Abasoga Nseeta student's cultural group emerge winners at cultural festival

Nov 05, 2018

Over 23 cultural groups put up exhilarating cultural dance, folk song and traditional drama performances, before a keen panel of adjudicators and hundreds of students.

CULTURE

KAMPALA-A crescendo of wild cheers filled the quadrangle, University Hall, on Saturday as the Abasoga Nseeta student's cultural group celebrated their win at the 84th edition of the annual Makerere University intercultural Gala Festival.

The two-day event was held under the theme-"What compromised our originality".

Over 23 cultural groups put up exhilarating cultural dance, folk song and traditional drama performances, before a keen panel of adjudicators and hundreds of students.

As you would expect, there was a great sense of occasion amongst the students, drawn from different tribal backgrounds and eager to support their respective cultural groups. 

The students made their presence felt as they excitedly cheered on every group that performed cultural dances, traditional drama skits, folk songs, solo dances, poems, original song compositions and the East African and Makerere University anthem; to a turn. There were boos, on occasion, ofcourse.

At the receiving end were groups whose names were mentioned and they did not show up.

Nkoba za Mbogo students perform a folk song.Photos by Richard Wetaya

The gala was brought to a standstill late Saturday afternoon, when some students from the Bamasaba students cultural group, accompanied by  Bamasaba from around Wandegeya, Kadodi drummers  with sticks in hand and stamping their feet in martial like motions; solemnised a traditional circumcision [Imbalu] ceremony in the middle of the university hall quadrangle.

 asese students cultural group perform a folk song at the gala Kasese students cultural group perform a folk song at the gala

 

It was the real thing. 

Students from other cultural groups and adjudicators looked on slack jawed and aghast as the Imbalu candidate, by the names Fred Wamoto was brought to the quadrangle in a boisterous way.

Wamoto stood stock still as he was taken through the tough Bamasaba cultural initiation rite. 

The anticlimax however was that his circumcision led to the deduction of points from the Bamasaba student's cultural group.

They had supposedly played havoc with the flow of events.

 The Musinde who was circumcised at the gala

The Nkoba z'a Mbogo students association, who in many ways, also gave a good account of themselves with their local folk song, cultural dance and traditional drama renditions, came second.They won last year's gala.

 The Imbalu candidate with white-maize flour paste on his face undergoes Imbalu

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Samuel Obed, the University's cultural and Mobilisation minister said the cultural gala had shown forth the different student groups affinities for their cultural customs and heritage.

 "The aim of the gala is to instill love for culture and identity while appreciating Makerere University's rich cultural diversity.

The winners of this year's gala will represent the University in the national cultural expo to be held at the National Theater."

The gala was attended by amongst others, the University's Dean of Students, Cyriaco Kabagambe. The winners got a shield.

 MUK Karamoja students cultural group performs a folk song

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});