We received a lovely email from our friends at the Organisation for Batwa Development in Uganda (UOBDU) this week. Just to re-cap, we visited Kisoro in southern Uganda in November 2011 to record the music and dance of the Batwa people. The Batwa are historically a nomadic tribe of forest dwellers who inhabited the mountainous regions across the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and DRC. They are now a largely marginalised group of people since a conservation programme to protect the mountain gorillas of the region caused their eviction from their traditional forest homes.
You can read all about our trip to Uganda and hear the music of the Batwa here: Field Reports
An email from UOBDU
Following our trip to Kisoro last year we sent a parcel to UOBDU for the Batwa communities we visited. The parcel contained printed books of photos of all the people we met and CDs and DVDs of the music performances we recorded. We also printed some leaflets about the Batwa in Uganda and their traditional music and dance which we hope will help to promote their standing in the community in Kisoro and beyond.
Zaninka Penninah from UOBDU sent us this message:
Dear Victoria,
Greetings Batwa community members. Please find the attached photos taken while the Batwa are viewing photos from the Albums.
The Batwa were so happy – I think you can even see it from those photos. The field visits is about to end while showing the photos to all the communities who performed music. Below are there comments
- None of us were expecting this
- We are happy to see ourselves and our friends Gasoda holding the pot its real.
- Gasoda looks exactly the way he always appears
- The Batwa who went to Nairobi were happy to see themselves in photos once again.
- Thanks to UOBDU and Singing Wells for sending this Album to us
- See how we were dressed it is exactly the one I was addressed.
- In the Camera you can see everything,
- One was showing another one and said, See this one, you can not know that he is the husband of Nkumbuye, he is very smart in the photos
- I have got this photo,now I’m Happy
- UOBDU needs to be supported so that it can continue bringing more friends like Singing Wells. This helps the Batwa get more exposed and the people who do not know us will see us at least from these photos.
- This is an indication that Singing Wells can deliver, if Singing Wells can send photos that means even other things they can.
- This is the same group that came to Kisoro and gave us a lot of money last which made Batwa a nice food that time.
- This is Winyo, we shall always remember him for his passionate and his sweet soft voice. Winyo loved the song a parake yacu yo mgahinga.
UOBDU say thanks to Singing Wells.
Those are the comments from those who were viewing the photos.
Best wishes,
Zaninka Penninah
UOBDU Coordinator
P. O. Box 169, Bazanyamaso Road,
Kisoro – Uganda.
