Elders alarmed as youth in Vihiga tend to discard rich local culture

Exhibition of cultural artifacts, traditional foods and crafts of the sub-tribes of Vihiga county at Mbale Boys High School on December 18, 2024. [Brian Kisanji, Standard]

The rich cultural heritage of the Maragoli, Bunyore, Tiriki, and Terik communities is under threat.

With modern lifestyles eroding indigenous traditions, elders are raising the alarm, urging the youth to embrace and preserve their roots before it is too late.

This concern was brought to the fore during the inaugural Vihiga Cultural and Tourism Festival held in Mbale this week. 

The three-day event brought together thousands of residents, elders, and cultural enthusiasts to celebrate, share, and learn from one another’s traditions. 

The festival aimed to create awareness of the importance of cultural preservation and to instill pride in younger generations from the four subtribes that live in the county. 

Timothy Indiazi, 65, attended the festival as a way to reconnect with the traditions of his ancestors. 

“I was not fortunate to live with my grandfather, but interacting with the elders here has taught me a lot about the Maragoli culture,” Indiazi said.

Elders dressed in traditional regalia sang ancestral songs and shared lessons on marriage, traditional medicine, and communal values.

Exhibition stands showcased cultural artifacts, traditional foods and crafts, all providing a glimpse into the rich history of the four subtribes.

For many, like Bunyore elder Harrison Kwendo, the festival would act as a pillar of morality and tradition.

“These teachings have shaped my understanding of family, medicine, and morality,” Kwendo said. He, however, lamented that his children have largely shunned learning more about Bunyore culture, reflecting a growing disinterest among the younger generation.

This generational disconnect was evident in the sentiments of 28-year-old Lungafu Igunza. 

As a Maragoli youth, Igunza acknowledged attending several culturally oriented events but admitted that modernisation has distanced many young people from traditional ways.

“Modern society pushes us away from these teachings and we have been left to wonder and make our own modern culture,” Igunza said, citing contemporary socio-economic pressures and Western influences as major factors. 

Many of his peers view traditional festivals as outdated and irrelevant in today’s world.

That only a few young people attended the inaugural Vihiga Cultural and Tourism Festival raised alarm among elders.

Maragoli Council of Elders chairperson Jotham Isaji, 85, emphasised the urgency of preserving indigenous practices. 

“We are worried about the decline in attendance at these festivals. We urge young people not to abandon their Logooli culture. Protecting our ways is crucial for maintaining our identity,” Isaji said.

Governor Wilber Ottichilo’s administration organized the festival under the Youth, Gender, and Culture department. 

This was the first ever event that brought together all four subtribes in the county.

Previously, each sub-tribe hosted their own with the Maragoli one held every December 26.