Tobong'u lore: An intercultural festival in Turkana to educate the masses
Mr Edia Jalinga, a gospel artist from Turkana, dressed traditionally on October 23, 2024. He urged visitors to promote Turkana culture by wearing traditional attires and beaded products.
In Kenya's vast Turkana County, the old lore is one of cattle rustling and hardship. But sometimes this place becomes a heartbeat of culture, song and dance, bringing together people from Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia.
This week, a decade-long cultural festival began. And for the next few days, people will forget old enemies and have fun.
The Turkana Tourism and Cultural Festival was officially launched in August 2014 at St Patrick's Primary School Kanam Kemer in Lodwar, the capital of Turkana County. Then, as now, officials thought of something different, away from cattle or warrior-like things. They thought of something that would bring lasting peace, fun, and most importantly, new money from tourism. Most of the time it worked.
This year there was some confusion as the original dates were postponed twice, leaving the enthusiasts in the dark for a while. Then the county announced that the festival would finally go on. Happiness.
Only this festival is more than just fun.
Officially, the government here says the main objective is to promote peaceful coexistence between Turkana pastoralists and neighbouring communities.
Josphat Nanok, then governor of Turkana County and now deputy chief of staff at Kenya's State House, says he wanted to achieve this goal by preserving and celebrating values and cultural heritage such as food, dress, songs and dances shared by the Iteso, Karamajong and Jie from Uganda, Nyangatom from Ethiopia and Toposa from South Sudan, who are collectively known as Ateker because they speak the same language.
Locally it is known as Tobong'u lore, which means 'welcome home'. Turkana, of course, is the area that the Kenyan government often claims is the cradle of mankind because it is here that the Turkana Boy was found, a skeleton of what is believed to be the first man to walk these shores. Discovered in 1984 in the village of Nariokotome on the shores of Lake Turkana, it is estimated to be 1.6 million years old.
Turkana Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai (right) talks to participants of the wheelchair race at Ekaales Center on October 23, 2024, the venue of the eighth edition of the Turkana Cultural and Tourism Festival that kicked off Wednesday. The race marked the opening of the festival.
Seeing a tourism opportunity, the county administration said the visitors would help boost tourism revenue as the festival has attracted top leaders from Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and South Sudan. The idea is to also market other sites such as Lake Turkana's sandy beaches, Central Island National Park, Kalokol Pillar site, Kenyatta House, and the detention camp where founding President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and other political detainees were held.
In October last year, President William Ruto said that everyone in the world needs to visit Turkana to experience the origin of man.
“We are committed to facilitating people from all over the world to come to Kenya visa-free," he said at the time. Turkana officials say the president is expected to attend the climax of the event this week.
The event sometimes heals political wounds.
Last year's event was held amid local political tensions after the current governor, Jeremiah Lomorukai, who was elected on the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket, clashed sharply with Turkana South MP Ariko Namoit and his Turkana North counterpart Nabuin Ekuwom, who were also elected on the same party ticket.
Some thugs even attacked political leaders arriving for the event.
This year, politicians have largely shifted alliances, with their parties working together at the national level.
And Governor Lomorukai has promised to lead “a transformative agenda in Turkana” by using the region’s rich cultural heritage and vast natural resources to drive development and foster peace.
He said he has used cultural diplomacy to achieve peace along Turkana’s internal and international borders.
"One such initiative for peace during this year's festival is the Sports for Peace Tournament, a flagship initiative that brings together youth from the Toposa, Nyangatom, Karamoja, and Pokot communities in a spirit of unity.
“These events, combined with cultural showcases, seek to demonstrate how shared traditions and heritage can be powerful tools for fostering understanding and resolving conflicts,” he said.
Mr James Ekitela, a Turkana resident, said they now expect a festival free of divisive politics after the region benefited from a "handshake" between President William Ruto and Mr Raila Odinga, who were rivals in the 2022 elections.
Mr Joseph Egelan, an activist, called on the President to fulfil the promises he made last year.
"The president should ensure that Lodwar town shifts from the current unsustainable fossil fuel energy generation to using renewable energy sources that can curb the negative externalities such as pollution and greenhouse gas emissions," Mr Egelan said.
