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Tapping into cultural tourism
A group displays some of the aspects of their culture. PHOTOs BY Michael Kakumirizi.
What you need to know:
Uganda is a multicultural country, with each culture comprising unique features. As a supplement to wildlife tourism, cultural tourism is another area to tap into.
Tourism has been billed as a sector with the highest potential to boast Uganda’s economy. While a lot has been done on wildlife tourism, there are still areas such as cultural tourism that if exploited, would be big earners.
A number of cultural centres such as Ndere Cultural Center and Igongo Cultural Centre today reap the benefits of this. Cultural galas are also held by different entities, most recently universities with the goal of promoting tourism.
Last weekend, Uganda Martyrs University (UMU) held its 17th annual cultural festival at its main campus in Nkozi. At UMU, there are more than six cultural associations. Students from the Rwenzori region are united under the RUMUSA association, those from the Ankole under the UMUA association, and students from the North and the greater East are under the UMUGENSA umbrella, whereas those from Busoga are under the Basoga-Nsette association.
The students showcased their different cultural attires from the times of their great grandfathers to date. The crowd was fascinated by the dress code of different cultures in the pre-colonial era. The students also presented folk songs and dances, craft exhibition among others.
The Vice Chancellor, UMU, said every year, the university celebrates cultural diversity. “Introduction of culture among students takes away cultural prejudices or negative perception of certain cultural activities. A person without a culture is lost,” he noted.
The UMUGNESA students were crowned winners, for the second time in a row. They were awarded a trophy for their outstanding Larakaraka dance performance and craft exhibition.
