Lamu Cultural Festival is a celebration of both the past and the
future, and the beliefs and traditions that are the heart and soul of
the Lamu community.
Most visitors to the island fall in love with this
relaxed and peaceful lifestyle, and visiting during the Lamu Cultural
Festival is a chance to experience Lamu life at its most exuberant and
joyous.
Each year, Lamu comes to life during the annual Lamu Cultural Festival.
Several competitions and races are staged during this week long
festival. These events are designed to each encourage local skills or
practices that are central to Lamu life.
These include traditional Swahili poetry, Henna painting, Bao
competition... Bao is probably the oldest known game in human history,
with archaeological evidence suggesting that the game has been played
throughout Africa and the Middle East for thousands of years.
In order to preserve and encourage the art of dhow sailing, now
threatened by increasing availability of engines and prefabricated
boats, a dhow race is also held.
The town’s finest dhows are selected
to compete, and race under sail through a complicated series of buoys,
combining speed with elaborate tacking and maneuvering skill.
Other events include swimming, and at times a challenging cross country
race along the waterfront, all the way to Shela village and back- all
in the physically draining heat of the day.
The real highlight of every festival involves the town’s most endearing
symbol- the donkey race. Local donkey jockeys literally spend the
entire year honing their riding skills for this event, and the winning
rider wears his title with great pride.
Being a winning donkey jockey requires a specific set of skills. As
with most such races, small physical stature is helpful, but keeping a
stubborn donkey moving and on course requires a definite talent.
Lamu Cultural Festival is a celebration of both the past and the
future, and the beliefs and traditions that are the heart and soul of
this community.
Most visitors to the island fall in love with this
relaxed and peaceful lifestyle, and visiting during the Lamu Cultural
Festival is a chance to experience Lamu life at its most exuberant and
joyous.
Related Links: Lamu Island, Kenya's Enchanted Island
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