It was entertainment galore at the Tugenin Cutural Festival in Oinobmoi, Baringo Central constituency, on Saturday.
The second edition of the festival, which seeks to celebrate culture and talent, was attended by at least 1,000 people from Kerio Valley and other parts of Baringo County.
Tugen cultural groups competed to showcase their culture through music and dance.
The event saw winners awarded cash prizes of Sh25,000, Sh20,000 and Sh15,000 for first, second and third positions respectively.
The event provides locals with a platform to showcase their artifacts and share their rich culture through traditional songs.
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“It’s one way to salvage the Tugen culture from extinction,” said event chairman Kiberur Tomno.
Core purpose
The event, held annually at Oinobmoi Cultural Centre, brings together local leaders, professionals, culture ambassadors and the community, with the core purpose of promoting culture and ecotourism in the region.
The participating teams came from eight locations in Salawa, Sironoi, Lelmen, Sakasak, Salawa, Kumbopsoo, Kapyemit, Kiboino and Eron.
Eron, locally referred to as Kimsawa, won the competition while Ng’usuria from Kiboino Singers came second. Kewamoi Women Dancers took third place.
Present at the event were Baringo Woman Representative Grace Kiptui, area MP Sammy Mwaita, Kerio Valley Development Authority Managing Director David Kimosop among others.
Through their traditional songs, dancers displayed how mature girls ready for marriage were encouraged to look for responsible husbands and earn respect as mothers.
Others dwelt on wealth creation, rain making, wedding songs and prayers to bear children among other pieces, with participants ranging from children to the elderly.
Major attraction
In his speech, Mr Mwaita asked the county government to fund the project, saying it was one of the major tourist attractions if taken seriously.
He said the area was endowed with numerous tourist attraction sites, with culture being the central pillar, and with a potential to create employment.
Ms Kiptui encouraged communities living in Kerio Valley to embrace peace and dialogue to allow development to thrive in the area currently under oil exploration by Tullow Oil Company.
The Tugen are a sub-tribe of the Kalenjin community. Other sub-tribes are the Sabaot, Marakwet, Nandi, Keiyo, Sengwer, Pokot, Kipsigis and Ogiek.
They are further sub-divided into four clans; Samors, Endorois, Arror and Lembus.
Traditionally, the Tugen were herders.
