October 1, 2026
EMAALI CULTURAL FESTIVAL 2026: BRINGING TESO HERITAGE TO KAMPALA
The Emaali Cultural Festival 2026 is an upcoming celebration of the history, traditions, creativity and cultural identity of the Iteso people. Organized by the Iteso Cultural Union, the inaugural festival will take place on 24–25 October 2026 at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala, under the theme “Celebrating Heritage, Building the Legacy of the Iteso.” With the slogan “Teso to the World,” the festival aims to bring the richness of Teso culture to a wider audience while creating a platform where heritage can be celebrated, preserved and passed on to future generations.
Visitors will have an opportunity to experience Teso culture through a program built around six major experiences. The Akurut Culinary Village will introduce visitors to traditional foods such as asis, atapa and ebeele, accompanied by live cooking demonstrations. There will also be the Ajosi and Akogo Dance Off, bringing together traditional dance groups from different districts, while the Emaali Innovation Hub will showcase local skills such as pottery, basketry, blacksmithing, weaving and beadwork. Together, these activities will offer visitors more than entertainment by allowing them to see, taste and participate in different aspects of Iteso heritage.
The festival will also explore how traditional culture can remain relevant in the modern world. The Teso Heritage Trail will use photographs and artefacts to tell the story of the Iteso people from their history and migration to the present day, while the “Eipone Loka Iteso” Fashion Show will combine traditional influences such as bark cloth and animal-print aesthetics with contemporary fashion. The programme will also include the Emorimor Gala Dinner, featuring a silent auction of Teso-inspired art and crafts. These activities are intended to celebrate cultural creativity while creating opportunities for artists, artisans, designers, food producers and other cultural practitioners to showcase their work.
Beyond the two-day celebration, the organisers see Emaali as part of a longer effort to preserve and develop Teso heritage. The festival is intended to support plans for a Teso Cultural Centre and a landmark cultural monument, while also supporting cultural producers and encouraging similar cultural festivals across the Teso region in the future. With the event taking place at Kololo, visitors from Kampala and beyond will have an opportunity to encounter Teso traditions without travelling to the region itself. Emaali 2026 therefore offers a colourful meeting point between culture, creativity, history and community, giving Uganda another opportunity to celebrate the diverse heritage that makes the country unique.
