Song, dance, food mark Tugenin festival in Kerio Valley to celebrate culture

The event, which is a showcase of the Tugen community’s heritage, was marked by a display of pomp and color, with both the young and old coming together to witness and celebrate their culture, aiming to revive and preserve it for future generations.

The Tugen people, who reside along the Tugen Hills, showcased their traditions through songs, poems, and traditional dressing. The choreographed performances were artistic and informative, as they conveyed aspects of the community's history and way of life. 

The performances highlighted how the Tugen community named their children, performed rain-making rituals, greeted each other, and utilized traditional artifacts and regalia for different cultural functions.

The festival also served as a vital platform for community members to reconnect with their heritage, learn about forgotten cultural practices and customs. 

The celebrations were not limited to Tugen people, as other communities, including the Pokot and Ilchamus, also attended and participated, reflecting the region's rich cultural diversity.

Local leaders who attended the event emphasized the need to embrace and preserve cultural identity. They praised the festival for its role in fostering peace and unity, particularly among the historically warring communities in Kerio Valley. 

Leaders lauded the efforts being made to ensure warring communities coexist harmoniously and work together for the common good.

Hundreds of people from Baringo and Elgeyo Marakwet counties gracing the occasion. 

The annual festival provides a platform for celebrating the Tugen culture as well as promoting greater understanding and peace between the diverse ethnic groups in the region.