Hundreds of Iteso mainly the youthful ones gathered at Lugogo UMA grounds on Saturday for another edition of the Akogo Festival.
Akogo also known as lamellophone or thumbphone in English is a local music instrument used for playing traditional music in Africa.
The instrument has a series of thin plates, or “tongues”, each of which is fixed at one end and has the other end free. When the musician depresses the free end of a plate with a finger or fingernail, and then allows the finger to slip off, the released plate vibrates.
Unlike the previous edition, the 2nd edition moved from City Royal Resort Hotel, Bugolobi to UMA grounds in Lugogo.
The edition that came to pass Saturday, attracted a number that was never seen at the previous edition of Akogo Festival.
By midday, the grounds were full with different people engaging in different activities.
Since it was the Teso event, the bouncers spoke in Ateso, even the assigned LDUs spoke in Ateso, the ticket selling points were being sold by Iteso, the MCs were speaking in Ateso and everything at the event was about Teso.
The event had different cultural drinks from Teso including the famous ‘ajon’.
Those who were not from Teso (there were others from different tribes) and didn’t want to try out their local brew went for Pilsner Larger which was the event sponsors.
Performances were from different Cultural groups from the Teso Culture and were also joined by the original Emaali composer Mzee Atude who composed the Emaali song in 1962.
The event was graced by the Minister of Internal Affairs Gen. Jeje Odongo as the Chief Guest who said that he was so impressed to see many youths gathered at the event to embrace their culture.
Akogo Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in Uganda. The festival is organised by Akogo Productions, a non-profit entity that creates, records, archives and promotes, authentic music and film from the East African region, while empowering a community of talented Afrocentric artists and street children.
The festival attracts people to celebrate the diversity in the music of the Iteso people from Teso in the Eastern region of Uganda.
Akogo Festival usually features musicians highlighting music with cultural identity as well as up and coming musicians exploring urban music.
