Mbarara — WE may have heard or seen that roads are under repair, posh cars are to be imported, renovations and building of magnificent hotels is in high gear in and around Kampala in preparation for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) due November this year.

The same Chogm craze has now spread to rural areas, and the search for traditionally talented artists and artisans who, during the meeting, will perform and exhibit portraits of Uganda's said rich traditional culture is on.

The feelings are that Uganda can also be best internationally marketed through its art and culture and our artisans and artists form part of the embodiment of Uganda's rich cultural heritage. Talents which for long have not been recognised are now being reached for to boost Uganda's hospitality image.

Members of the Arts and Exhibition Sub Committee of the Chogm are currently traversing the country to identify how best Uganda could be marketed through art and culture during the meeting.

GRACEFUL STROKES: Such dancers will entertain Chogm visitors thus exposing Uganda's rich culture to the rest of the world. Photo by Ismail Kezaala

Some of the committee members led by Gen. Elly Tumwine on April 23, met Mbarara district leaders, cultural officials, elders and artists at Kamukuzi, to brief them on how artists and artisans should be selected right from the grass root to the regional level.

Tumwine believes there is no best way to market Uganda during Chogm other than through its culture. He said, "Uganda is a good country in many ways, we have good distinct things by our different cultures which people outside don't know. We want to use this chance to show our visitors the goodness of our country."

He added that Baganda, Banyankole Bakiga, Bakonzo, Langi, Acholi and Karimajong among others have their rich cultures and practices, which can be economically exploited during the meeting.

Participants will present, traditional folksongs and dances, poems, artifacts visual arts, handcrafts and foods and drinks. Tumwine said individual or group performers and exhibitors would be selected through competitions to be carried out the district and region levels.

Districts will conduct internal competitions and select the best groups or individuals to represent them[districts] at the regional competitions. Regional competitions will comprise of all districts in respective regions. District competitions are slated for May while regional ones will be in August. The guidelines and programme for identifying artists, exhibitors, artisans and artifacts are already issued to the districts. Districts will look for their own adjudicators.

"We want to prepare people to benefit from Chogm. Every district brings what they think portrays them best. They will enter competitions at the regional level from where we shall get those to take for Chogm." Tumwine said.

Gen.Tumwine revealed that much as hotels which are being built, roads getting face lifts and vehicles being procured will remain serving Ugandans long after Chogm event. He said the works of the artists and artisans will portray Uganda's image more because they will be bought and taken by members of the visiting countries. He added that the work of the dancers and singers would be recorded on CDs and sold to the guests.

Folksongs

African folk singing is part and parcel of African societies where people sing to satisfy deep emotional feelings and drives. They depict behaviors, customs, beliefs values and feelings of different people and their cultures. African folk songs act as a source of oral literature.

Poems commonly known as Ebyevugo amongst the Banyankole and Bakiga, chanted for entertainment as well as moral reinforcement through recounting ancestral achievements will be performed. Poems are chanted to celebrate births, victories, rituals and other cultural ceremonies.

Traditional folkdance portrays societal feelings through music. The message is communicated through body movements, gestures, costumes, accompaniments, expressions and make up.

Artifacts have to be artistically beautiful, skillfully made to serve a function in the areas of pastoralism, agriculture, blacksmithing and hunting. The seller must have detailed information about the artifact, especially who and when it was made, how it has been used over the years and its significance to the community. These are to be displayed in the cultural huts at the living museums.

During this event, people with cooking talents in the respective areas of districts would be mobilised through their respective culture officers. They will prepare usual, casual and special dishes. Drinks will include soft, traditional drinks and spirits.

Tumwine said Uganda has rich foods but people don't cook and eat them in their traditional way. He cited millet and porridge. He said experts would prepare such foods in traditional manner and portray how they should be served and eaten. He said the food event would help some Ugandans who have long forgotten and ignored such practices to appreciate them again.

Mbarara RDC, Clement Kandole said, the African indigenous knowledge needs to be resurrected. He added that Africans are not bothered when Europeans are exploiting their knowledge. He said Chogm is a good opportunity to show the world that that Uganda and African cultures exist. Mbarara district LCV Chairman, Wilberforce Yaguma, pledged district support in organising local artists and artisans for the Chogm. This will perhaps make sense of the event (Chogm) to the local people since they will g be involved in activities where they will earn money directly.