With a sparkle in her eyes, 17 year old Rita Namutosi excitedly gyrated as high-pitched Gisu traditional drums known as the Indonyi sounded at Mutoto cultural grounds, a stone’s throw away, from Mbale town.
Her collegues from the Mushika clan in Bushika subcounty-Bududa sung an accompanying traditional up-tempo Lumasaba song in praise of a famed Mumasaba ancient warrior; whilst cheering her on with glee.
Namutosi and her friends were donned in antique Gisu feminine wear; which in many ways was reminiscent of the dress code in the years of old in Bugisu.
They had gotten up at the crack of dawn to prep for the Imbalu Parade and Festival, which was held recently [16th of December] at the Lukhobo grounds, just a stone’s throw away from Mbale town.
The Lukhobo is the center of operations for the Mbale district.
Namutosi and her collegues and several other people from the 26 clans of the Bamasaba and Bamasaba from Kenya [from Bungoma and Tranzoia counties] had convened at Mutoto cultural grounds; the previous day.
Mutoto is one of Bugisu’s foremost cultural heritage sites. It is, according to gisu traditional legend, the place where the first Imbalu ceremony was solemnized.
With dry banana fibre wrought skirts, banana fibre wrought head gear, strings of beads and garland of kamabombwe [a fast creeping stem] over their necks; Namutosi and her collegues were in many respects, reliving and retracing the ways of life of the ancient Bamasaba, who ostensibly used the aforementioned, bits and pieces, not only as dancing regalia but as daily costumes.