Main areas of work related to the Convention:
1. Under the directorship of seven (07)competence directors and one hundrend fifty (150) active participants, GUTA is able to carry out Community sensitization through enter- educare
2. Safeguarding the intangible cultural heritages that are almost dying off through Oraginsing cultural gala. This is one of the activities aim at restoring the beautiful culture of Acholi which were destroyed due to the long war in the northern part of Uganda. our main points of interest capture the following classes that were educative, entertaining and affordable to the community of the Acholi;
1. restoring knowledge about traditional dishes which includes preparation processes, food values, storage techniques of such traditional dishes and other importance of such dishes toward our health.
2. Folk-tales narrative which includes narrative skills, audiance participation, didactic and moralistic nature, entertainment and the musical accompaniment.
3. Traditional folk songs and original composition based on the specific theme.
4. Solo performance (vocal I instrumental for individual expression of opinion.
5.Participating in civic education targeting the various roles played by an individual genders to create harmony in the society.
6.Through music dance and drama, participate in fighting water born related health diseases and other contigious diseases and addressing the importance of good sanitation.
7. Participation in the reseltlement of the community from the camp to their original home land and harminizing the immediate problem of land disputes.
8..Addressing the problem of gender based violence through music dance and drama where the audiance attending the shows get involved automatically.
9. Sensitization on universal education and its importance using the local language for the entire community consumption.
10. Engagement in traditional folk dances purely to revitalise our culture.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
Name - Proffesion - Expertise - Acquisition
1.Yeko George H. - Teacher Secondary and - Literature in English - learning instn. - Instructor(folk-tales) -Oraturel dances - Royal family, MDD - UDTA/Indere
2. Okello Quinto - Teacher (SNE) - Cultural practioner - Royal family, MDD consultant - UDTA/Indere, Creativity in composition - Royal family, Scripts writting - Learning instn.
3. Okot Janani N. - National examiner - MDD - Learning instn., Cultural practioner - He is an elder, Instructor - Folk-tales narratives - Inherited.
4. LakerJolly O. - Social worker/ educationist - Culture promoters - Inherited.
5. Langol Rino - Teacher (secondary) - Cultural lovers - Inherited.
6. Lakony Joe - Social worker - Culture promoters - working with NGO.
7. Ochora Ochitti - Social worker/educationist - National adjudicator - Learning instn.
Additional information:
Mr. Lakony Joe is a Ugandan by nationality, 31 years old by now, a social worker by profession, a project officer with War Child Holland and his area of jurisdiction is in Gulu, Amuru and Nwoya districts.
Lakony previously worked with Gulu Support the children organization (GUSCO) and the work dates back from 2003 when he started with GUSCO.
In as far as his cultural background is concerned; he had worked with formerly abducted children to teach them traditional songs, dances, and practices. He had been working tirelessly to coordinate cultural ceremonies for cultural healing for the returnees. He had been at forefront for organizing cultural galas within the communities where he works.
Also in their activities they help conduct intergenerational activities where children and parents come together show case different activities. Lakony is one of the initiators of Wang-oo program as informal educational activity and avenue to teach culture to the children around fire place.
Culture is part and parcel of all the activities they do and normally they consult the traditional leaders in their work.
Mzee Janani is now 72 years old, a national examiner, graduated in tutoring, specialized in music dance and drama (MDD) and more importantly he is one of the characters in the war dance contributing toward Primary teacher’s College (PTC) and National Teacher’s College (NTC) music choir.
George is now 47 years old, a Ugandan by nationality, a secondary teacher by profession and heading music dance and drama department in his School.
Beside those,
-He is the regional co-ordinator for Uganda Development Theatre Association (UDTA) from 2003 to date.
-He is the district chairperson- UDTA for Kitgum and Lamwo districts since 1998 to date
-He is a drama scripts writer and actor.
SEMINAR/WORKSHOP OR ANY DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITY ATTENDED
Civic education - From C.A to referendum - Civic educator.
Business planning - Organized by Gusby Trust MUK - Member.
Business management - Organized by N.U.M.A - Member.
HIV /AIDS/STDs Awareness - Organized by Lacor AIDs project - Participant.
Uganda German youth camp - Organized by PCY-GTZ - Participant.
Disabilities census workshop - Organized by AVSI - Enumerator.
UDTA planning workshop - Organized by UDTA - National executive.
Composed drama on civic education - Organized by NDI - Director of Gulu Theatre Artists
Land disputes resolution through MDD - Contracted by NRC - Director of Gulu Theatre Artists
Composed drama on domestic violence - Requested by ARC - Director of Gulu Theatre Artists
Composed drama about back to school - Invisible children - Patron MDD department.
Developed syllabus for MDD secondary - Invisible children - Patron MDD department.
Composed drama on right of citizen - Women in democracy (FOWODE) - Drama consultant.
Produced drama on water & sanitation - District water office & health dept. - Drama consultant/ director.
Participated in cultural revival festival - War child Holland - MDD consultant.
HOBBIES:
1. Cultural activities since I am promoting, preserving and appreciating my cultural values.
2. Developmental activities as I am working toward community positive transformation and restoring hope to the disadvantaged generations.
3. Music dance and drama as I am the chairperson of all the cultural groups under Uganda development Theatre Association in Acholi sub-zone and using MDD as one ofthe most effective communication tools for sensitization.
4. Touring as I have been monitoring all the cultural groups within the region and taking them for national festival.
5. Peace as I am absolutely involved in the peace building process through theatrical activities.
I Mr. Okello Quinto hereby declare that the information given above is true, correct and complete.
Referees
-National chairperson UDTA/Director Ndere centre. contact; 0772-200104
-Country director for invisible children Uganda. (Contact- office line) 0471432583
- District water office, district health office, district engineering office- Gulu district.
- Norwegian refugee council (NRC- ICLA- Wang-oo department Gulu main office
Objectives
To establish cultural Resource Centre for entertainment, information centre and trainning groud that would enable the new generations adapt the authentic skills and values of a particular Acholi cultural heritage.
To acquire all sorts of traditional costumes and props relevant to express the importance of culture maintenance. the intention is to safeguard the twenty two (22) Acholi traditional dances that have values to that society and forge unity. All these dances are performed to express the important of a particular ritual/ceremony accordingly. Namely; (Bwola, Otole, Larakaraka, Apiti, Ajere, Dingi-dingi, Acut, Okwil, Lamuya, Lacuku-cuku, Okojo, Aguma, Akel, Lyel, Rut, Jok, Nanga, Konge, Obet, Oling, Oyiny and kwero-merok
dance). And one of the documentaion processes would be producing synopsis for all these cultural dances to serve as a measuring yard in safeguarding the tangible and intangible cultural heritages involved.
To promote co-operation among the youth spiritually, morally and physically through cultural sharing.ln this process, the youngone shall copy and learn the cultural values from the elderly people and the chain continues. In the long run, the desirable cultural trait would have been instilled into these young generations through which they can use them in other cultural exchange.
To establish simple museum for Acholi culture in the long run where all historical events, costumes/props, relics and other important Acholi instruments and craftmanship are kept.
To built better office with all the office equipments, acqusition of the relevant gazates for effective documentations, store and training ground in the long run.
To promote culture of peace through non -violence means in the youth.and this would only be possible by the use of;
(i) Folk-tales which have virtues such as commonial unity, hard work, conformity, honesty, love for the clan and many others.
(ii) Drama that handle the peaceful resolution to land disputes, educate the audiance/community the importance of safe water supply and good sanitation, environmental protection and its related desieases, rights of all citizens in regardless of sex, addressing gender based violence and any outstanding problems which demands intervention for possitive transformation.
(iii) Dances and folk songs with the emphasis of the importance of being together and in harmony.
Cooperation
Working in partnership with Uganda Development Theatre Association since 1997 and very many local groups were developed in northern part of ugnada which are affiliated to UOTA. to perform arts that addressed the societical problems and provide the workable solutions to those problems.
(Those activities listed from number 1 to 10 in sub-section 6.c above are the driving tools for the community participation in the safeguarding measures).