Annual event in Kenya reunites disparate communities

Women adorned with multicolored beaded necklaces, two pieces of leather wrapped around their waist and chest with their back left bare and men adorned with vests and woven textiles wrapped around their waist, head caps adorned with ostrich feathers and jewelry across their chests.

The striking attire and tribal culture were presented at the just concluded Turkana Tourism and Cultural Festival at the Ekalees Cultural Centre in Lodwar to promote this dry county in northern Kenya as the origin of humankind and a destination for international tourists.

Tobong'u lore, meaning welcome home, represents the rich archaeological heritage of the Turkana Basin, considered the cradle of mankind. It gained this title following the discovery of a nearly complete fossilized skeleton dating back about 1.5 million years. Kamoya Kimeu made the discovery on a bank of the Nariokotome River near Lake Turkana in 1984. Tobong'u Lore celebrates not only Turkana's cultural traditions but also its historical significance to human evolution.

The specimen is the remains of someone now known as Turkana Boy, estimated to have died at the age of 11. The specimen is on display in the Nairobi National Museum. There is also evidence of hominids having lived at Lake Turkana 4.2 million years ago.

At the festival, men carried a walking stick and a traditional stool popularly known as ekicholong, which is used as a simple chair and headrest. Both men and women dancers also wore traditional sandals made from animal skin.

Most of the visitors, including Kenya's President William Ruto, also wore traditional regalia.

More than 200 groups from different parts of the county entertained visitors with songs and dances, with the performances highlighting occasions such as peace advocacy, bumper harvests and praise to gods for rains as well as beseeching the deities to alleviate challenges such as drought.

The dances were so captivating that guests, including Ruto, occasionally joined the dancers at the podium.

The zeal of the dancers and the size of the crowds demonstrated the public's passion for preserving their culture at a time when several of Kenya's 42 tribes have lost their culture to modern civilization.

Jackson Eraman, one of the community elders, said Turkana people are determined to preserve their culture and pass it on to future generations.

The elders are keen for the county government to have the local language taught in primary schools so children can deeply understand their culture and focus on retaining it, he said.

"Plans are underway to publish a book that will detail the Turkana culture as a way of preserving it."

Preserving the culture and promoting peaceful coexistence were part of the reason the elders had had talks with the county government that resulted in the Turkana Tourism and Cultural Festival being established, he said.

The Kenyan government is also committed to promoting Turkana County as a cultural tourism destination of choice, making the most of its status as a cradle of mankind.

Ruto said Tobong'u Lore is a local festival, a national event, a regional celebration and a call to all humanity to come home and experience the beauty of culture.

To enable as many tourists as possible to visit Turkana and the rest of Kenya, Ruto said, the country will provide visas free of charge.

He also said a science park will be built in the county to exhibit the origin of humankind as well as increase the number of tourists coming to the county.