By Our Reporter 

His Highness Won Ateker Papa Kumam Raphael Otaya has called on the Kumam people to embrace and actively promote their language as a way of preserving their cultural heritage and identity.

Speaking during a recent cultural engagement, Otaya emphasized the importance of proudly using the Kumam language in all settings—whether at home, in public, or abroad. He expressed concern over a growing trend where Kumam children, especially those raised outside their traditional homeland, gradually lose touch with their mother tongue and cultural values.

“Wherever you go, speak your language with pride,” Otaya said. “Language is the foundation of our identity. It connects us to our roots and carries the wisdom of our ancestors.”

Otaya further encouraged Kumam youth, both locally and in the diaspora, to share their language with the world, rather than abandoning it in pursuit of other tongues. He noted that the Kumam language has gained recognition both within Uganda and internationally, underscoring its increasing importance and value.

Backing Otaya’s message, Samuel Eyenga, the Prime Minister of Kumam Cultural Heritage, echoed the call for language preservation. He urged Kumam parents living in urban areas or abroad to teach their children to speak Kumam, ensuring the continuity of their heritage.

“We must build a generation that is proud of who they are,” Eyenga said. “Our culture and language should not disappear simply because we’ve moved to new places. Let’s raise our children to know and speak Kumam, even from faraway lands.”

He also highlighted the need for unity among Kumam-speaking people, emphasizing love and peace as key values to uphold as they promote their heritage.

Jesica Aswao, second runner-up in the recent Miss Kumam cultural pageant, expressed concern over young people who abandon their language when they relocate to cities like Kampala in search of work or education.

“Many youths think it’s trendy to ignore their native language once they move to urban areas,” Aswao said. “But it’s in these places that our language needs to be heard the most. We should be ambassadors of Kumam wherever we go.”

She challenged the youth to champion the use of Kumam in all spheres of life—from homes and schools to social media and international platforms—so as to keep the language alive and relevant.

Encouragingly, a number of Kumam youth have welcomed the leaders’ advice and are showing a renewed commitment to promoting their language and culture. They acknowledge the importance of balancing cultural preservation with integration into wider communities, seeing it as a way to celebrate both identity and diversity.

While interactions with other tribes may expose them to new languages, many Kumam youth remain determined to keep their mother tongue at the heart of their identity - a sign of hope for the future of the Kumam language.