World marks WORLD HERITAGE DAY: What’s your Heritage?

The world marks WORLD HERITAGE DAY today. Its a day that represents the unique identities and cultures of the various countries and peoples of the world.

They are a source of pride and inspiration to every generation. Lately, earthquakes and other natural disasters, pollution, poaching, uncontrolled urbanization, and unchecked tourist development have posed major problems to World Heritage sites.

It is for this reason that local and national communities are enjoined to actively take part in efforts to protect, preserve, and conserve local heritage that contribute to the rich and colorful global landscape

There are only three designated UN Heritage sites in Uganda: Kasubi Tombs (2001), Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (1994), and Rwenzori Mountains National Park (1994).

However, the following are on the pending list:

• Bigo bya Mugenyi (Archaeological Earthworks( (1997)
• Ntusi (man-made mounds and Basin (1997)
• Kibiro (Salt producing village (1997)
• Nyero Rock Paintings (Ancient paintings in rockshelters) (1997)
• Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (2007)

As a Ugandan/African, whats your heritage. What cultural practice, identity or background would you front for the world to see. I was thus tempted to share random pictures from across Uganda that try to define who we are as a people.

An African Gray Parrot rests on a tree trunk in Kibaale National Park, Western Uganda. Uganda hosts over 1,050 bird species, making it the country with the largest number of bird species in Africa.

A boy is seen sitting under a family grass thatched house in Gulu, north of Kampala, Uganda’s capital. Having a child in Uganda is a treasure. It’s not just a treasured for procreation but for heredity.

Boiling corn in Amuru district with a pot. Pottery has a long history in Africa and is one of the oldest arts. Pots are usually made by women. Though cheap and functional, African pots combine utility with great beauty.(More on African Pots)

A Karimojong mother carries a child while attending a community event in Moroto district, northeast of Uganda’s capital Kampala. It’s a unique tribe with unique lifestyles dominated by cattle raring and rustling. Being an arid area, the communities here feed of blood from the cows to survive the dry spells. And until recently, most of them walked naked.

Sorghum is one of the traditional crops grown by most people from the east, north and northeastern. It’s the third most important staple cereal food crop in Uganda occupying 265,000 ha. of arable land. The crop is grown mainly in the south western highland and in the lowland areas of East and Northern regions of Uganda.

A woman with braided hair attends a community event in northern Uganda.Hair is one of the most unique identities associated with nt just being a Ugandan but African.

Wooden boats (Canoe) are seen docked in Ggaba bay, a suburb of Kampala, Uganda’s capital.Long after the invention of speed boats,the wooden boats continue to sail dominanting on Africa’s largest fresh water lake.

A Kob is one of Uganda’s most treasured animals. It appears on the Uganda Coat of Arms. The Ugandan Kob (Kobus kob thomasi) is a subspecies of the Kob, a type of antelope found in sub-Saharan . It is normally reddish-brown, in which it differs from other Kob subspecies.

Tags: African Grey Parrot, African Pot, african women, Animals, Canoe, karamojong woman, Kibaale National Park, Lake Victoria, Social Media, Somalia, Uganda, Uganda Kob, Uganda Tourism Board, Ugandan Photographer, UN Heritage Day, UN Heritage Sites, Wooden Boats, World Heritage Day

• April 18, 2012
• Culture, Economy, kids, Women
• 22 Comments