Cultural and natural heritage conservation is one of the core functions of the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, the Tourism Minister Rtd. Col. Tom Butime has said.
Minister Butime made the remark yesterday while officiating at the launch of the Superheroes of Uganda project held at the Uganda Museum.
Unveiled on September 25th by the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities through its Department of Museums and Monuments, in collaboration with Travel Tube- a platform committed to showcasing Africa’s diverse culture and history, the Superheroes of Uganda project celebrates and showcases Uganda’s rich heritage through a captivating collection of both books and animated movies.
“As the Ministry, we envision a Uganda that takes immense pride in its historical identity and cherishes its cultural heritage. The Superheroes of Uganda project embodies this vision by weaving the heroic tales of our past into the fabric of our present. If you don’t remember or read about the past, then the present and the future don’t exist,” Col. Butime said.
The Minister noted that one of the strategic agendas of the Ministry is to create more products that will attract domestic tourism but also diversify tourism offers in the country, adding that cultural and heritage conservation is a virgin area to explore in this attempt.
“We encourage everyone to visit and work with the Uganda Museum to learn about our country’s history and obtain information that will help us create more tourism products. This ‘Superheroes of Uganda’ project brings our stories to life but also highlights the importance of cultural preservation and the power of technology in achieving this goal. It’s a glimpse into the future where our values and traditions are held through modern mediums ensuring that our legacy lives on for generations to come,” he added.
The launch was graced by various players from the sports, performing arts, and tourism industries including Uganda’s football legends; Fimbo Mukasa, Martin Mugabi, Austrian Embassy Corporation Development officer, and Mr. Baker Kasigwa, the remaining member of the Uganda Cranes ‘Barefoot footballers’ who won the British Olympic game 2:1 in 1956.
Narrating his recollection of the day’s events, Mr. Kasigwa said, “We were young people then. We played the Olympic match without shoes (soccer boots) on our feet. After we won, there is a phrase that made rounds in the media, even when we returned home, we found people buying newspapers with a headline that read along the line; “Shame, Uganda Barefoot Footballers Beat England.”
Speaking at the event, Jackline Nyiracyiza Besigye, the ag. Commissioner Museums and Monuments, the launch of the Superheroes of Uganda projects is a key step in realizing the Ministry’s objective of reviving storytelling and diversifying the modes of natural and cultural heritage.
“We would like to hear the stories of the people who won a football match barefoot against players who had the right foot gear. We want to bring those stories to the current generations. We are trying to get these stories properly documented and availed in the museums so as to attract the youths into domestic tourism. We believe these stories will captivate the youth,” Nyiracyiza said.
She noted that the number of people visiting the museum has increased, highlighting that for the months of July and August 2023, over 67,000 tourists have been recorded. She attributed this to the series of domestic tourism outreach campaigns being done in schools across the country among other drives.
“After these physical campaigns, we intend to have digital campaigns for example in cinemas and malls among other places frequently by people. This launch is very timely because it is a step towards achieving that,” the Ag. Commissioner added.
Barbarah Babwetera, Executive Director of the Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda, a non-governmental organization that promotes the appreciation of cultures vital for human development, said that Uganda’s rich heritage and culture is majorly oral and lacks proper documentation to facilitate promotion and marketing.
Ms. Babwetera emphasized the need to fill the gap existing between the old and young generations in Uganda as regards preserving culture and heritage. This, she said, can be done by documenting what already exists and availing it for the younger people to immerse themselves in.
“Most of our artifacts are out there lying in International Museums. The best museum on African history is found in Belgium, yet the story lies here. Why are we detaching all this? We need to repatriate these artifacts and beef up our museums. We need to write and narrate our own stories in our own language and how we knew it, what it meant to us and how it benefited us. It makes much more sense that way,” she said.
The stories in the series include but not limited to; The Barefoot Footballers, The Return of Princess Nakayima, Kibuuka – God of War, and Ndahura the Silverback.
The series premiere is scheduled for October 9th in honor of Uganda National Day.