Week Seven - Cultural

25/03/12

After completing the teaching practice aspect of our international placement last week, Ashleigh and I decided to spend a few days delving a little deeper into some of the traditions and cultural aspects of Uganda.  Our first day trip was spent at the Wildlife Education centre at Entebbe which boasts a wide number of African wildlife which can be found within the three main ecosystems in Africa: the wetland, the savannah and the forest.  This centre boasts one of the best conservation facilities in Africa, and it was exciting to discover the interactive environment it offered; a refreshing difference from the traditional confined zoo which we expected coming from the safety conscious and profit driven West.  I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with so many of the animals which are commonly found here in Uganda including lions, crocodiles, rhinos and snakes.  In particular, I found the leopard to be a very captivating and beautiful creature to look at, it was a real highlight to see one up close as they are rarely seen in the wild.   The leopard was so majestic as it effortlessly glided through the trees within its sanctuary.  This was in stark contrast to the mischievous monkeys which freely roamed around the centre.  Sometimes these monkeys got a little too close for comfort but provided much amusement during the afternoon as they tried to seize food from both our bags and hands.  I soon discovered how difficult it was to take a photo of these playful little creatures as they decided to either leap towards me or chase me away when they caught sight of my camera.

A little too close for comfort

This week also provided us with the opportunity to experience an evening at the Ndere cultural centre where audiences are entertained with various types of music and dance from different districts and tribes within Uganda.  After experiencing this cultural specialism of Africa, I agree that dance can be considered as an “international language that all people can appreciate.” (Taylor 1957) Dancing and music has been used in Africa for many years as a medium for communication between the various generations.  It was very interesting to learn about the backgrounds and various meanings behind some of the dances and the music which was played on traditional handcrafted African percussion, stringed and wind instruments.  At the end of the show both Ashleigh and myself were encouraged to accept the invitation to dance to some traditional African tunes; we soon proved that Mzungus do not have a huge amount of African rhythm but it was an enjoyable end to the evening nevertheless.

Traditional African music

Some African dancing

Line of latitude



Standing on two hemispheres at once



Towards the end of the week we decided to visit the equator.  After bartering a price (something which I have become quickly accustomed to doing in this culture) with several taxi drivers, we eventually set out to see the line of latitude.  As Ashleigh and I stood in both the Northern and Southern hemisphere, I began to reflect and appreciate the scale of cultural change which we have embraced during our short time in Uganda.  During these few weeks, I have had to adapt from the social and cultural norms and values held within the small, and often predictable and narrow minded country I call home.  Northern Ireland seems so far away from the life that I am living here in Uganda.  In Africa less is taken for granted and a greater emphasis is placed upon community and tradition values, as opposed to the ongoing commercialism, multiculturalism and political correctness which appears to be leaving my home devoid of cultural identity.  I am finding that I love every minute I spend here and I fully appreciate learning something new and interesting about this diverse culture every day.  I cannot wait to see what next week has in store for me on this African journey which I have embarked upon.   

On the pier at Lake Victoria

A tribal mask