One of my favorite non-profit organizations in all of Uganda is named the Uganda German Cultural Society (UGCS). They were founded 20 years ago with a focus on strengthening & promoting the growth of bilateral co-operations between the people of Uganda and Germany. However one of their main activities is the promotion of Ugandan cultural activities, which has included everything from sponsoring music festivals to holding art auctions. The great success of the creative industries in Uganda can be attributed in part to this amazing organization. They have also been a huge help to the Ensigo projects in Uganda, with their efforts in connecting us to many of this countries most gifted musicians and visual artists. One such visual artist that UGCS introduced us to is named Ronex Ahimbisibwe.
Ronex is a multi-talented sculptor/painter/printmaker who was born in Uganda in 1977. He is the first born of the six children and was named “Ahimbisibwe” a Runyankore (one of the dialects of Uganda) word meaning “let God be praised.” His artistic style is a rich, colorful blending of acrylics, basco paints, oils, prints and inks on diverse supports such as sisal, canvas, bark cloth, paper, cardboard and woods.
In his own words Ronex describes his art as: “My works bridge my experience, fantasies and reality. It’s hard to ignore one’s culture, as its part of me and gives identity at the same time. In most cases I put much emphasis on technique and am experimental in my art works in a quest to discover my own capabilities. My desire has always been to create works that curiously blend sophistication and naivety mainly inspired by curve painting and the female form.”
Here are some of the beautiful pieces he’s created:
To view more art by Ronex, or to contact him please visit his website at:
http://www.africancolours.com/african-colours-portfolios.php?id=138&pid=11
Howdy friends, for those of you interested in the in-depth thought process behind utilizing music as a tool for overcoming poverty in the developing world I thought I would share a report published by the U.N. with you.
Back in 2008 when this report came out I remember feeling elated as I read through page after page of well documented material which confirmed the viability of what I had been passionately working towards for the last several years…utilizing music as a way to overcome poverty! In this brilliantly written 357 page study the authors/researchers conclude that “this report provides empirical evidence that the creative industries are among the most dynamic emerging sectors in world trade.” And that the creative industries (with music as a central component) “have the potential to generate income, jobs and export earnings while at the same time promoting social inclusion, cultural diversity and human development.”
With this report being the first to present the perspectives of the United Nations on this exciting new topic. The creative economy seems full of possibility as a way to overcome poverty! And this makes me so excited for the potential of Ensigo in the next few years.
Feel free to download the PDF of this report here: The UN’s Creative Economy Report
Upon first arriving in East Africa I was surprised by the strong influence of Jamaican music on Ugandan culture. It seemed that about 3/4 of the songs being played on the radio could fit into the dancehall genre. It was evident that the embracing of North American, Western European and Jamaican culture has led to a loss of Uganda’s traditions in speech, music, dress, and visual art. Professor John Ssempeke voiced similar concerns with the loss of Ugandan culture. In conversation with him at Uganda’s National Museum the professor of traditional African music expressed “slowly our culture is being lost to Westernization. I believe that one day in the near future our precious culture will become totally lost, and people will long to have it back.”
While I tend to dislike the majority of Ugandan dancehall music, I thought this video offered an interesting perspective on this popular sub-culture of urban Uganda. I would love to open this topic up for dialogue and hear what other opinions are represented…feel free to add your comment to this post.
During my first trip to Uganda in 2006 I was invited to author/professor Timothy Wangusa’s launch of his latest book Africa’s New Brood. Over the course of the presentation Professor Wangusa read selections of his favorite poems from the book, which combines African folklore and proverbs with Christian symbolism. Its main theme is that of growing up in the Ugandan society and what challenges come with growing up in the traditional setting. I was incredibly moved by the simplicity yet deep profoundness of Professor Wangusa’s shortest poem titled Trinity Tree. Before reading it he unveiled a little history behind the poem stating that it had taken him 20 years to write it, and that this poem best embodies his goal which is “to leave behind a body of inventive writing which communicates to my readers a sense of Christian values fictionalized and poeticized”:
Trinity Tree
By Timothy Wangusa
The Father in the root;
The Son in the shoot;
The Spirit in the fruit.
I know this is a bit delayed, but if you feel so inclined please check out the newspaper article below. It was featured in the Wausau Daily Herald on January 1st, and was written by the incredibly gifted Keith Uhlig.
