Culture is defined as the sum total of the ways in which a society preserves, identifies, organises, sustains and expresses itself. Culture include both tangible and intangible heritage. The tangible heritage includes monuments, architecture, visual arts and handicrafts, cultural sites manuscripts, cultural industries, linguistics and historical interests.

Over the past few years, many of the advantages of our cultural practices were left out of the development process and that has led to the loss of our cultural values and cultural degradation. Traditional arts and crafts, plays, music, dance and drama that used to contribute positively to development of our community are being practised if any to a very small quantity. Reading materials and other cultural items are lost. Community centres that used to accommodate people for cultural activities have all been destroyed.

There is therefore an urgent need to bring on board all the cultural practitioners, stakeholders and interested parties to development process. Needs assessment studies, research and documentation, inter district cultural events and development of cultural and craft centres need to be carried out.

For this reason, the District has carried out some cultural activities to revive and develop the culture of the District. These were initiation and construction of Lango cultural centre (not complete), traditional music and dance, meeting with cultural leaders.

The output of the sub-sector is very disappointing. This is largely due to the ambitious targets, yet past experience has learnt that it is very difficult to rely on local revenue as the main source of funding hence the sub-sector has set more realistic targets for this year.

POCC Analysis
Potential
– Some community leaders and communities still strive to maintain the positive cultures of our communities.

Opportunities
– Traditions and cultures are still valued and cherished by our communities despite war threats.
– The national cultural policy advocates for the promotion of positive and saving cultures.
– the presence the traditional cultural Act 2010 and the constitution of Uganda 1995

Constrains
– There is no established cultural craft centre for the district which could have positively contributed to the economy.
– No researched and documented information on the culture of Lango.
– The started construction of the cultural centre is still incomplete.
– There is an uncoordinated activity of Lango cultural practioners.
– Lack of statistical information on the contribution of culture to development

Challenges
– Continued insecurity in Lango will cause washing down of Lango cultures as the displaced settles in camps, a situation of diverse cultural backgrounds and new environments.
The rapid copying of foreign cultures especially by the youth and other peers leaves our
cultural values at stake.