Northern Bhar el Gahzal state government has revealed plan to construct an art theatre for cultural dances and live performance to enhance culture preservation.
State governor, Tong Akeen unveiled the plan this week in Aweil during a cultural event that brought in communities from Lakes and Warrap states.
The week-long end of year event was hosted at public open space in Ariak-riak -Aweil Municipality.
“We are going to shift this event from [freedom] square to Majook Weetkor. Starting from Wednesday [January 3, 2023], I want the Minister [of Land and public utilities] Kang Deng Kang and the committee to go to the site and start clearing it and plant trees there. After that a casting process should begin to ensure smooth dances,” Akeen said. “There is going to be a football field on it as well and the theater will be called Northern Bhar El Ghazal State theater.”
Vice president in charge of service cluster, Hussein Abdelbagi Akol who was in attendance of the cultural event in his hometown in Aweil, applauded the coming together of the three states to promote peace and unity through cultural dances.
Akol urged the states to refrain from adopting foreign cultures and begin to revive and promote the rich Dinka culture to earn respect from outsiders.
“What is remaining now is for us to revive our cultures and to do that, there is a need for us to resume doing what we used to do during our forefathers. We need to do something good and leave what can destroy us. Our cultures are the best and we must revive them so that if an outsider comes, he or she will respect us,” Akol stated.
The head of the state governor Akeen pledged the full support of his state government to supporting and promoting culture in and beyond his state.
The state government has not yet given the details of the theatre to be constructed.
The cultural event which started on December 26, 2023 – January 2, 2024, in Aweil Town was organized by a community-based cultural organization -Daany Ariak-riak, a Dinka word for clap in Ariak-riak.
