The Acholi cultural institution has been in a three-day cultural showbiz to revitalize the ways of the tribe after suffering two and half decades of civil strife.
The event took place at Kaunda Ground in Gulu Municipality, and is the first of its kind, bringing over 3000 talents from the eight districts of Northern Uganda.
Over twenty-seven different types of dances are being performed to entertain and educate the younger generation.
These dances range from Royal dance (Bwola), Larakaraka (Courtship dance), Funeral dance, Otole (War dance), and Thumb guitar dance (Lukeme) among others.
There is joy among the young and old in the first ever event among communities once torn apart by war.
The togetherness is a symbol of unity, a demonstration and gesture of war through and courtship among talented individuals.All the fifty-four traditional chiefs were present.
The other guests include Dr Olara Otunnu, Norbert Mao, Salamu Musumba, and Dan Kidega former East African Legislative Speaker are in attendance.
The Acholi cultural Institution Prime Minister Ambrose Olaa says the event is to revamp the culture of Acholi which is on the brink of extinction.
As you move around the tents exist numbers of traditional artifact where elderly and rural people explain to urban dwellers, things like pistol and mortar and their uses, cowries shell which Acholi used it for taking porridge before spoon came in, a granary which is used as a storage facility for food preservation, wooded chairs among others make entire gathering spectaculars.
The cultural festival concludes on Saturday with the Acholi Paramount Chief Rwot Onen David Achana II as chief guest.
By Sam Lawino