As part of the celebrations to mark 20 years since its inception, the Cross Cultural Foundation of Uganda (CCFU) has recognized and rewarded individuals who have immensely contributed to preserving and promoting heritage at the 7th National Heritage Awards.
With support from Bread for the World (BftW), a US-based advocacy organisation, the awarding ceremony was held at Hotel Africana in Kampala on Wednesday, winners taking home cash prizes, accolades and core memories.
CCFU awarded different categories of individuals, communities, institutions, and organizations that have made exceptional contributions towards safeguarding and promoting Uganda’s cultural heritage including long serving workers, co-founders, partners, essay competition winners, creatives among others.
Among these, however, CCFU sought to reward individuals whose works have not been recognized before due to their small-scale setting or their nature of heritage preservation being among practices that the contemporary society pays no mind to.
Speaking at the ceremony, Barbra Babweteera, Executive Director of CCFU, emphasized the urgency of safeguarding Uganda’s heritage.
“The National Heritage Awards respond to the urgent need to preserve and promote Uganda’s rapidly disappearing cultural heritage. As custodians of this heritage, we have a responsibility to ensure that future generations inherit the knowledge, values, traditions, and historical sites that define who we are as a people. Cultural heritage is not only about identity; it is also a powerful resource for social cohesion, education, innovation, and sustainable development,” she noted.
She further noted that the awarded individuals, most of whom were elderly men and women, have spent a good amount of their years preserving vital heritage aspects using their own resources, a deed and selfless effort that CCFU immensely appreciates.
“These people that we are awarding with the Shs2.7m each have spent money and other resources doing what they do. They don’t get funding from the government or NGOs, clearly, their effort shouldn’t go unnoticed. And as per our criteria, these particular awardees have never before been recognized in such a manner, they add to the 36 people that CCFU has awarded in the 6 previous editions of the National Heritage awards,” Babweteera added.
Intangible Cultural Heritage Category
Mr. Nyende Nassan
Among the awardees was Mr. Nyende Nassan, popularly known as “Mata,” a legendary cultural musician and master of the Galimunkumu (thumb piano) from Busoga.
Born in 1936, Mata has spent over seven decades preserving Kisoga language, music, and oral traditions through performance and storytelling. Despite losing his sight at a young age, he continued composing songs rich in indigenous vocabulary, wisdom, and cultural teachings that continue to inspire younger generations.
Ms. Josephine Nalukwata
Also recognized was Ms. Josephine Nalukwata of Kyotera District, who has dedicated more than 50 years to preserving indigenous medicine and supporting maternal health within her community.
Through traditional healing and midwifery, she has helped deliver countless children, including fifteen pairs of twins, while safeguarding valuable indigenous knowledge systems.
Before professional midwifery services spread out across the country, women like Nalukwata carried the responsibility of managing pregnancy and delivery, even in extreme cases of breech baby inversion (External Cephalic Version).
Mr. Emmanuel Masereka
The awards further honored Mr. Emmanuel Masereka, a teacher, herbalist, environmental advocate, and indigenous knowledge researcher from the Rwenzori region. For over three decades, he has worked with communities to document and preserve Bakonzo traditions related to herbal medicine, sustainable agriculture, environmental conservation, and climate resilience. His work has connected indigenous knowledge with modern conservation approaches both locally and internationally.
Also read: Inside CCFU’s Multipronged Strategy to Safeguard Intangible Cultural Heritage
Tangible Cultural Heritage Category
Vipawa Children’s Art Museum
In the tangible heritage category, Vipawa Children’s Art Museum was recognized for its innovative work in promoting cultural heritage through arts education for children.
By creating immersive spaces where children engage with storytelling, crafts, performance, and visual arts rooted in Ugandan traditions, the museum is nurturing a new generation of culturally aware and creative young Ugandans.
St. Paul’s Cathedral Kako
St. Paul’s Cathedral Kako, Masaka was also honored for preserving one of Uganda’s earliest church buildings dating back to the early 1900s.
Even after constructing a newer church, the cathedral safeguarded the historic structure, maintaining an important symbol of Uganda’s religious and architectural heritage.
Mrs. Atube Mary
The awards additionally celebrated Mrs. Atube Mary of Kitgum District, a respected cultural custodian whose home-based community museum has preserved Acholi artifacts, traditions, and indigenous knowledge since 2001.
During the years of insurgency and displacement in Northern Uganda, her museum became an important cultural reference point that helped reconnect communities with their heritage and identity.
Media Category
In the media category, Mr. Ronald Ssenvuma, a multimedia journalist with NTV Uganda and Dembe FM, was recognized for his cultural feature NAZZIKUNO, which documents and shares traditional Buganda practices and ways of life through television and radio storytelling.
Through carefully researched and creatively produced episodes, he has revived public interest in Buganda’s cultural heritage, especially among younger audiences.
CCFU noted that the awardees represent the resilience, creativity, and commitment required to ensure that Uganda’s heritage remains alive and relevant for future generations.
As Uganda continues to modernize, the Foundation called upon government institutions, cultural leaders, educational institutions, the media, and communities to invest more in heritage preservation and intergenerational knowledge sharing.
The ceremony was presided over by the Archbishop of Tooro Diocese and attended by cultural leaders, heritage practitioners, government representatives, artists, researchers, media practitioners, educators, and community members from across Uganda.