sh80 million from the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage, Unicef, FAO and companies such as Kenya Commercial Bank, Isuzu East Africa, Co-operative Bank and Takaful.
It is hoped the five county governments will pitch in too.
Chris Kudindi, the festival's development director, said, “This is an avenue for cultural exchange, and it will pave way for tourism in the region and in turn economic development.
"We have some academics from universities and colleges who will also participate in the festival. It’s going to impart skills amongst the youthful generation who want to learn.”
Popular sports that will feature in the festival include football, bullfighting, cockfighting and ajua (also known as bao).
The blue economy will be marketed to residents as well as aqua sports such as boat race, canoeing and open water swimming.