Mubako village is a remote community situated near the extensive savannah of Murchison Falls National Park. This area is made of a collection of several traditional thatched huts around a clearing, where the locals usually gather to escape the hot afternoon sun under the shade of a giant tree.
There is small craft shop within the village that sells a number of carved wooden sculptures inform of wild animals and hand-woven objects such as baskets made by the local community members. In the evening, preferably at dusk, the local cultural groups perform some of the invigorating songs and dances around the campfires of some of the Safari Lodges, and are accompanied by the interesting sound of “adungu” (string bow harp). This instrument is said to have originated from the region and is made of cowhide and twine, and the harmonies of the different sized adungus against the magnificent scenery of the Nile sunset is matchless.
Majority of the locals around the village survive and depend on tourism because there are few economic opportunities in the region and worse still, the climate makes it almost impossible to engage in farming. However with the money generated from tourism, the local community can be able to pay school fees and purchase produce/food from the local markets as well as improve their standard of living.
Nonetheless, some crops such as cassava and cotton can be grown in the area and the former can be ground into flour that is used for baking bread or fermented into the local gin known as waragi. All in all, the people of Mubako Community have no direct access to Murchison Falls National Park which implies the locals cannot hunt or fish inside the Park. By generating income from village walks, sale of the cultural performances and sale of handcrafts, the local residents are able to benefit from the National Park as it is the reason tourists are able to visit the village as well.
Therefore, you are guaranteed of enjoying a hike along the dusty road heading to Mubako Village and during the walk, the local tour guide will tell some of the traditional folklores of the culture of the community.
Not only that, there are invigorating cultural performances that usually begin at sunset in front of the campfire. It this way, there is entertainment during this unforgettable adventure.
There is nothing as breathtaking as the enjoying the jaw-dropping sound of the traditional adungu (hand-made string instrument by the locals of the village) in addition to the magnificent percussion.
For all tourists interested in participating in the activities of Mubako Cultural Group, they can contact them by calling +256 414 501866 and +256 772 657700 or send an email to info@pearlsofuganda.org or visit Pearl of Uganda website.
In conclusion, farming is very difficult in Mubako village because of the dry climate thus there is always limited diet for the people that leads to malnutrition. Worse still, there are few economic activities but with the revenues from this cultural encounter-Mubako Cultural Performance, the local community is able to purchase food from the local markets as well as pay school fees for their children.