Community museums in Uganda converged at the Uganda National Culture Center on Wednesday May 19th 2010 to exhibit for the first time diverse items of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage from various communities.
The Discovering Community Museums in Uganda exhibition showcased unique cultural items from all over Uganda, including Omugamba-the Banyankore marriage pots from Igongo Cultural Center in Mbarara, illustrations of the traditional use of bark-cloth from Kawere African Museum in Wakiso, demonstrations about iron-smithing skills from Butambala Center of Civilization in Mpigi and the matoput-the ‘peace tree’ from Peace Museum in Gulu.
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Milk pots and food basckets displayed by Igongo Cultural Center Museum |
Omare-Okurut of UNESCO visits the Karamoja Women Museum stall |
In a statement presented to the State Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, community museums expressed their urgent need for support through funding, tax waivers for their operations as non-profit-making entities, and capacity building for Community Development Officers and museum initiators to meet the competitive standards of the tourism industry.
The museums also formed the Uganda Community Museums Association (UCOMA) to reinforce their concerted contribution to national development, and collective appeal for recognition and support from government as partners in the preservation of cultural heritage, education, supporting the tourism industry and creating employment in the local communities in which they operate.
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Akankwasa Barirega of MTTI launches the Uganda Community Museums Map |
“We are partners with the Government of Uganda in preserving our cultural heritage and imparting cultural values to our children; we should be recognized and supported as stakeholders,” said Margaret Lomonyang, the interim president of the newly created UCOMA and initiator Karamoja Women Cultural Group Museum in Moroto. Currently, UCOMA comprises 15 community museums.
While launching a road map and common brochure for community museums all over Uganda, Mr. Akankwasa Barirega, Principal Wildlife Officer and representative of Hon. Serapio Rukundo commended community museum owners for creating an association.
“It will be much easier for government to direct support to museums through the umbrella association, rather than to individual entities scattered all over the country,” said Mr. Barirega.
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A traditional foundry displayed by Butambala Heritage Center of Civilization |
Ssempereza of Butambala takes visitors through the process of making spears in Buganda |
In his speech, Hon. Rukundo applauded the work of the Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda in raising the profile of cultural tourism through their Cultural Heritage Programme, and promoting the recognition of culture as a vital tool for sustainable and equitable development.
