Ugandans shine at festaac festival in Dublin
LUWOMBO, katogo, lugabire and barkcloth handbags can sell more in Dublin than in Kampala. At least that is what Africa Tumefika organisers Doreen Kayongo and Remmy Male, discovered when they led a contingent of six designers to represent Uganda at the Festaac festival 2007.
By Titus Serunjogi
LUWOMBO, katogo, lugabire and barkcloth handbags can sell more in Dublin than in Kampala. At least that is what Africa Tumefika organisers Doreen Kayongo and Remmy Male, discovered when they led a contingent of six designers to represent Uganda at the Festaac festival 2007.
The annual festival brings together participants from all over Africa and Ireland who showcase foods, fashion, movies, photographs, batiks, crafts, etc
This year’s representatives of Uganda included General Elly Tumwine, Herbert Musisi, Dorothy Lubega and Latif Madoi.
There were hundreds of other exhibitors from South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Congo, Tanzania and Saotome, who together made the festival ethnic and colourful.
The biggest highlight of the event was the African marketplace, where people exhibited and sold their wares. “Elly Tumwine’s fish-skin bags, wallets, belts, shoes and bracelets were such a big hit for their sheer novelty,†says Male.
There were also barkcloth items on sale as well as raffia hats, mats, bangles, bitenge, rubber slippers, earrings, baskets, cowhide shoes, belts, smoking pipes etc. The week-long festival also included an open-air music festival just in the middle of the stalls.
Only Tony Tetuila, Nigeria’s answer to Jose Chameleon and Freshly-Ground, a South African band, had been invited o perform live.
However, the performances were topped up by an exclusive Afro-dance night in the Club Ifis at the Temple Bar.
The fashion show gave Ugandans a chance to showcase their true talent at the festival. Local artiste, Latif Kasumba, held crowds sway when he showed that he could sew (and sell) a new evening dress every four minutes!
Local tailor, Dorothy Lubega’s designs, were all bought off the models. Herbert Musisi’s tie-and-die fabrics did Uganda proud. Tanzanian designer Hassan Ali also hit it big.
Festaac is an equivalent of the Europe Uganda Village festival that was held in Kampala a while ago. Festaac was sponsored by the Irish Embassy and V & A.
The show will be repeated at the Kampala Serena Hotel poolside on August 24. The show will be dubbed Africa Zumefika.
LUWOMBO, katogo, lugabire and barkcloth handbags can sell more in Dublin than in Kampala. At least that is what Africa Tumefika organisers Doreen Kayongo and Remmy Male, discovered when they led a contingent of six designers to represent Uganda at the Festaac festival 2007.
The annual festival brings together participants from all over Africa and Ireland who showcase foods, fashion, movies, photographs, batiks, crafts, etc
This year’s representatives of Uganda included General Elly Tumwine, Herbert Musisi, Dorothy Lubega and Latif Madoi.
There were hundreds of other exhibitors from South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Congo, Tanzania and Saotome, who together made the festival ethnic and colourful.
The biggest highlight of the event was the African marketplace, where people exhibited and sold their wares. “Elly Tumwine’s fish-skin bags, wallets, belts, shoes and bracelets were such a big hit for their sheer novelty,†says Male.
There were also barkcloth items on sale as well as raffia hats, mats, bangles, bitenge, rubber slippers, earrings, baskets, cowhide shoes, belts, smoking pipes etc. The week-long festival also included an open-air music festival just in the middle of the stalls.
Only Tony Tetuila, Nigeria’s answer to Jose Chameleon and Freshly-Ground, a South African band, had been invited o perform live.
However, the performances were topped up by an exclusive Afro-dance night in the Club Ifis at the Temple Bar.
The fashion show gave Ugandans a chance to showcase their true talent at the festival. Local artiste, Latif Kasumba, held crowds sway when he showed that he could sew (and sell) a new evening dress every four minutes!
Local tailor, Dorothy Lubega’s designs, were all bought off the models. Herbert Musisi’s tie-and-die fabrics did Uganda proud. Tanzanian designer Hassan Ali also hit it big.
Festaac is an equivalent of the Europe Uganda Village festival that was held in Kampala a while ago. Festaac was sponsored by the Irish Embassy and V & A.
The show will be repeated at the Kampala Serena Hotel poolside on August 24. The show will be dubbed Africa Zumefika.