Program - Children of Uganda (March 26, 2006)
Contents
Introduction
Children of Uganda, with Peter Kasule, Artistic Director & Master of Ceremonies.
The Company
- Brian Aine
- Francis Kalule
- David Kasata, Assistant to the Artistic Director
- Simon Peter Kiranda
- Jacob Kiwanuka
- Rose Kokumbya
- Francis Lubuulwa
- Peter Mugga, Lead Drummer
- Jengo Munawiru
- Noeline Nabesezi
- Dorothy Nabuule
- Geofrey Nakalanga
- Betty Nakato
- Zainabu Nakato
- Veronica Nakatudde
- Prossy Namaganda
- Miriam Namala
- Teddy Namuddu
- Zaam Nandyose
- Lukia Nantale
- Patrick Nyakojo
- Brian Odong
- Bernard Sserwanga
Notes
Produced by Uganda Children's Charity Foundation, Alexis Hefley, Executive Director & Founder.
The Children of Uganda 2006 tour is supported through a generous grant from the Monua Janah Memorial Foundation, in memory of Ms. Monua Janah who was deeply touched by the Children of Uganda, and sought to help them, and children everywhere, in her life.
This project supported in part by a grant from the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, and by the National Endowment for the Arts.
This performance supported by Gwen Johnson, Lepic-Kroeger Realtors; Gary Stetzel, Tanner Development LLC; and University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics.
Program and cast subject to change.
The taking of photographs or other recording in any media is prohibited. Please turn off cell phones, and other electronic devices.
A Letter from the Director
During colonization and civil war, despite poverty and other calamities, the arts have survived in Uganda and throughout all of Africa though borders may have moved and country names changed. Dance, music and storytelling record our histories and instill values. They help raise our children, observe milestones, provide assurance, dispense justice, proclaim beliefs and sustain our societies. They are a teacher and tool of survival.
Twenty years ago Uganda emerged from decades of brutal repression to face an even greater challenge—HIV/AIDS. Hundreds of thousands of our mothers and our fathers died; our sisters and brothers scattered and lost. Uganda's peoples, comprising some 52 ethnic groups, were isolated from one another politically, culturally, socially and economically.
I was born into a family where music was all around me; it was used to educate, to praise good deeds, and express our joy and sadness. When my parents died, it gave us—it still gives us—courage and comfort. And when Children of Uganda first toured ten years ago, I was among them.
Today, thanks to a measure of stability and development in a region still torn by conflict, Uganda's culture grows thicker and richer, and also more diverse and contemporary. From across our borders with Rwanda, Sudan, Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Kenya, and around the globe, ideas and experiences flow into and around our country, especially in this period of technology.
The dances and songs that are performed here reflect the history, legends and beliefs of East Africa and introduce some of the new and dynamic forms that we are creating today. The music and dance we preserve, adapt and create is integral to Uganda's renewal and will help shape tomorrow's generations.
Imagine yourself standing by Lake Victoria watching the strong tide of river Nile flow through our country and out into Africa. We children of Uganda invite you to journey with us to our home.
— Peter Kasule
Tonight's Program
Music and dance in Uganda today embrace a shifting mix of traditions and new forms, celebrating the country's rich and multiple heritages and the increasing contact with other cultures. Children of Uganda presents a glimpse of this dynamism. The songs are performed in a number of Ugandan languages as well as English and Swahili—the lingua franca of East Africa. Some of the pieces are named for drum rhythms (Bakisimba, Ekitaguriro and Larakaraka); others are named for the featured instrument (Embaire, Engoma). Artistic Director Peter Kasule hosts the program, whose order is subject to change.
Amaggunju/Skia Ngoma. Long ago a Bugandan king died without a male heir. A pregnant woman from the court was seated on the throne in anticipation that her son might be the next king. An heir was indeed born, and as a king should never cry, Amaggunju was sung and danced to entertain the infant. Here it is fused with a Swahili song Skia Ngoma. "Listen to our drums," the lyrics proclaim. "This is the sound of Uganda, presented for you here today."
Ding Ding. This piece comes from the Acholi people in the northern part of Uganda who are highly regarded for their dark complexions and tall statures. Girls developing into young women perform this high-energy dance, with its engaging melodies and intense, syncopated rhythms. Ding Ding features drums, adungu, xylophone, okalele and a whistle.
Embaire. This large xylophone originated with the Abanore peoples of Northeast Uganda near the border with Kenya, and was adopted by the Basoga in the southeast of Uganda. Due to its full range of pitches and great resonance, the Embaire is often played by itself, without the accompaniment of drums, by six people divided into a rhythm section and a melody section. The Embaire is played at all types of occasions.
Kundiba Ntafire. Mothers urge their children to heed the lessons they impart, for as one phrase cautions, when their parents have died, they will be "like cows feeding on the grass"—that is, they will need to look after themselves. This is a traditional song of the Ankole people of western Uganda.
Anjolinaye/Watoto-Bamagala. Anjolinaye praises the beauty of an African girl, admiring her gleaming eyes, long neck, the great teeth, etc., while the Watoto-Bamagala proclaims "We the Children of Uganda are happy to be who we are and to be awakened by such singing birds to do our chores." Kanyonza (pot dance) is set to these songs, highlighting the grace and talent of the performers and showing appreciation for women of three different Ugandan regions: Ankole in the west, the Swahili-speaking people of the East, and the Acholi of the north.
Engoma. Drums are emblematic of African culture and are an ever-present link from the past to the present. Performed by the girls of the troupe, this work combines patterns and sequences from many regions of Uganda, showcasing a diversity of rhythms and celebrating their adoption and adaptation by musicians around the world today.
Titi Katitila. The Bunyoro-Kitara people celebrate one of the many extraordinary birds found in eastern Uganda in this song whose lyrics say that the titi katitila always sleeps better after seeing a friend. It features six-year old Miriam Namala.
Orunyege-Ntogoro. Originally a courtship dance of the Banyoro and Batoro people of southeast Uganda, this exuberant and demanding dance gives everyone a chance to show their individual talents. In the past, young men and women would be brought together in front of the community to choose their future mates. This ceremony was a critical event, especially for the boys, since poor dancers risked remaining bachelors. The girls were expected to dance well in return exhibiting spunk, kindness, style and grace.
Intermission.
Apanolilo. This original song by Peter Mugga and rearranged by Peter Kasule, is dedicated to those resisting the violence of civil war in northern Uganda. Men and women are exhorted to fight for their rights, land, lives and the welfare of the children. The second section welcomes back the survivors from their battles and praises them for their bravery and heroism.
Larakaraka. In northern Uganda near the Sudanese border, this has become a rallying cry and therapeutic dance for those that have been abducted by rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army. Originally a courtship dance of the Acholi people, this fierce piece is accompanied by rhythms pounded out on gourds struck with bike spokes to attract attention. Gourds or calabashes are multi-purpose vessels—used to fetch water, sat upon as stools; as umbrellas to limit the effects of the hot sun; when babies cry mothers lightly tap out rhythms on them to help them fall asleep.
Ekitaguriro. This dance belongs to the nomadic Banyankole of western Uganda who cherish the cattle they tend for a living and are sometimes ribbed by their country-men for their great devotion. This dance praises the long-horned cows of Ankole and Rwanda—found nowhere else on earth. The dancers imitate the sounds, rhythms and the movements of the graceful cows. This piece features the omukuri, a flute used to herd the cattle.
Afer Miyamo. "Greetings to you friends, lovers, children and supporters of Children of Uganda. We thank and respect you." This dance is dedicated to our audiences as Children of Uganda celebrates its tenth anniversary. Adungu, plucked bow harps, are featured here.
Otwenge & Oseke. Otwenge means elbow in Lugbara, and this dance, like the language shared across national borders, is performed in both Uganda and in its western neighbor, the Democratic Republic of Congo. Congolese are known throughout Africa for their sensual dancing and music. Oseke, a contemporary dance that fuses Ugandan and Congolese forms, changes and evolves as our peoples continue to interact with one another.
Ngoma Ya Ukaguzi. The boys showcase their drumming skills in this piece from northern Tanzania. This rhythm is played every Monday towards the end of school-wide assemblies as teachers walk through the lines of students checking on their appearance and cleanliness.
Kinyarwanda. Uganda is bordered to the southwest by Rwanda and this piece is named for the language spoken there. It features Rwemeza, drums of the Banyarwanda royalty played to announce the king's entrance to the court. As here, following this procession, the dance Amaraaba was performed.
Bakisimba. This is a traditional dance of the court of Buganda, the largest ethnic group of Uganda. Originally performed only by women, it celebrates the creation of banana wine for the King. The drummers' rhythms and the dancers' movements mirror the king's words of thanks, "speaking" for him and reflecting his increasingly celebratory mood.
Glossary
Rhythm and Instrumentation
Percussion instruments are the primary carriers of rhythm and melody, used to maintain a specific beat for the dancers and singers. They can also be thought of as voices whose "conversations" may be held independently or in communion with singers, other instruments and danced phrases.
Amadinda: Log xylophone, based on a pentatonic scale, to which all other instruments are tuned
Adungu: Arched harp with nine strings that is plucked
Bakisimba: The large main drum tuned to a high pitch
Calabash: Gourds used as percussive instruments in Larakaraka
Ebinyege: Leg rattles worn by boys in the Orunyege-Ntogoro dance
Embaire: Large xylophone
Empagi: Modified bike spokes used to strike a Calabash
Empuunya: Drum used for keeping a regular, metered pulse
Endege: Ankle bells
Endigidi: Tube fiddle with a single string that is bowed
Engalabi: Long, narrow drum
Engoma: Drums
Filimbi: Whistle
Nankasa: Small drum used for signals
Obuuti: Sticks for playing the xylophone; drumsticks
Okalele: A flute from the Busoga region
Omukuri: A flute from the Ankole region
Costumes
The costumes worn by the performers are inspired by traditional and modern Ugandan textiles and patterns. Some also function as instruments—such as endege, listed above.
Akaliba: Long hair goat skin, usually tied around the waist, for dancing
Ebitambaala: African head pieces
Ekikoyi: Multi-colored Ugandan cloth worn most often by women on special occasions or celebrations as a long skirt, or belted around the waist.
Ekisenso: Raffia skirt
Ekyesubizibwa: Belt
Embira: Beads around the neck
Emigaala: Head dress from Rwanda
Ensiimbi: Cowry Shells
Entogoro ring: A cloth ring tied around the waist for the Orunyege-Ntogoro dance
Kanzu: A white long gown worn by Bugandan men on special occasions; worn here as a costume for the King's dance Amaggunju.
About the Artists
Children of Uganda celebrates its tenth anniversary with this 2006 U.S. tour, which began in California in January and visits 31 communities in 20 states before ending in Minnesota in June. Ranging in age from six to 20, the performers live in several homes and boarding schools supported by the Uganda Children's Charity Foundation (UCCF). Through their performances, educational programs and community exchanges, Children of Uganda serve as goodwill ambassadors for the 2.4 million orphans living in the Uganda today.
Hailed as "first-rate" and "inspiring" by The New York Times, Children of Uganda have toured the U.S. biennially since 1996. They have also appeared at the White House, on the David Letterman show, at the Grammy's salute to U-2's Bono, for (former) U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill during his trip to Africa, for the World Bank, MTV/Nickelodeon, Nike, Morgan Stanley and other corporations. For a complete schedule of the 2006 tour, visit childrenofuganda.org.
The dual crises of civil war and AIDS in Uganda pose a serious threat to the complex fabric of family and village life that previously nurtured and depended on a rich and varied oral culture. Children of Uganda was originally founded to teach orphaned children the songs, dances and stories that were in danger of being lost. At home, the ensemble performs at weddings, diplomatic events and other celebrations. Children of Uganda gives 22 of the most talented of these performers an opportunity to share their stories in the USA, promoting East African culture and increasing awareness of the HIV/AIDS crisis in their homeland.
About the Uganda Children's Charity Foundation (UCCF)
The producer of Children of Uganda, UCCF is a not-for-profit corporation founded in 1995. It is based in Dallas, Texas and in Kampala, Uganda, where it is a registered Non-Government Organization (NGO).
UCCF is dedicated to helping Uganda's children by providing an education, food, shelter, clothing and medical care to hundreds of orphaned children. In this way, UCCF is furnishing the tools these children need to become self-reliant members of Ugandan society, with the capacity to contribute to Uganda's social welfare and economic recovery.
Through its grass-roots programs, UCCF directly supports more than 700 children. Children under the age of 12 live in two homes run by UCCF which also provide primary schooling. A third facility provides care for 11 children with mental and physical disabilities. UCCF continues to support the majority of these children at secondary boarding schools and in UCCFsponsored vocational programs. Through its community outreach program, UCCF also supports and educates 100 children living with widowed HIV positive women who are caring for at least five children.
Limited opportunities exist in Uganda for high-achieving students. UCCF's U.S. Scholarship Program enables some of the most talented students to deepen their education. The program currently supports eight students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in fields ranging from nursing to international conflict resolution.
UCCF's programs are funded with grants from foundations, corporations, faith-based institutions, with individual contributions and sponsorships, and through its biannual national performance tours by the Children of Uganda. UCCF has set a goal of $1.5 million dollars for the 2006 tour in order to strengthen its education and regional development programs. This integrated strategy will improve the quality of life for the children UCCF supports and the communities in which they live.
About Uganda
The Republic of Uganda is a modern construct—the result of the unification of ancient kingdoms and many smaller independent chieftaincies. In all, Uganda embraces 52 different ethnic groups. Music and dance are integral to each of these cultures as is a rich tradition of storytelling and folklore.
Uganda's population is estimated at 24 million, 50% of whom are under the age of 14. English is the official language. Uganda depends on an agricultural economy with 85% of its workforce engaged in farming, forestry and fishing—largely on a subsistence basis. Coffee is the main commercial and export crop. Others are fish, cotton, tea, flowers and other horticultural products.
After achieving independence from Great Britain in 1962, Uganda was ruled by two brutal dictators—Idi Amin (1971-79) and Milton Obote (1980-85)—who were responsible for the deaths of nearly one million people. In 1986, Lt. General Yoweri Kaguta Museveni seized power and established a government that remains in place today. Under Museveni's tenure, Uganda's economy has stabilized, its education improved, and its infrastructure steadily rebuilt.
However, since 1987, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has been engaged in brutal armed rebellion in the north of the country. Operating from bases in the southern Sudan, LRA insurgents have inflicted terrifying violence on the population. In particular, the LRA has abducted tens of thousands of children and at clandestine bases, terrorized them into virtual slavery as guards, concubines and soldiers. In November 2005, the United Nations announced its intent to increase its activities in northern Uganda in the coming year to help the two million Ugandans displaced by Africa's longest running yet least reported conflict.
Continued growth and stability in Uganda depends on securing an end to the terrorism in the north, raising the standard of living of its citizens (the average Ugandan lives on U.S. $1 per day), assuring greater access to education and healthcare, reducing the national debt ($3.865 billion as of 2004), upgrading the country's communications and manufacturing sectors, and continued political and legal reform. None of this can be accomplished, however, without addressing the greatest threat facing Uganda today—HIV/AIDS.
HIV Virus in Uganda Today
AIDS is a leading cause of death in Uganda, killing more than 200 people a day, devastating the 25-40 year-old segment of the population, and leaving behind more than two million orphans since the epidemic's onset. Sixty percent of all people living with HIV/AIDS in the country are women. In Uganda today, one million children under the age of 15 have lost one or both parents to AIDS.
Uganda was one of the first nations on the African continent to implement policies and programs to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic, serving as a model for reversing this worldwide health crisis. Partnerships between government, non-governmental and community-based organizations and the private sector have been vital to mitigating the impact of Uganda's crisis.
In the last decade, Uganda has reduced HIV infection rates from 30% of the population in 1993 to 4.1% in 2004. However, without access to anti-retroviral drugs, this decline is due in part to the near certain mortality of HIV/AIDS victims as much as it reflects the aggressive and effective campaign to curtail new infections.
Uganda's crisis is far from over. Continued vigilance to ensure a declining rate of infection is crucial even as Uganda struggles to provide care and comfort for the sick and secure the basic rights to food, shelter, medicine and education for its children. HIV/AIDS will continue to impact Uganda for generations to come.
Peter Kasule (Artistic Director) is a musician and composer. He is an original member of Children of Uganda, performing in the group's first tours to the U.S. in 1996 and 1998. In 2000 and 2002 he toured as the group's production and rehearsal assistant. In 2004 he assumed leadership of the tour.
Peter was born in Kampala, Uganda in 1981 and after the deaths of his parents, lived at the Daughters of Charity Orphanage from 1989-96. In 1994, Peter traveled to Germany for the International Children's Festival where his dance troupe was awarded "Best Performers." In 1996, he accepted an invitation from UCCF to join the U.S. Scholarship Program as one of its first participants. From 1998-2001 he was the lead drummer for the African Dance Ensemble at Dallas' prestigious Booker T. Washington High School for the Visual and Performing Arts. Peter won "Best Percussionist" at the 2000 International Jazz Festival in New Orleans and "Best Performer" at the Collin County Jazz Festival in 1998, 1999 and 2000. He is currently completing his undergraduate degree at the College of Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he studies Music Technology with a focus on composition, recording, and blending African and Western music.
David Kasata (Assistant to the Artistic Director) was born in the eastern district of Uganda and began performing at the age of six in a group founded by his father, Kigeny Kasata. As a member of various performing arts groups, he has toured to the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Austria and Japan. He plans to become a university professor of music, dance and drama.
Brian Aine (14) is in the sixth grade at Sabina Primary School. His father died from AIDS in 1998 and his mother is HIV+ and very ill. He has three siblings. Brian enjoys playing sports and cross-country running, and he hopes to become a civil administrator. This is Brian's first tour with Children of Uganda.
Francis Kalule (17) is in the 11th grade at Taibah College. He has one sister and three brothers. He joined the UCCF program in 2001 because his parents were too poor to care for their children. Francis enjoys playing ball games and hopes to become a musician. He toured with Children of Uganda in 2002 and 2004.
Simon Peter Kiranda (16) is in the eighth grade at St. John's Senior Secondary School. He is the second child born to a family with seven children. Both his parents died while Simon was a young boy and he now lives with his grandparents. He enjoys watching the Ndere Dance Troupe and aspires to become a musician. This is Simon's first year performing with the Children of Uganda.
Jacob Kiwanuka (16) is in the sixth grade at Sabina Primary School. His mother died from AIDS when he was one year old, and he lives with his father. Jacob has five siblings and enjoys playing ball and board games. He hopes to become a musician. This is Jacob's first year to perform with the Children of Uganda.
Rose Kokumbya (15) is in the seventh grade at Taibah Junior School and comes from a family of five, with two brothers and two sisters. At a very young age she lost both of her parents to AIDS. Rose enjoys reading novels and playing netball. She performed with Children of Uganda in 2002 and 2004.
Francis Lubuulwa (17) is in the 11th grade at Taibah College and has six siblings. His father died from AIDS in 1997. Francis entered the UCCF program in 1998 and performed with Bono (from the musical group U2) in New York City in 2003. He enjoys reading novels and hopes to one day become a cardiac surgeon. He performed with the Children of Uganda in 2002 and 2004.
Peter Mugga (19, Lead Drummer) is in the 11th grade at Taibah College. His parents are too poor to support their children, so Peter and all of his siblings are supported by UCCF. He enjoys listening to music and playing soccer and aspires to become a musical producer. Peter performed with the Children of Uganda in 2002 and 2004.
Jengo Munawiru (13) is in the fifth grade at Sabina Primary School. He lost his father to AIDS as an infant and his mother works as a shop attendant. He enjoys playing ball games and hopes to become a professional musician. This is Jengo's first year on tour with Children of Uganda.
Noeline Nabasezi (14) is in the sixth grade at Sabina Primary School. Her father died from AIDS in 1995 and her mother is too sick to care for Noel and her five siblings. She is a great storyteller and would like to become a musician some day. This is Noel's first tour with Children of Uganda.
Dorothy Nabuule (17) is in the ninth grade at St. John's Secondary School. She lost both parents to AIDS and has two sisters and one brother. Dorothy joined the UCCF program in 1999. She enjoys reading novels and physical activity and would like to become a lawyer. This is Dorothy's first year to perform with the Children of Uganda.
Geofrey Nakalanga (18) is in the 11th grade at Taibah College. His father has four wives and 18 children with his mother, who is deceased. He joined the UCCF program in 2004 and is the first person in his family to attend school. Geofrey enjoys playing instruments, dancing and soccer. He performed with Children of Uganda in 2004.
Betty Nakato (16) is in the 11th grade at Taibah College. Betty is one of four children, with one sister and two brothers. Both of her parents died from AIDS when she was an infant. She enjoys singing and hopes to one day become a lawyer or professional recording artist. Betty performed with Children of Uganda in 2002 and 2004.
© 2003-2005
The University of Iowa Center for Macular Degeneration
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