Acoli Cultural Revival Organization Post 1

Greetings to all who read this, friends in Milwaukee from Three Holy Women parish, my Facebook friends, and all my friends in Gulu and especially in Padibe, Northern Uganda. This is my seventh trip in eight years to Padibe building relationships with a people who suffered so much for so long during the 24 year armed insurgency of Joseph Kony.

Chalice Gift from Three Holy Women Parish

Now I look forward to serving at many Sunday and weekday masses with my friend Fr. Charles. The masses are full of music, worship and great preaching! After mass we visit outside the church for at least a half  hour, greeting old friends, meeting new ones, seeing new babies, and in general building relationships as sisters and brothers in Christ.

Padibe Boys School children are excited to see the visitor!

I will visit Sr. Josephine at Padibe Boys School (actually co-ed since the war) and greet as many children and classrooms as I can. There are around 1,200 students at her Primary school. But she is a fearless and compassionate leader!

Nyeko George is the Coordinator of the Acoli Cultural Revival Organization.

Nyeko George & Deacon Rob

The main reason for my visit is to help celebrate our three year project of the revival of the Acoli culture because  so many customs, traditions, rituals, artifacts, values, etc. were lost during the war. Toward the end of January and most exciting is the very first Acoli Cultural Gala/Exhibition where many elders will display Acoli cultural artifacts, rituals and traditions; and many groups will  perform traditional dances, songs, and storytelling.

There is a special Collaborative Drama that we have been working on together for four years now. Oyet Tommy is the co-director along with myself, and I am very interested in the reaction of the people to seeing a drama that is a combination of local and Western dramatic structure.

But it is all about friendship as this video shows!!!

Oh Happy Day  (CLICK HERE)