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Gulu gears up for cultural festival
A dance troupe performs the larakaraka dance. PHOTO BY JULIUS OCUNGI
Gulu- Residents of Acholi Sub-region are preparing for the first grand Acholi cultural festival in Gulu District.
Thousands of people from different walks of lives are expected to attend the event starting tomorrow until Saturday in Gulu Municipality.
The event will be marked under the theme: “Kwero deyo pa Acholi” (Celebrating the Acholi glory).
Acholi Cultural Institution Premier, Mr Ambrose Olaa, said the event is meant to celebrate the Acholi culture, reflects on attributes of nature and is aimed at promoting the culture to the outside world.
“We need to open the Acholi culture to the world, we want people to know who we are and what we offer to the world,” Mr Olaa told Daily Monitor in an interview on Sunday.
Mr Olaa said various traditional Acholi artifacts, dishes, music and drama; food and drinks will be showcased like never done before in the region during the cultural festival.
“This day will be important, especially to the Acholi people, we need to know our background and preserve it for future generation,” he added.
But as the day draws nearer, a budget shortfall is likely to see a number of activities scrapped off the list of cultural events.
Daily Monitor understands that a budget of Shs300 million was drawn to hold the cultural event in the region, but only Shs100 million in cash and material has been raised.
Ms Irene Atek, the Finance manager for the event, acknowledged to Daily Monitor in an interview that the organising committee failed to realise the budget drawn from well-wishers and corporate companies.
Cash-strapped
She said due to the budget shortfall, they had to scrap off some activities, citing the Acholi Legacy Award, one of the most prestigious and important activity in the event.
Ms Atek said the award was anticipated to cost a huge budget of the total money raised for the cultural event.
“Other activities will go on normally but for some, we had to adjust due to the limited finance. We want to work within the budget we have at the moment,” Ms Atek said.
She, however, said the budget shortfall will not affect the activity from taking place as scheduled, adding: “We expect many people to enjoy the event.”
Mr Olaa said the Acholi Paramount Chief David Onen Acana II and President Museveni are expected to grace the event.
