Lasting memories of TZ’s cultural Urithi festival

Tanzania’s Urithi festival, which celebrates cultural diversity across the country has left an indelible mark among many visitors who toured different venues a few weeks ago. The celebrations were held in Dodoma, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Arusha among other venues.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, in collaboration with the private sector and other actors, had earmarked a month-long yearly event exclusively for heritage celebrations, branded as ‘Urithi Festival: Celebrating Our Heritage’.

Speaking after establishing the Urithi festival early this year, the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr Hamisi Kigwangalla said, “Tanzania has huge tourist potential. Its tourist attractions can earn the country foreign currency. Doubling of efforts is critical to promote tourism with the aim to attract both domestic and foreign visitors.”

The Urithi Festival offered an opportunity for citizens, residents, diasporas and tourists to celebrate and cherish Tanzania’s rich and diversified cultural heritage.

The objective of the Urithi Festival, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, is to promote national identity, national symbols, pride, unity and patriotism. It is also meant to celebrate Tanzania’s rich and diversified cultural heritage; encourage recognising, preserving and promoting cultural values; and develop and promote cultural heritage assets as tourist products.

With the aim to boost the country’s tourism, the government has established an initiative named ‘Tanzania Unforgettable’.

In addition, the festival was also a chance for entrepreneurs, tourism stakeholders, artists, corporates and other interested stakeholders to showcase their products and services.

Mbora women group

When the celebrations were held in Arusha, I was inspired by the Mbora Women group, which is found in Nshupu village in Usa River near Arusha.

Founding members of the Mbora women’s group are 28 women, aged between 35 and 70 who came together a few years ago to form and organiae a cultural tourism enterprise.

Mbora is a Meru tribe word meaning blessing, according to Ndeshukurwa Mbise,68, the chairperson of the group. On why they chose the name Mbora, Ms Mbise said she was happy to tell me that they are blessed with a fertile land.

Apart from conducting cultural activities, Nshupu Village is home to a wide different and indigenous and exotic flora and fauna. There are greater opportunities for visitors to experience nature walks in the Mamire forest where several water springs feed the forest, among other attractions.

To help support the community’s day-to-day life in their village is a key factor in the Mbora women’s objective, which encourages visitors to come and share their lifestyle.

Their participation in the past Urithi festival was coordinated by the Tanzania Culture tourism program based in Arusha, which included other cultural enterprises such as Ee-yeyo, Lyamungo, Ilkiding’a, Longido among others.

The Urithi festival celebrations in Arusha, were held at the Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium from 8th to 13th October 2018 that attracted a host of local visitors and tourists.

Many local visitors were hooked to the skills of the Mbora women in preparing traditional local foods. In the week-long event Mbora women served a popular Loshoro that is boiled grinded maize and mixed with milk; Mangoro which is a mixture of maize, beans and dried bananas cooked together; Mtori which is a mixture of mashed bananas and beef cooked together and Uru a food basically eaten by women who have just delivered a baby. It is a composition of millet flour, ghee and milk cooked together. Tanzania’s cultural treasures play a significant role in the country’s prosperity and development, according to Ms Catherin Lyamuya, a Tanzania Tourist Board’s Research and Development officer. She said locals, as well as tourists, were inspired by the different stories of the cultures, traditional food and traditional dances.

For other visitors, it was a chance to learn about the traditional ways of preparing food and to learn about different cultures, telling them about cultural insights.

Email: [email protected]