First ever Lukooki book launched

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Subjects and well-wishers of the Kooki cultural institution are excited after the official launch of the first edition of the Lukooki book.

The 48-paged book titled, “Tugambe Olukooki” was officially launched at the 17th coronation anniversary of the Kamuswaga Apollo Ssansa Kabumbuli II at Kakoma playground in Lwanda sub-county on Saturday.

The book acknowledges President Yoweri Museveni as its main funder and it contains alphabets, syllables, verbs and proverbs, nouns, numbers, sentence construction, family tree, metaphors, names of tools, animals among others.

According to Kamuswaga, the book is meant to recapture and revive Lukooki throughout all Kooki institutions including the school system. He says it was prepared for use in teaching Lukooki and targeting children in both lower and upper primary classes.

He further thanked the research desk and the authors of the book, Daniel Ddungu, the Kooki Minister for ICT and languages, and Samson W. Kakembo, the senior research officer for their tireless effort to ensure the first book comes out.

Although Kooki subjects have widely spoken Luganda as a means of communication for generations, Kamuswaga explains that reviving the Lukooki will help to regain their identity and to strengthen their cultural values.

According to Dickson Ssebyala, the Kooki Tourism and Cultural Minister, Lukooki language is a blend of Lunyoro, Luganda and Luziba, adding that it is among the lost languages.

Ssebyala noted that it was the official language widely spoken in Kooki before it gradually weakened and slowly vanished in the 1890’s due to various factors including intermarriages, new cultural norms and beliefs, and other modern practices.

However, the Kamuswaga instituted a team of experienced historians, researchers and linguists to man Kooki’s research desk to steer a campaign to revive the language.

John Kasiba, a linguist on the research team says the first edition will inspire a series of other books that will hopefully be launched every year at the coronation anniversary.

He adds that they have over 1,000 copies of the book whose standardization of the Lukooki book into the school curriculum is underway.

Samson Kakembo, one of the authors says they are to distribute and donate copies to different school libraries.   Daniel Ddungu, the co-author says that although the book is published for lower and upper primary, it can be a good start for secondary and university students and people off all categories to learn Lukooki from scratch.

Al-hajji Idi Ahmed Kiwanuka, the Kooki Prime Minister says this publication will also inspire a campaign to restore the three traditional counties of Mayango, Bulaga and Ddungu which slipped into hibernation several decades ago.

However, the Kamuswaga used the same platform to urge all political leaders who were elected into offices to ensure effective service delivery for the people and those who failed to plan again for their comeback.

*****

URN