22nd March 2012
Not only does an international semester abroad allow me to experience and investigate my profession further, but it also allows me to submerse myself in a new culture which I now call my home. As the weeks pass and Lynsey and I continue to familiarise ourselves with our new lives, we have taken time to explore our environment, learning about the Ugandan culture as we do so. Mariam Beard highlights how, “Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” (Beard, 2000) I am slowly beginning to realise how travel here is not temporary, but even the memories I have made so far will remain with me as we travel further around Uganda.
Having noticed how dance and music had a huge influence within our surrounding culture, Lynsey and I decided to look further towards traditional African arts. The ‘Ndere dance troupe’ is a traditional African dance company which provide shows displaying music and dance from the different divisions among Uganda. The Ndere dance troupe was originally formed for the recruitment of talented and disadvantaged children in which they could be looked after, and their school fees paid. Each dance performed tells a different story, usually a traditional milestone in Ugandan culture such as harvest and falling in love. Tradition has it, that a terrible image was painted by colonialists, that African dance and music was evil. Whoever performed them therefore, would supposedly not see eye to eye with God. It was 1984, when the Ndere dance troupe was formed in order to change this view, allowing society to join together and celebrate their culture through music and dance. Most African dances “…teach social patterns and values and helps people work, mature, praise or criticize members of the community while celebrating festivals and funerals, competing, reciting history, proverbs and poetry; and to encounter gods.” (Malone, 1996) As Lynsey and I witnessed each dance, we couldn’t help but notice how passionate and enthusiastic they were to put on such an energetic show.
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| The Ndere dance troupe |
This was not the first time that Lynsey and I experienced the hold Ugandans have on superstition. Upon circulating various markets, we have found that a lot of stalls and shops sell a selection of statues representing different ‘gods’. Upon questioning their purpose, a number of Africans believe that having these present in their home will inevitably bring them good fortune. I was unaware of the different tribes which are associated with Africa and those which are still currently present in Uganda and so I have been very interested to find out about them.
Having finished teaching practice this week, we have had the chance to travel beyond Kampala. However, as we recognise how much time left we have left in Uganda, Lynsey and I are planning to move further afield, branching to areas outside of the main city.
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| Visiting the Equator |
Beard, M. (2000) “Making Womens history: The essential Mary Ritter Beard” Feminist Press Edition, New York.
Malone, J. (1996) “Steppin’ on the Blues” University of Illinois Press, Illinois.
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