The Kenya National Commission for UNESCO (KNATCOM) Spearheads Cultural Celebrations.
As we approached the venue Machakos People's park. It was evident from a distance that we were headed towards an oasis. The only green spot in the middle of vast yellow land.
People from counties all around Kenya had travelled all the way to represent their diverse cultures.
The cold weather surprised many that day, myself included. "I thought Kamba land was hot "I heard one Swahili lady from the Coast say.
It was time to cover up and keep warm. Luckily the Kanga, leso and Masai shuka sellers were around to save the situation.
The 1940's from the 100 years of Kenyan beauty clip by WatchCut
It was very easy to fall in love with the place. The people who did the landscaping had truly outdone themselves.
Their love for birds was evident all around the park. The fact that some of the bird sculptures were created out of old car tires and it took a very keen eye to notice, blew my mind. Creativity truly knows no bounds.
The beauty of the park made the cold on that first day of September 2016 more bearable.
Culture and color seem to go hand in hand seeing how the Machakos Peoples Park lit up . All thanks to the traditional attire the performers had adorned in as well as the art pieces that were displayed.
It was an opportunity for the arts and culture to intertwine. The colors illustrating the epitome of creativity and preservation of the Kenyan culture.
This slideshow is 2 mins 30 secs long.The pictures above sample bits of the whole experience.
You may maximize it for a clearer view.
The celebrations lasted from the first till the third of September 2016.
On the last day the exhibitors and performers that were the best in their respective categories were awarded. The first in each category would also get a chance to travel to France for the Kenya week celebrating Kenyan culture organized by UNESCO . The trip would be fully funded by their respective County Governments.
It felt good to see how the County Governments supported wholeheartedly.
The whole event united people from different counties and tribes evidenced by the way they cheered each other on both during the performances and during the award ceremony.
One wise writer Leo Tolstoy said
"All art has this characteristic-it unites people".
This was evident through out the cultural celebrations. Celebrations that gave both visual and performing artists a chance to promote intercultural dialogue and the culture of peace for sustainable development.
The lesson most of us took home was that language is important in culture, however cultural diversity is more than just a language or tribe. We are all one no language, tribe or cultural difference should divide us.
AA
Wendi Mutisya
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4 comments:
Great read Ndaxndax.How i wish i was there.
Thank you Shishi, there's always a next time :).
Great work and content, but please change the font style,
Thank you for your encouragement and feedback on the font style. I will look into it.
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