Tooro queen mother calls for barkcloth preservation

Nov 04, 2019

She said in Tooro culture barkcloth is considered a fundamental piece of identity and heritage which she called on other tribes to join the kingdom and promote it.

CULTURE

The Queen Mother of Tooro Kingdom, Best Kemigisa, has called for the preservation of backcloth as a cultural heritage. 

She also advocated for the planting of trees that are used to produce barkcloth to mitigate climate change.

She said in Tooro culture barkcloth is considered a fundamental piece of identity and heritage which she called on other tribes to join the kingdom and promote it.

"We must join hands in promoting barkcloth," Kemigisa told guests which included ambassadors, business class, government officials and fashion designers. 

The Queen Mother made remarks during the exhibition to celebrate the innovation of backcloth at Kampala Serena Hotel on Friday. 

The exhibition was organised by Back to the Roots (B2TR) organisation aimed at promoting the economic emancipation of native communities and women, for example, the Bukomansimbi Organic Tree Farmers Association.

This group is encouraged to harvest and process barkcloth to produce various products that come with monetary value to support their families.

She informed guests that United Nations Scientific Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 2005 recognised the barkcloth as an intangible cultural heritage.

"It is, therefore, our duty to preserve and conserve this cultural heritage for the benefit of future generations," she stated. 

The Queen Mother reminded the audience that it was for this reason that her son King Oyo launched a campaign this year to plant 10 million trees especially Mutuba (ficus netalensis) and barkcloth trees to conserve the environment.

She called on Ugandans to join the campaign drive and plant barkcloth trees. 0

She told the audience that besides economic and cultural benefits barkcloth trees also provide high nitrogen that balances the ecosystem.

The Queen Mother emphasised that barkcloth is vital for the economic empowerment of women, for example, it is used to produce tourism products, arts, and crafts among others to generate income. 

 he ueen other of ooro est emigisa left and the founder of 2 osephine yomuhendo admire products made out of barkcloth material during the exhibition of the fabric and text tiles materials at ampala recently The Queen Mother of Tooro Best Kemigisa (left) and the founder of B2TR Josephine Kyomuhendo admire products made out of barkcloth material during the exhibition of the fabric and text tiles materials at Kampala recently.

 

During the function she participated in planting a tree at Serena Hotel garden and was entertained by both women and men who donned a variety of barkcloth garments. 

The founder of B2TR initiative Ugandan Chapter, Josephine Kyomuhendo, told guests that her organisation is anchored in the ethos of sustainable development goals (SDGs) to preserve the environment and cultural heritage.

She stressed the need to educate school-going children about the importance of backcloth to preserve the environment.

Kyomuhendo noted that for example there would be no need to use kaveras (polythene bags) if the population had embraced backcloth in making various products like shopping bags and others. 

The minister of tourism in Tooro Kingdom, Joan Kantu Adyeeri told the audience that bark cloth is repellent to mosquitoes and its tree acts as a stimulant to animals like goats and cows to produce much milk when they feed on it. 

Although there are some sections of society that associate backcloth to witchcraft and being used for burials and traditional healers, Kyomuhendo said that stigma needs to be fought by educating the public about its importance in environment preservation.

 

 

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