This archive report was first published on 8 January 2020.
Pomp and Colour at 8th Rusinga Cultural Festival ¶
Published on January 8, 2020
Every year, the Rusinga Island Festival draws huge crowds to Mbita in Homa Bay County, celebrating the Abasuba culture and heritage. The festival, which takes place on the last Thursday and Friday before Christmas, has become a significant event in the region.
On December 19-20, 2019, the festival held its 8th edition at Kamasengre grounds, with the theme 'The Island Remembers'. The festival aimed to give the Abasuba people a reason to reminisce, re-imagine, and connect Rusinga Island to the world through art, culture, literature, and heritage.
According to festival organiser Anne Eboso, the festival was a trip down memory lane, where they wanted to remember the good old culture of the Abasuba. The festival also commemorated the 50th anniversary of the death of Tom Mboya, the island's greatest son, who was assassinated by a bullet.
The Abasuba people have long been mistaken as part of the Luo community, but they are actually a Bantu people. Their migration to the Lake Victoria islands of Rusinga and Mfangano began with a period of conflict in Buganda Kingdom. The conflict was sparked by the death of a beautiful woman, who was the wife of Prince Ssemakookiro, Kabaka Jjunju's brother.
The Abasuba people fled Buganda, rowed across Lake Victoria, and set up camp on the islands, where they would see the enemy approach early enough. Many generations later, the Abasuba became assimilated with the Luo, and their language and culture slowly began to die.
Eight years ago, Anne Eboso started the festival to promote the Suba culture and heritage. The festival has since become a significant event in the region, promoting cultural tourism, youth and women empowerment, and socio-economic development.
On the first day of the festival, there was an excursion to Ruma National Park, the last retreat of the roan antelope. Cultural music and dances went on throughout the day, including the launch of the Abasuba anthem, composed by Ages Kenya, a cultural group based at the Kisumu Museum.
The Abasuba dance, dubbed 'owukire', means victory and celebrates the Suba culture and tells the migration tale from Uganda to present-day Homa Bay County. The dance was validated by the council of elders and community members, and there is hope for an actual launch during the next edition of the festival.
On the second day of the festival, there was a boat race, which was flagged off by Ambassador Amina Mohamed, the Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Culture, and Heritage. The boat race was a reminder of the escape of the Suba from the Kingdom of Buganda and an important part of their livelihood, as fishing is the main economic activity on the island.
The festival also featured cultural foods prepared by Abasuba women, a group of elderly men playing ajua, the ancient board game, and tug of war contests between different groups. The final event was a beauty pageant at night, which was graced by several leaders, including Dr. Auma Obama, Mbita M.P Millie Odhiambo, and others.
