Oroko communities in Cameroon celebrate the holidays their own way
December 6, 2011
The people of Lobe, a small community in southwestern Cameroon, have created a new celebration for the holiday season. On December 26th, they will take part in the Oroko Festival of Arts and Culture for the fourth year in a row, according to the Global Press Institute. The event is aimed at bringing the 10 tribes of Oroko together and celebrating their unique characteristics.
"The Oroko Festival of Arts and Culture is all about celebrating a people in diversity, bringing together the unique cultural heritage of the 233 villages," said Edmond Motule, the president and chief of the Oroko community in Lobe.
Motule, who founded the festival, said that as well as giving the tribes a chance to interact culturally with one another, the event is a platform to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS.
There are more than 200,000 people who belong to the Oroko ethnic group living in Cameroon, but a number of Oroko people also live around the world, particularly in Cuba, the news publication reports. They can use international phone cards to make calls to Cameroon and talk to their friends and families this holiday season.