The festival, in its 45th edition, will be held at the Mbale Cultural Grounds in Vihiga town on Thursday, December 26.
Diversification to accommodate the changing times has been emphasised with this year’s celebrations expected to attract guests from the region and beyond.
Organisers of the event said it will be a key reflection on the Logooli culture.
Edward Ambeva, one of the event organisers, said the historical perspective of the Logooli culture will feature prominently with focus on the youth as key audience.
“What we are looking at this year is to capture the attention of the youthful generation as we build a transition for the next generation. We want to bring them on board and ensure they appreciate the journey of the Mulogoli people," Ambeva said.
“We have to ensure that from the display of artefacts, foodstuffs and performances we speak to the youthful generation and be alive to the fact that times are changing very fast," he added.
The organisers said that as the needs in the society change and the youth adapt to the module that suits the changing times, they should not forget that culture still shapes the future generation.
This year’s theme is “Komenya M'mbugwi ('journey of the Logooli people when they migrate to new places to seek for new residence).
It aims at enlightening the society on the need to reflect on the past to craft new ideas for the present.
According to the organisers, youth involvement will help in gaining a smooth transition when the elderly exit the stage.
“We want the youth to understand that the journey our forefathers travelled was not a walk in the park. As they appreciate culture, they should even learn the names like Chavakali, Vihiga, Sabatia, Mbale and their origin,” said one of the organisers.
“For instance, Chavakali originated from “Avakali” (the women) who used to come together at a place called “Ilungu” now Chavakali, to fend for their husbands then warriors who were protecting the communities’ resources at the times of skirmishes," Ambeva explained.
All Kenyans have been invited to the festival with security beefed up to ensure a successful event.
Mudavadi is also expected to deliver a key message to Kenyans, bearing in mind that guests from the Diaspora are expected to witness the Maragoli traditions popularly referred to as “Mima Ja Logooli.”
“As we celebrate the culture, we also want other communities to understand that we are a peaceful region and as a people, we value unity and togetherness. As we will be showcasing some of our traditions, we want Kenyans and the world to also understand that culture should help preach peace and prosperity," elder William Mutange said.
The festival will also incorporate informative sessions, including climate change and why Kenyans should value environmental conservation.
The restoration and afforestation of the Maragoli Hills Forest has been mentioned as one of the key areas of focus on the topical issue of climate change.
“We will be educating our people on the need to conserve the environment and we have picked on the Maragoli Hills, one of the places where our forefathers used to gather as a historical place like The Euphrates–Tigris River Basin, a transboundary basin in the midst of a vast desert, where the people of Mesopotamia relied upon the rivers to provide drinking water, agricultural irrigation, and major transportation routes," Ambeva explained.
“We also intend to enlighten the audience that existing together as neighbouring communities is an aspect that our forefathers embraced especially after resolving their differences and that is why names like Kisumu has a close relation with Logooli since our people used to go there to look for greener pastures normally referred to as “Ukusuma”, meaning going to work so that by the end of the day you can place food on the table back home,” Ambeva explained further.
Those who will purpose to attend will have a chance to taste the Maragoli traditional food and traditional medicine.
This has been one of the ways the community uses to keep tabs with the old ways of their grandfathers by learning from the elders who organise the annual event under the Vihiga Cultural Society’s stewardship.
It will be the third ceremony that Mudavadi will be attending in his capacity as the patron under the Mlogoli calendar since he gained the Prime Cabinet Secretary’s position.
His father, the late Moses Budamba Mudavadi, was the pioneer patron.
