Akamba Cultural and Heritage Centre is primarily dedicated to the presentation of historical and cultural information about a place and its people, and it often includes the area’s natural history.
Heritage Centre’s typically differ from most traditional museums in featuring a high proportion of hands-on exhibits and live or lifelike specimens and practical artifacts.
Akamba cultural center set on a 10-acre piece of land was started in 2013 by the County Government of Makueni under the leadership of His Excellency Professor Kivutha Kibwana, Governor Makueni County, under the Department of Trade, but later on handed over to the Directorate of culture, music and arts.
The site is located a few kilometres off Kibwezi town, near Mikuyuni market in Kikumbulyu south. It is an added advantage due to its strategic position lying only a few kilometres off Nairobi -Mombasa highway making it a unique centre of attraction for both local and foreign tourists on their way to and from Mombasa, an opportunity to pass by and have a real taste of Akamba culture.
The area is tucked away from town making it an ideal place for relaxing and its cool ambience makes one get the urge of visiting again.
The biodiversity attracts different bodies like the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) and National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).
The place has a variety of indigenous trees, including kiamba (mabuyu tree), kitungu a special type of tree used to make different shapes of traditional chairs due to its elasticity manner and eucalyptus tree whose timbers are used to construct traditional granary.
The centre is inhabited by different species of snakes tossing a good opportunity for a snake park. There are wild animals creating an added advantage for a sanctuary park.
Akamba cultural and heritage centre will provide a centre where those who have skills in weaving and carving can get a place to showcase their work and earn a living. Most skilled people moved to Mbui Nzau the highway market where they display and sell their artistic work to travellers.
They will be able to embrace their skills in their area, an opportunity that will increase capital as local and foreign tourists will embrace their full collection display as they will have time to explore the artistic work.
Akamba people are known for honey harvesting using their special type of traditional beehive providing honey its extra Sweetness. They usually show their unique natural herb that is smeared to the beehives to attract bees into the hive and the whole process of honey harvesting and actually, duration to its maturity after the bees invade the hive.
The department of culture has unlocked various areas across the county with a major aim of preserving and promoting the Akamba culture with their great work. This particular centre is a milestone for collection, display and showcasing both tangible and intangible items of culture to both locals and foreigners.
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