23/01/2024
*BANYANGUTE IN PERSPECTIVE*
*Culture* we were taught to be *"the way a group of people live"*
However another indepth school of thought has it that culture is the arts, customs, beliefs, lifestyle, backgrounds and habits that characterize humankind or a particular society or nations.
Banyangute is part of the way a group of people live and portray their identity to the rest of the world in a special and grand manner.
*MEANING OF BANYANGUTE*
Meanwhile, let's come to think of it. What is the meaning of Banyangute? It sounds wierd and alien. But by the time we would finish you will appreciate how priceless we are as people.
In Lelemi, a star is called lenyangu (singular) and stars are called Banyangu (plural).
Once upon a time the people of Kute and Odumase lived in Baglo as one grand parents children. They did everything together.
However, several years ago the people of Kute migrated to their current place of abode for some reasons. In 1957, the people of Odumase also moved and settle in the then *"Onyamiawo"* now called Buem Odumase.
*All the migrations were of different reasons of which would be discussed later*
So, the people of the same family who ones lived together left some of their kinsmen and settled elsewhere, they still have in mind and in their DNA that their people have scattered in three towns. The people of the three towns still did almost everything in common, for instance they paid homage to the same relics, funerals attended by the three town's people, intermarry, same beliefs, same farming as the major occupation.
Based on this oneness spirit that continued to exist among them even though some migrated Dr. Detty of blessed memory brought a few of our people from the three towns resident out of the three towns together and planned on how to at least meat as a community once every year which was commended and agreed upon by all who attended that meeting.
Further more, the name which would be the identity of the three towns came up as a debate among them. Finally they agreed on *BANYANGUTE* which means *THREE STARS* We believe that we are stars and that's our hallmark. *BANYANGU* (Stars) *ETE* (3)
This is to make us believe and be proud to excel in wherever we find ourselves as stars. We are the light everywhere we go. Just check yourself and appreciate.
*WHY IS IT CELEBRATED EVERY YEAR AND ROTATIONAL*
Like mentioned already, the main rationale behind the demand for the celebration of this beautiful and adorable festival is to unite us as one people from same grandparents. On that note the organizers of Banyangute festival thought it very wise to ensure that for no community to feel cheated they would rotate the celebration from one town to the other so that for once in every year we would all visit one community to celebrate Banyangute for some to have new acquaintances while others continue. Banyangute is barely a must attend program especially for the indigenes.
*AS A FESTIVAL*
An event or community gathering, usually staged by a local community, which centers on some theme sometimes on some unique aspects of the community — festival.
From the apt definition of festival above one can appreciate that Banyangute is celebrated uniquely with display of our culture with the objective to unite us as one people. During the festival the staple foods of our people are displayed not forgetting our way of dressing. As a festival, libation is poured to invoke our ancestors to also be part of the celebration.
Also the Banyangute festival has a Central committee that works to organize all the festivals which is rotational as said previously.
Banyangute festival is about 50 year old.
