The Tobong'u Lore, known in English as the
Lake Turkana
Lake Turkana (), formerly known as Lake Rudolf, is a lake in the Kenyan Rift Valley, in northern Kenya, with its far northern end crossing into Ethiopia. It is the world's largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake. B ...
Cultural Festival, is a celebration of indigenous culture held every spring in Turkana, northern
Kenya.
The festival is hosted by a number of indigenous communities adjacent to the lake, and is meant to promote peace, cultural exchange, and tourism.
The
El Molo people
The El Molo, also known as Elmolo, Dehes, Fura-Pawa and Ldes, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the northern Eastern Province of Kenya. They historically spoke the El Molo language as a mother tongue, an Afro-Asiatic language of the Cushitic ...
host the festival in
Loiyangalani
Loiyangalani is a small town located on the southeastern coast of Lake Turkana in Kenya. The town has a population of 5,117. Loiyangalani means "a place of many trees" in the native Samburu tongue. It is home to Turkana people and was founded n ...
every June,
and the
Turkana people host the festival in
Lodwar in April.
The Tobong'u Lore is considered among the largest of cultural festivals in Kenya, and has become a venue for appearances by prominent Kenyan politicians.
Scope
The festival in Loiyangalani was first held in 2008 as a mechanism of promoting peace and cooperation among the communities that border Lake Turkana.
In Lodwar, the festival began being held in 2014.
Participating communities, which extend across national borders, include the Turkana, the Dassanech, the Samburu, the Somali, the Borana, the Gabbra, the Rendille, the Sakuye, the Wata, the Burji, the Garee, the Konso, and the El Molo people.
The festival's creation was supported by the National Museums of Kenya and the German Government, and coincided with the opening of a museum in the town.
The festival attracts thousands of visitors every year.
Some visitors are from countries that border Kenya, including
Ethiopia,
Sudan
Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
, and
Uganda.
A delegation from Nigeria has also attended.
officials state that the festival is intended in part to promote tourism and development.
The Tobong'u Lore is one of a number of initiatives advanced by the Kenyan government to promote cultural tourism and preserve local culture among smaller ethnic groups in Kenya.
The phrase "Tobong'u Lore" is described as meaning "welcome back home" in the Turkana language.
The phrase is a reference to the archaeological and paleontological heritage of the
Turkana Basin
An '' Acacia'' tree in the Kokiselei river, northern Kenya
The greater Turkana Basin in East Africa (mainly northwestern Kenya and southern Ethiopia, smaller parts of eastern Uganda and southeastern South Sudan) determines a large endorheic bas ...
.
In 2019 Turkana officials reduced spending on the festival from 70 million Kenyan Shillings to 33, diverting funds to address a local drought crisis.
Activities
The festival features local culture, nature, and archeological heritage.
Participants wear traditional attire during ceremonies.
Activities include a three-day carnival, with music and dance from local groups, and speeches by local leaders.
Consistent with local customs, the festivities continue after sundown.
Exhibitions promote local crafts and food.
The protection of wildlife is another theme addressed by the festival.
Political appearances
Many Kenyan officials have attended the festival, and some politicians have used the event to make announcements related to political campaigns or policies.
In 2019 the festival was attended by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and by the Deputy President
William Ruto;
in 2020 Governor Kivutha Kibwana used the festival as a venue to announce his bid for the presidency in upcoming elections.
See also
*
Culture of Kenya
The culture of Kenya consists of multiple traditions and trends. Kenya has no single prominent culture that identifies it. Its cultural heritage and modern expressions of culture instead consist of various cultures, shaped and practiced by th ...
*
Demographics of Kenya
The demography of Kenya is monitored by the Kenyan National Bureau of Statistics. Kenya is a multi-ethnic state in East Africa. Its total population was at 47 558,296 as of the 2019 census.
A national census was conducted in 1999, although th ...
*
The Kenya Schools and Colleges Drama Festival
The Kenya Schools and Colleges Drama Festival is a series of student theatre competitions in Kenya, held from January to April each year, advancing through local, county and regional stages to the National Drama Festival. Students from primary s ...
*
Maragoli Cultural Festival
*
Rusinga (Cultural) Festival
Rusinga Cultural Festival is an annual two-day celebration of the culture of the Abasuba people of Kenya. It is held on the last Thursday and Friday before Christmas on Rusinga Island. The festival was founded bAnne Ebosoref name="IREX: Anne Eboso ...
References
{{Turkana Basin
Festivals in Kenya
Annual events in Kenya
Arts festivals in Kenya