Nyero Rock Paintings, Roots of civilization?

REPORT ON NYERO   ROCK PAINTINGS

Introduction

Nyero is found 9 km west of Kumi town in Kumi district in Eastern Uganda. It is an early Iron Age site and the rock paintings are found in 3 rock shelters, some of the paintings represent canoes, animals and other art impressions.

The visitor arrivals at Nyero

Type of visitors	1999(from 27/6/99)	2000	2001	2002 (up to 16/8/02)	2003 (from 3/2/03)	2004	2005	2006(up to 31/10/06)	Total
Locals	80	319	281	211	265	337	319	208	2020
Schools	4	9	27	10	5	10	50	7	122
Non-residents	41	111	100	80	71	80	110	88	681
E/Africa	3	27	2	5	2	4	3	1	47
Total	128	466	410	306	343	431	482	304

From the table above, the number of the visitors to Nyero has been increasing slightly since 1999 fort example the years that have the complete figure show an increase from 466 in 2000 to 304 in 2006 up to the month of October that indicate that the numbers may have been higher that the ones indicated here.

The results also show that there is an increase number of local people that go to the place which is an indication that the people surrounding the place have got to appreciate the attractiveness of Nyero and want to discover the uniqueness of the rock art in the area. This is very important in a way that it helps the area to keep receiving the visitors even the low of off-peak seasons. The figures show that the local people contribute highly with the figure over 2000, followed by the foreigners with the arrivals of about 700, the schools children with about 120 and lastly the people from the rest of the East African countries (about 50).

The results also show that there are few schools and school groups that go to visit the site as the numbers are still very low as the highest number was in 2005 that received about 50 school children and the low ones were in 2000 with the number of about 9.

The table also shows that there are few people from the other East African countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi as they show a very low number of the arrivals. For the period indicated in the table, only the highest number was in 2000 when the site received about 27 visitors.

Though there has been an increase in the visitor arrivals at Nyero, the numbers have been fluctuating between the years for example the numbers from 466 in 2000 to 410 in 2001 that shows a decline in arrivals. The figures then rose to 431 in 2004 and then an increase to 482 visitors in the following year.

The study also indicated that most of the foreign tourists were from the United Kingdom, followed by the Germany, then United States of America, Denmark, Ireland, Italy and other countries most especially from the European countries. The rest of Africa also indicated the low visitor numbers with few from Nigeria and South Africa.

Comments and recommendations from the visitors

From the table above, the local people have the higher arrivals to the site but the study showed that most of the local people are from the surrounding areas of Kumi, Soroti and Mbale districts while the rest of the country has few people that go there. This therefore indicates that the place is not well known to other people that calls up mass advertising and publicity.

There is a need for the government to integrate such things as cultural and natural heritage into the school curriculum such that the children can learn more about them and the ways on how they can protect the national heritage. The low turn up of the school children may be due to the fact that it is not very relevant to what they study.

There is need to target the East African countries to come to the site as the figures show that the people are still few. This can be done by the tour operators and travel companies through including the site in designing the itineraries and in the brochures as this can also help during the off-peak seasons.

The majority of the visitors urged that the place needs to be preserved as some were saying that it should not be let to die, it should not be destroyed, it should be kept safe and preserved for future generation.

Some of the visitors commented on the site not having the site office that can provide enough information to the visitors and enforcement of the low and easy protection of the site.

There is a need to rehabilitate the area and good maintenance in terms of cleanliness and slashing the whole place

There is a need for directional signage at the site such that the people can easily move allover the place and that the marks should be put at the entrance to help as people get in.

There is need to improve on the facilities for the visitors like the toilets and even their maintenance in terms of cleaning. Other facilities that are needed at the site include the areas where the visitors can sit and have rest. This therefore means that the area needs the shade for sunshine.

The other facilities needed at the site include camping facilities, and refreshment facilities like a canteen.

More information is needed to be provided top the people who visit Nyero and even the ones that may need to visit as some visitors to the site were asking how old the paintings are an indication that there is no information provided about the site. This should be the work of the ministries concerned like the Ministry of Tourism Trade and Industry, Uganda Tourist Board and the tour operators.

More restrictions are needed in form of the warnings like the ones restricting the visitors from touching the rocks with their hands which may rub off the paintings after a period of time.

There is need for the government support in terms of providing the funds for the maintenance of the place and paying the guide who works at the place. The government can also help in the provision of the promotional materials like leaflets and brochures.

More activities can be introduced around the place like rock climbing, nature walks and bird watching that can bring in bigger numbers of the tourists in the area hence enriching the welfare of the people around the area.

The fees should be put in place such that the money collected can help in the maintenance of the place and payment of the guide/ caretaker that is at the place.

More protection of the area is needed at the site as the areas needs fencing and to be marked to protect it from human interference and activities.