I had a freelance job to shoot a wedding last weekend. Weird - I know. It was so much like an American/Western/Catholic wedding it disappointed me. So much here seems like it wants to be like us without realizing what that really means and the negative side. The money spent on this wedding could have build a school and employed teachers for a year.
As much as I see (and the political unrest is a testament) their traditional culture evolving and faing away I am happy that they keep their language and their clan names. So many Ugandans who have well paying jobs, electricity in their homes and shop in the city insist on being called their traditional names instead of their Christian names (they are given both at birth usually).
I am struggling to not interfere with how they function as a country, but at the same time I came here to have an impact. It is just something that has been on my mind lately.
Also, I was wearing a BET (black entertainment television) shirt I got when working on voter registration last year and one of my students was like, "You like BET? I used to watch 106th and Park at home." He asked me if I watched the award show and I mentioned that a few years back some one brought a gun to those award shows and it caused a riot. He replied, "That's the the black community in America." It was funny, sad and so interesting to me. Completely caught me off guard.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Lauren: Thanks for keeping us up to date. Have you gone to the Embassey yet? Please do and let them know what you're doing, invite someone to one of your classes and get yourself invited to something. You are right about the scenario playing out similar to Kenya. "Ultimate Power corrupts, utimately." Sadly, with so many kingdoms and other territorial issues going on throughout Uganda, you can count on minimum solidarity among the people...thus in 8 months, things will be uglier than Kenya if that vote doesn't go well. President Museveni (with his military background) appears to be following in Idi Amin Dada Oumee's footsteps. Sadly, he was able to convince the US Embassey/George Bush to support him. We have a US military contingency teaching them our defensive strategies. I personally took photos of this in 2005 - 6. President Museveni is a friendly man and the photo I took of him holding a US general's hand is a prized possession of mine.
ReplyDeletePlease don't worry about the people wanting to trade their culture for ours. Be more concerned with what's going on within their border from the West and North.
Also, remind them that what they see on TV doesn't represent us all...especially the black community. Ask them what they think about white women. That may surprise you. Do try to dispell what they are seeing on the tube! Tell them that bad news sells!