Drum beats that lured folks from their watering holes
Dec 05, 2002
Who said Ugandans don’t love their culture? You should have been at the Kaloli Gardens, National Theatre, last Friday to witness.
Who said Ugandans don’t love their culture? You should have been at the Kaloli Gardens, National Theatre, last Friday to witness.
Instead of folks gathering at ‘watering holes’ in the suburbs of Kampala, they assembled in the city centre.
Entrance was free and the Uganda Breweries products were selling at a mere sh1,000. Though they were not chilled, nobody was complaining. The show was scheduled to kick off at exactly 7:00pm but comedian Alex Mukulu, who by the way still knows how to work up the crowd, arrived at the stage well past the hour.
The celebrated playwright’s announcement that the “Beat That Drum percussion festival is now underway,†which saw the crowd erupting into unprecedented excitement. Those nice-to-look-at gals who were conjoined in their muscular boyfriends’ chests, decided to ‘disconnect’ for the show.
The men and women from Acholiland were the first on the stage with their traditional award winning Larakaraka dance. The audience joined them as they
endlessly sounded the calabashes.
It was an impressive performance had they not overstayed on the stage.
There were bravura accomplishments from a number of dance troupes and individuals. Mzee Ssempeke and son Albert Bisaso played the tube fiddles as if they were to die the next day. Giles Warugaba and Herman Ssewanyana showcased their sheer ability in sounding the various percussion instruments.
However, it was the Percussion Discussion Afrika group dressed in bark cloth that stole the entire festival. The audience had no option but to join them. Ssewanyana and the Ofwono-size Saidi Kasule sloped down the stage staircase and mingled well with the fanatics who included a number of zungus. Surely, the percussionist is talented. Michael Musoke’s Mwafika hit, is definitely a crowd-puller.
Jimmy Adokuwun of the Dynamic Adungu Cultural Troupe followed, ably representing the people of Nebbi. The crowd loved him but his performance was lulled by the failure of the sound system, which had been okay all evening.
However, the Blood Brothers Productions who fidgeted with the wiring soon restored it.
Instead of folks gathering at ‘watering holes’ in the suburbs of Kampala, they assembled in the city centre.
Entrance was free and the Uganda Breweries products were selling at a mere sh1,000. Though they were not chilled, nobody was complaining. The show was scheduled to kick off at exactly 7:00pm but comedian Alex Mukulu, who by the way still knows how to work up the crowd, arrived at the stage well past the hour.
The celebrated playwright’s announcement that the “Beat That Drum percussion festival is now underway,†which saw the crowd erupting into unprecedented excitement. Those nice-to-look-at gals who were conjoined in their muscular boyfriends’ chests, decided to ‘disconnect’ for the show.
The men and women from Acholiland were the first on the stage with their traditional award winning Larakaraka dance. The audience joined them as they
endlessly sounded the calabashes.
It was an impressive performance had they not overstayed on the stage.
There were bravura accomplishments from a number of dance troupes and individuals. Mzee Ssempeke and son Albert Bisaso played the tube fiddles as if they were to die the next day. Giles Warugaba and Herman Ssewanyana showcased their sheer ability in sounding the various percussion instruments.
However, it was the Percussion Discussion Afrika group dressed in bark cloth that stole the entire festival. The audience had no option but to join them. Ssewanyana and the Ofwono-size Saidi Kasule sloped down the stage staircase and mingled well with the fanatics who included a number of zungus. Surely, the percussionist is talented. Michael Musoke’s Mwafika hit, is definitely a crowd-puller.
Jimmy Adokuwun of the Dynamic Adungu Cultural Troupe followed, ably representing the people of Nebbi. The crowd loved him but his performance was lulled by the failure of the sound system, which had been okay all evening.
However, the Blood Brothers Productions who fidgeted with the wiring soon restored it.