MALINDI COMMUNITY RAISE UP TO 1ST MALINDI CULTURAL FESTIVAL

The Malindi Cultural Festival was held over three (3) days in the first week of April 2010, from 2nd - 4th of April 2010. The festival was implemented by an organizing committee comprising of staff drawn from NMK including RISSEA in partnership with the Malindi Community, Stakeholders and MDCA,

Traditional Mijikenda dance during the festival

The Festival which will be an annual event is meant to revive the disappearing cultural heritage values within the community which may be lost due to a variety of influences. It aims at revitalizing and reviving the cultural heritage as a way to instilling unity and harmony among the various communities living together in Malindi. It was seen as a way of providing a forum through which the different communities living in Malindi can come together to participate and showcase their different cultures and at the same time promote socio-economic activities linked to their cultural heritage.

The activities that took place during the festival included; performances of various traditional dances from different communities living in Malindi, Exhibitions of traditional handcraft and Khangas, traditional sports including the famous dhow race , Henna painting and designing, Displays of traditional food bazaar, live taarab music. There was also an intellectual session with the theme "the Role of Kiswahili in fostering National Cohesion and Intergration", which was sponsored and organized by RISSEA. 

Zefe dance from Malind

There was also a ladies night, displaying bridal attires form contemporary swahili bride and traditional Pate bride,  a khanga fashion show accompanied by traditional performances of 'vugo' and 'lelemama' organized and played by the women from Malinidi.

The festival activities were  held in various locations within Malindi. In front of the old D.O's building there was an exhibition area for the traditional handcrafts and the Khanga exhibition, while the the football pitch along the Malindi Museum was for dances and food bazaar.

Dhow race competitors at Malindi sea shore during the festival