The 20th edition of the annual Lamu cultural festival which is being celebrated with great fanfare has been hailed as the ‘best yet’ with thousands attending from far and wide.
The heavily attended cultural extravaganza held at the Lamu archipelago has returned after a two-year break occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic restrictions but has lived to its billing as it showcased the rich culture and heritage of the Swahili people.
The festival that highlights the Swahili culture resumed with a bang after the world had eased down a prolonged Covid-19-related clampdown.
Stakeholders including, Lamu Governor Issa Timamy, contend that the mega fete had been very successful and it was great to have it back in a big way after the Covid-19 pandemic eased.
Launched in 2000, the festival is normally marked in the old town, a historical place that was listed in 2001 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Lamu Old Town is a unique and rare historical living heritage with more than 700 years of continuous settlement and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Lamu is steeped in history; it has been visited by people from all over the world and inhabitants still uncover pottery from the 14th Century and the Arabic influence is seen through locals.
The outdoor cultural entertainment organized by the Lamu County Government seeks to promote tourism, trade and cultural exchange at the archipelago that has long held an irresistible appeal for visitors.
Highlights included Swahili poetry, traditional dances, henna paintings, dhow races, swimming competition and donkey races and Swahili bridal ceremony among other activities aimed at promoting the unique Swahili culture.
The annual cultural festival is one of the most anticipated events that provide a wonderful opportunity to experience the island’s pristine beaches, medieval ambience, magnificent old stone town and age old traditions of an enchanted island where history continues to thrive.
Other annual festivals held in Lamu include Maulidi Islamic Festival, Lamu Yoga Festival, Lamu Painters Festival, Lamu Art festival, the Shela Hat Contest and Fishing competition that attract visitors in droves.
In a bid to promote tourism, the devolved unit has decided to organise the festivals in the archipelago to keep the county bubbling and attractive to local and international tourists.
Stakeholders contend that the popular festivals have the potential to transcend tourist seasons, peak seasons and introduce a ‘new season’ for a destination to boost tourism.
The annual festivals provided an opportunity to celebrate and showcase talented creatives from the archipelago alongside some special guest performances.
Governor Timamy said the event running under the theme ‘a melting pot of diversity and multiculturalism’ had been a ‘huge success’.
“The event is well attended and it’s fantastic to have the festival back after years of uncertainties,” he said, adding that the festival was a true showcase of the best Lamu has to offer.
“It brings the island dwellers together to celebrate local art, music and culture and we are proud to deliver such a successful event for the local community and our guests,” he added.
250 local youth had been engaged by the county government to spruce up the island before the festival kicked off and some 27 women groups were issued with Sh30, 000 each to set up food bazaars displaying Swahili cuisines along the seafront.
Timamy said terrorism fears and travel advisories from European source markets that have hit the once bustling tourist archipelago hard in the past appear to have waned if the number of local and foreign visitors coming in their numbers is anything to go by.
Timamy announced that this year, the price money for the winners of the various categories of activities have been doubled to inject some fun, energy and vibrancy to the cultural extravaganza.
‘For example, the winner of the dhow race will get Sh200,000 up from the previous Sh100,000 while the winner of the donkey race gets Sh200,000 up from Sh100,000’ he said.
He said the charming coastal town is turning to ‘year-round festivals and carnivals’ to raise the profile of the lovely enchanting island and attract visitors.
Governor Timamy says the year round festivals offer visitors the opportunity to explore the island and ‘discover what makes Lamu truly unique’.
The festival showcases traditional dances, displays of handicraft and competitions on water and land among them Swahili poetry, donkey races, dhow sailing, henna painting, Swahili bridal ceremonies and musical performances and a chance to enjoy various Swahili dishes.
He said the cultural-cum-tourism festival is a stage to showcase the time-honored Swahili culture and heritage.
“The annual festival seeks to preserve the traditional culture and boost tourism numbers in the tourist resort archipelago,” he said.
“We seek to promote this fascinating archipelago with its pristine natural environment and enchanting cultural traditions with all the wonders of this ancient archipelago,” he added.
Several foreign dignitaries among them envoys from Britain, Denmark, Netherlands, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Sudan joined the local community and other visitors in the three-day extravaganza.
Governor Timamy said his administration eyes deeper engagement on trade, tourism, investment and other areas of common interest with the foreign stakeholders.
The county boss says the festival is not only useful for promoting tourism but also in bringing integration among the diverse communities in the coastal region.
“Festivals create a sense of unity and brotherhood among Kenyans of different cultures as they come together to celebrate their glorious heritage and traditions,” said Timamy.
Lamu Tourism Association Chairman Ghalib Alwy says the year round festivals offer visitors a wonderful opportunity to experience the island’s unspoiled pristine beaches and medieval ambience.
Alwy says in the past, Lamu has largely been marketed as a sun, sea and sand destination for decades.
“We want to diversify and market Lamu as an island of festivals and the interest so far is enormous,” he said adding that the fete has attracted 30,000 domestic and foreign visitors.
He said the event is a huge success as thousands of spectators thronged the festival that continues to play a greater role in fostering cross-cultural interaction, peace and development in the region.
He said the festival is incident free and safe and is enjoyed by all who attend and continues to accord the local youthful artists a platform and a chance to showcase their talent.
“The turnout of the event is splendid as visitors from all cultural backgrounds experience the beauty of the local Swahili culture,” he said.
“The festival makes Lamu active and vibrant as thousands of visitors come to sample the various activities on display,” he said.
Alwy says the festivals have been generating a significant amount of tourists and were being recognized by stakeholders as a form of cultural tourism.
He said the destination has suffered a lot in terms of tourism as a result of travel advisories and incidences of insecurity and that the festivities are a good start towards tourism revival.
Alwy, also a veteran Lamu hotelier, says the festivals constitute one of the most exciting and fastest growing forms of leisure, business, and tourism-related phenomena.
By Hussein Abdullahi
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