Kicking off today is the 20th Lamu Cultural Festival, one of the most important events of its kind in Kenya and recognized by the United Nations as an important benchmark for education and preservation of the area's traditions.
As always, Lamu County has attracted Kenyans and foreign tourists with proposals and events, involving not only local associations and communities, but also tourist facilities that have long launched Lamu as "the island of festivals" in Kenya.
"This will be a unique festival and we have a number of activities that will be undertaken at sea and other cultural activities that will be of interest to thousands of domestic and foreign tourists," said Lamu Governor Issa Timamy.
This year's theme is "Celebrating Our Diversity," and the meaning, as the governor himself explained, is to spread the idea that at this moment in history we need to show that having so many ethnic groups in Kenya is a strength and cohesion and not an obstacle to peace and coexistence. In this case, culture before anything else is key to raising awareness and at the same time highlighting the rich cultural heritage of the citizens of Lamu to the entire nation and the world.
During the days of the festival, which will close next Saturday, the island will also showcase Swahili gastronomy through street food prepared by the women of Lamu, as well as the spectacle of dhow races, the historic boats of Africa's Indian Ocean, traditional donkey races, Swahili rhyming poetry competitions, and much more.