Celebrating gorillas at “the best Kwita Izina ever!”
Kwita Izina – Rwanda’s gorilla naming ceremony
Gorilla tracking is said to be a “once in a lifetime” experience yet I love this primate encounter more each time 💗
Last week’s mountain gorilla tracking was even more exhilarating than the last time – but I’ll leave that story for another day. For now, imagine the calm here in Volcanoes National Park as a ranger guide watches a Blackback* male mountain gorilla …
*A Blackback will one day mature to be a Silverback gorilla.
I have huge respect for the rangers, guides and researchers on the ground who protect these beguiling creatures (and the porters clad in overalls and gum boots who effortlessly help us track).
What is Kwita Izina?
During the first week of September every year, celebrities from around the world touch down in Kinigi, Volcanoes National Park, to name the baby gorillas born in the last year in Rwanda. There is nothing like this anywhere else.
From early morning, thousands of young Rwandese throng to the event site. They wait excitedly for their favourite musicians to perform for them live, free of charge. It’s said 60,000 people attended Kwita Izina 2018!
The Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony is an opportunity to publicly thank the conservationists closest to protecting these great apes. It’s also a global showcase for the country’s tourism industry. Gorilla namers include Rwandan and international conservationists, sports personalities, renown philanthropists and diplomats. Read my blog from a previous Kwita Izina, in which I explain the derivation of the term and the history of its creation.
According to East African tourism expert Carmen Nibigira, this year’s event was “the best event ever!”
Why is Kwita Izina such an important event for Rwanda and Africa?
Thanks to conservation initiatives like Kwita Izina, the Mountain Gorilla population in the Virunga Massif has increased from 480 in 2010 to to 604 in 2016 (results of last census). The Virunga Massif covers Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, and the Mikeno Sector of Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In 1981, Mountain Gorilla numbers had dropped to just 242 individuals, according to the Rwanda Development Board. (Results of the latest gorilla census are expected to show a further increase in gorilla numbers. However the species is still classed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List).
Now in its 14th year, Kwita Izina has gone from being a one day gorilla naming event to a whole week of conservation and tourism related events. Tourism can be a powerful tool for lifting people out of poverty and Rwanda is pushing it at every level. One of the week’s events is the two-day Conversation on Conservation (CoC) forum in Kigali which takes a strategic look at conservation in the country.
What were the highlights of Kwita Izina 2018?
My 11 hour bus journey from Kampala to Kigali was worth every minute. Here are a few of the amazing people I met in Rwanda.
Prosper was very helpful when I was researching and writing the ecotourism guide“Walking with the Gorillas” published by Horizon Guides.
Did you know … trackers are now given beautiful presentation boxes of tea or coffee – Rwandese of course! (These replace the certificates we used to be given). Gorilla tracking in Rwanda now costs a whopping $1500 per permit as Rwanda pitches the country as a high-end tourism destination.
Susan and I watched three lions in Akagera National Park, ate Sambaza fish on Lake Kivu, survived the jaw-dropping canopy walkway in Nyungwe Forest, and enjoyed a thrilling gorilla tracking experience with the Titus gorilla family.
Anyone can get a flavour of Kwita Izina by visiting Vecotourism.org – one click and you are virtually there!
Here’s a full list of 2018’s gorilla namers. Information courtesy of RDB.
- – His Highness Sheikh Dr. Abdulaziz Ali Bin Rashid Al Nuami, the ‘Green Sheikh’, has dedicated his life to traveling and environmental stewardship.
- – Dr. Noeline Raondry Rakotoarisa is the Program Chief of Capacity Building and Partnerships Section for UNESCO/MAB (Man and Biosphere).
- – Madame Graca Machel is the former First Lady of South Africa and Mozambique. She is an international advocate for women’s and children’s rights.
- – Aliaume Damala Badara Akon Thiam is an American singer, songwriter, businessman, record producer and actor of Senegalese descent.
- – Samba Bathily is a Malian philanthropist, He is CEO of Solektra International and co-founder of Akon Lighting Africa with Akon and Thione Niang.
- – Alexandra Virina Scott is a retired English footballer who played as a right-back for Arsenal Women. She made 140 appearances for the English national team and represented Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympics.
– Laureano Bisan Etamé-Mayer, commonly known as Lauren, is a retired Cameroonian footballer, who played for the Cameroonian national team and Arsenal FC.
I always come away from Kwita Izina inspired. Rwanda tourism knows no bounds.
A big shout-out to every one at Rwanda Development Board for attending to every little detail of our superb tour of what some call the ‘Singapore of Africa.’
A special thank you to everyone at Serena Hotels who hosted us at the Kigali Serena Hotel and Lake Kivu Serena. The fabulous facilities were a real treat.
#VisitRwanda
Have you tracked the mountain gorillas? Have you attended Kwita Izina? What were your impressions?
“I saw things” Nyege Nyege Festival
Eating life: Nyege Nyege Festival 2018
PHOTOS Tweny Benjamin, Tweny Moments
“I saw things.
The 4-day fete ended last night. And I saw things. I saw music and art come together in matrimony. I saw free spirited souls, sticking their noses in the air like greyhounds, chasing for a section that had the loudest and ‘lit’ music. I saw a tribe of happy campers, leaving their warm beds in Uganda’s capital, to sleep on small blocks of mattresses under the stewing Jinja heat.
I saw hungry entrepreneurs, predominantly young people, trying to make an extra buck. From innovative startups like Musana Carts to the famous Kyadondo Pork. I saw young creatives sell apparel to festival goers. I saw tattoo artistes trying to make ends meet an ink at a time.
I saw brands like Uganda Waragi and Coca-Cola feeding people the way Jesus would. In fact, at some point, there was no 750 ML UG – Coconut and Pineapple flavours. They were drank out. I saw business for these brands.
I saw friends from Kigali, Nairobi, South Africa, around the world. A tribe of happy souls speaking one language, wanderlusters, on a hunt for happiness. I saw friends from Tanzania who flew in with #AirTanzania2UG that’s been recently launched.
I saw young DJs like Kampire Bahana making people literally go wild. I saw young photographers like Zahara Abdul and Tweny Benjamin making pictures and money.
I saw Boda Bodas ferrying people from all corners of Jinja town, a business chance that shows up once in a year – September. I saw Java House in Jinja fill up with festival goers looking for a remedy for their hangover. I saw a beeline to the Source of The Nile, local and international tourists queuing up to see River Nile head to Egypt.
I saw hotels and guest houses and lodges booked out for 4 days. I saw performances and talented artistes I would never imagine seeing. I saw a festival in its infant stage, on a runway, picking up to take to the skies. I saw a festival that will be the biggest festival in Africa. A Coachella in the making. A Tomorrowland in the oven. A Burning Man in a potter’s hands.
I didn’t see animals.”
Thanks to Nimusiima Edward who allowed me to share his Facebook update of September 10th 2018.
In its 4th year, Nyege Nyege Festival is undoubtedly Uganda’s number one party festival, with revellers coming from all over Uganda, Nairobi and beyond for the 4 day event. It caused quite a stir last week when Uganda’s “Ethics and Integrity Minister” Father Lokodo wanted to cancel it. This only served to give it an even bigger (free!) publicity boost.
Over the past decade, Uganda has seen a mushrooming of arts, music and dance festivals. The mega Bayimba International Festival of the Arts is arguably Uganda’s best arts festival.
Nyege Nyege stands for peace, respect and abundant joy, it stands for Africa and Africans, for underground music and musicians, it stands for fun and curiosity and strives towards inclusivity and wonder, something of a perfect world you might say, but it’s only 4 days after all.
Nyege nyege can be translated as ‘the urge to dance.’ (Jiggy jiggy might be another term for it!)
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Please read my Guests Posts page for guidelines on the kinds of stories I feature on Diary of a Muzungu.
NEXT UP: Bayimba! “An unparalleled feast of music, dance, theatre, film & visual arts”
Bayimba International Festival of the Arts 10th Anniversary: exploring Uganda’s Art Wealth
Diary of a Muzungu is delighted to be one of the media sponsors of the 2017 Bayimba International Festival of the Arts! Scroll down this page to read the week-end’s PACKED programme of events and keep checking Bayimba’s Facebook page and Twitter for more news and updates. Follow the hashtags #Bayimba2017 and #BAYIMBAat10
The 22-24 September 2017 will be a ten-year celebration of Uganda’s multidisciplinary Bayimba International Festival of the Arts. Every third week of September, Kampala comes alive as a vibrant and eventful city when an unparalleled feast of music, dance, theatre, film and visual arts from renowned and upcoming artists are brought to the Uganda National Cultural Centre / Uganda National Theatre.
Celebrating ten years of Bayimba International Festival of the Arts
Looking at today’s arts entertainment scope, Kampala alone boasts of a variety of festivals, it’s a different scenario looking back 9 years later. The birth of Bayimba Festival changed event organizing in Uganda, during an era with few platforms to showcase artistic works. The festival’s 1st edition echoed possibilities and creative empowerment that opened every artist’s way of thinking about creating and not job seeking. At the same time as the country’s live music scene was kicking in, the platform offered live performance workshops to artists, mentored them to apply for other festivals across the globe. Bayimba’s international status caters for diverse audiences and its unique programming consists of exhibitions, contemporary fashion, dance and multiple arts. Slowly, artists adopted a system of organizing their own events to try similar ideas, to grow their own networks and develop business relations in order to sustain themselves.
In the present day, Bayimba continues to serve as an important benchmark for the consumption of the country’s finest arts through its signature initiative “The Bayimba International Festival of the Arts,” an annual three day arts fete that happens every September.
Fast forward to 2017 and this year marks the festival’s 10th anniversary. A glance of what’s on offer has an array of diverse arts, ranging from performance arts set to thrill crowds on the two stages, where the list of performers include: Uganda’s self-styled Ghetto President “Bobi Wine” who makes a second appearance since 2015. Mariam Ndagire will open day one’s recitals for female dancehall outfit Cindy to close. Other performers are: self-claimed King of Mwooyo Maurice Kirya, Percussion Discussion Africa, 90’s gospel group Limit X, Lily Kadima and Coopy bly. Dr. Jose Chameleone is set to headline day two.
Some of the regional and international acts set to join this edition’s main stage are: Kenya’s Nyaititi maestro Makadem, Tanzania’s Jaggwa Music, South Africa’s Dr Bone (returning for a second do after an interrupted piece last year), in addition to South African afro soul Diva Berita, Ugandan-born Danish belle Feridah Rose, a recent winner of The Uganda Music Awards, Best Dispora Act and finally Ethiopia’s former Coke Studio representative Betty G.
The Upper Garden arena of the National Theatre will host Stage 2. The line-up of acts here consist of genres whose collection varies from Hip hop, Reggae, Ragga, Mataali, musical conversations and DJ collaborations. Some of the acts include Zimbabwe’s Hope Masike, here to fuse her soulful ballads with Ugandan percussionist Haka Mukiga. The legendary hip hop duo and brothers Sylvester and Abramz, will incorporate female DJ outfits under the flagship of Femme Electronic, Rwanda’s Components RW, Netherland’s Bilvar Mvulu, Umoja Boys and Kenya’s Mwanase Ahmed together with Bayimba-run initiative Youth and Hip hop workshop beneficiaries Jo’Ge Flame, Kristien Carol & Shirley May and a whole lot more.
Besides the stage presentations, Ekyalo Bayimba will now return as Ekyalo Kasaayi, an artist’s dialogue space whose curation will be led by Liz Kaggwa and Drum Circle (popularly known for their Ngoma Jam sessions).
The auditorium activity slots encompass genres like Kadongo Kamu in the lead of heavy weights Abdu Mulasi, Chance Nalubega, Fred Sebatta and dramatical recitals by Omugave Ndugwa’s Balck Pearl and a lone man comedy show Mukalazi Edwin titled “HipHop Comedy,” and poetry to be presented by Kitara Nation poets, whose anthology recitals will cast college students.
Fashion is a signature activity of the festival and three of Uganda’s celebrated personalities will produce this aspect: Ras Kasozi of SEED FASHION a Skilled Expressive Entrepreneurial Designers show project designed by US Mission Kampala in collaboration with Kas Wear under the mentorship of Ras Kasozi; Gloria Wavamunho, curator of the Kampala Fashion Week and Buyi pheel of Kkoolo designs an entrepreneurial initiative of traditional art.
Over the past editions of Bayimba, Silent disco has proved to be one of the highlight activities, and will again appear on this edition’s menu, in the usual space – the Dance floor. In 2017, there will be film screenings, presented in partnership with the Swedish Embassy. Bikes and Cars is a documentary by Frederik Gertten. The Embassy will also feature a photography exhibition set against the climate change backdrop titled “Facing the Climate” and another exhibition by Switzerland’s reknown photographer Geoff Walker titled “Nodding Disease,” an awareness call about the epidemic and how it’s affecting northern Uganda.
To further celebrate the festival’s multidisciplinary status, a couple of visual artists have been commissioned to present and curate festival spaces. Stacey Gillian, whose sculptural work focuses on misconceptions of gender equality in Uganda, will unveil a 3D art installation. Xenson Znja a multidisciplinary artist and fashion designer will present the main stage backdrop for the second time since 2009, while Fitsjerald Art Studio will present the stage two backdrops.
The festival’s ever-growing participation and appreciation by the general public ranks it among Africa’s top festivals. Bayimba is not only a celebration of music but also a celebration of Ugandan contemporary life, placing Kampala as one of the top East African tourism hubs.
The festival still struggles to rely on local sponsors, but luckily the emergence of many emerging festivals celebrates Bayimba’s vision. Bayimba, has proved to stand the test of time by attracting more and more sponsors over the last five years, contrary to what it was back in 2008 during its inception.
The Bayimba International Festival of the Arts is undoubtedly Uganda’s number one multidisciplinary festival!
Here is the programme for the 2017 Bayimba International Festival of the Arts September 22nd – 24th! FEEL FREE TO SHARE IT 🙂
Friday 22nd // Stage One
19:00 Mariam Ndagire & Band (UG)
20:00 Berita (SA)
21:00 Dr. Bone (SA)
22:00 Jagwa Music (TZ)
23:00 Cindy Sanyu (UG)
Saturday 23rd // Stage One
19:00 Percussion Discussion (UG)
20:00 Lily Kadima (UG)
21:00 Feridah Rose (UG/DE)
22:00 Maurice Kirya (UG)
23:00 Jose Chameleon (UG)
Sunday 24th // Stage One
19:00 Coopy Bly (UG)
20:00 Limit X (UG)
21:00 Betty G (ETH)
22:00 Makadem (KE)
23:00 Bobi Wine (UG)
Friday 22nd // Stage Two
18:30 Mutundwe Matali Group (UG)
20:00 Jacinta (UG)
21:00 Haka Mukiga and Hope Masike (UG/ZIM)
22:00 Umoja Boys (NL) & Mwanase Ahmed (KE)
Saturday 23rd // Stage Two
15:00 Tujaali Performers (UG)
17:00 – 19:00 The Project INYE (GER/COLUMBIA/SA)
19:00 Apio Moro (UG)
20:00 – 21:00 Sylvester & Abramz (UG)
21:00 Components RW (RW)
Sunday 24th // Stage Two
14:00 – 16:00 Femme Electronic
18:00 Famous Friends (UG)
19:00 – 20:00 Jo’Ge Flame, Kristien Carol & Shirley May (Youth & Hip Hop) (UG)
21:00 – 22:00 Boliver Mvulu & Band (NLD/DRC)
Friday 22nd // Auditorium
12:00 – 14:30 BIKES VS CARS (Documentary by Frederik Gertten)
15:00 – 16:30 Kitara Nation School’s Project – Poetry (UG)
19:00 – 20:00 The Veiled Truth (UG/RW)
20:30 – 21:30 Abdu Mulasi (UG)
Saturday 23rd // Auditorium
12:00 – 13:00 “Facing the Climate” – Effects of climate change in Uganda
14:00 – 15:00 Kitara Nation – Poetry (UG)
15:00 – 16:00 Musical Stand Up Comedy – Edwin Mukalazi (UG)
18:00 – 19:00 Dance Performance (UG)
20:00 – 21:00 David Walters (FR)
21:30 – 22:30 Chance Nalubega (UG)
Sunday 24th // Auditorium
12:00 – 14:00 Punishment Island – Film
16:00 – 17:00 Black Pearl (UG)
19:00 – 20:00 Street Dance Force & ABC Fleva (UG)
20:30 – 22:00 Fred Ssebatta (UG)
Friday 22nd // Dance Floor
17:00 – 18:00 KKOOLO Fashion (UG)
Saturday 23rd // Dance Floor
17:00 – 18:00 Gloria Wavamunno (UG)
20:00 – 23:00 – Silent Disco/Headphone Disco
Sunday 24th // Dance Floor
17:00 – 18:00 Ras Kasozi & SEED Uganda (UG)
20:00 – 23:00 – Silent Disco/Headphone Disco
Saturday 23rd // Green Room
14:00 – 16:00 Dance Workshop (UG)
Open Space
Art Installation – Matthieu Tercieux (FR) & Eduardo Souillot (FR)
Photography Exhibition
Facing the Climate – Foyer
Nodding Disease –Theatre Noticeboard
Upper Garden
Ekyaalo Kasaayi & Drum circle Uganda
3D Bayimba Art Installation – Stacey Gillian (UG)
Stage One Backdrop – Xenson (UG)
Stage Two Backdrop – Fitsjerald Art Studio (UG)
All day Art and Craft sales/exhibitions.
Remember to keep checking Bayimba’s Facebook page and Twitter for more news and updates. Follow the hashtags #Bayimba2017 and #BAYIMBAat10
Kampala City Festival – Tips for enjoying the Festival
Are you going to Kampala City Festival this October 8th?
This is the Muzungu’s story from a previous year. I had a blast! Scroll down to the bottom of this page for the Muzungu’s tips on how to enjoy the Kampala City Festival 2017!
Scroll down to the bottom of this page for the Muzungu’s tips on how to enjoy the Kampala City Festival 2017!
PHOTO Kampala Capital City Authority (@kccaug) on Instagram
The Kampala City Festival takes place at the beginning of October every year. Dozens – hundreds? – of Uganda’s favourite musicians and entertainers will be performing live for FREE. Expect the streets of Kampala to be absolutely jam-packed!
Kampala City Festival Kampala Road crowd. PHOTO Ndijjo
Click here to visit KCCA’s Festival web site for October 2017! This year the Festival will be on Sunday 8th October.
2016’s theme was #blackyellowred
Uganda is without doubt one of the friendliest places in the world. I don’t think most Ugandans realise how truly charming and hospitable you are. I had some lovely greetings from random strangers when I attended last year’s Kampala City Festival:
“Uganda is a very safe place!”
“This is the dance of the Imbalu – from Mbale! Ka-la-loo!”
They were really chuffed that the Muzungu was at the Kampala City Festival, and very proud of their country. Rightly so.
At 3 o’clock in the afternoon, there’s a lovely vibe, no aggravation and no drunkenness (although I can’t guarantee how pumped up everyone is by the end of the night).
Tips on how to enjoy the Kampala City Festival – the 2015 logo
What a treat to reclaim the normally congested streets of Kampala streets for DANCING!
As I walk-dance down the road, wiggling my kabina, 20 teenage girls break into screams of ecstasy laughing at the Muzungu dancing. Dancing does not discriminate, everyone dances together: thousands of Ugandan boys and girls, mothers and young children, boda boda drivers, teenagers on roller skates and vacant-looking teenagers who are expecting-to-see-something-but-not-sure-quite-what.
dancers sponsored by Bell beer, Kampala City Festival PHOTO www.thelead.co.ug
I wonder what the average Kampala resident makes of the festival cum carnival? The spirit of carnival, with its masks and fancy costumes, has its roots in Africa, via a torturous journey that includes slavery, translocation from West Africa to the West Indies and then onto Brazil. The Rio de Janeiro Carnival, the most famous in the world, has its roots in the carnivals and masquerade balls invented by the freed slaves of Trinidad in the Caribbean. In Europe, our biggest street festival is the Notting Hill Carnival, London, pioneered by the black community that settled from the West Indies.
The carnival has come full circle: from Africa and back to Africa – to Kampala!
Here in Kampala, we don bright yellow Afro wigs, red Mohican wigs, facepaints and masks. Kids wear multicoloured sunglasses.
The Muzungu gets Uganda fever too! Uganda flag hat – the must-have accessory of Kampala City Festival 2014
On street corners, young men set up photo printing machines. Vendors sell samosas, groundnuts, icecream and ice lollies. Ladies carry plastic buckets of fried cassava on their head. Children line up to have their faces painted. The lady painting the child’s face cleans the paint from the brush in a recycled Waragi bottle.
Vendor on a street corner in Kampala. Note the security checks going on behind him
By 4 o’clock, the sun now blazing, the Uganda Wildlife Authority Mountain gorilla looks tired. He looks like he could do with a nap and some bamboo. He’s running his own personal marathon today in the full glare of the scorching sun: wearing a heavy plastic suit that is half a centimetre thick and covered with thick fur. The throng of onlookers walking alongside UWA’s float stop to gawp and take photos of him. It’s the closest they have ever come to a gorilla, and they’re so excited. “Big ups” to the UWA gorilla.
“Ka – loo – loo!”
“Big ups” to the UWA gorilla (hiding behind the bamboo). He was a real hit with Kampalans, all wanting a photo
The busiest intersection is on Kampala Road above the railway, a heaving body of humans, corporate floats and banners and Kampalans pushing towards the stages looking for their favourite musicians. Onstage next to Station House, I watch Eddie Kenzo – my hero! I can’t get enough of Sitya Loss.
“Dansez, dansez….”
Always eager to experience something new, I try my first Kasese tonto brew. Have you tried it? (It looks a bit like someone has done a short call in the cup – but tastes a lot nicer!) So much so, I return for a second cup…
The 2016 theme of Kampala City Festival is #BlackYellowRed PHOTO www.monitor.co.ug
Right at the point where I can move neither forwards nor backwards through the heaving crowd, two men force their way through with a huge sack of ice. Wafts of smoke drift through the crowd, from barbecues laden with goat (and some dubious-looking sausages).
Bell Lager bikers along Kampala Road. Kampala City Festival 2014
Tins of Bell Lager are on sale here and there but I see few empty tins on the streets. It seems most Festival goers are taking sodas (I have never seen so much ‘pop’ available) and bujeera and local brew stored in cavernous plastic bins and served in empty Coke and Sprite bottles.
I’m loving the Kampala City Festival. Ugandans are such beautiful people. (Is the Kasese tonto going to my head a little bit?)
What is the route for the Kampala City Festival 2017 procession?
The 2017 Kampala City Festival – now in its sixth year – brings together everyone who lives in Kampala. It’s gonna be mega!
Note the major traffic flow changes in the Central Business District ahead of #KampalaCityFestival 2017
Take a note of the major traffic flow changes in the Central Business District ahead of #KampalaCityFestival 2017 weekend of 8th October. All feed-in routes into Kampala-Jinja Road will be closed off to vehicular traffic on Saturday evening. (This is the main festival route). Affected routes include: Buganda Road, Bombo Road, Kampala Road, Luwum Street, Wilson Road, William Street, Dustur Street, part of Entebbe Road (interception of Nasser and Nkrumah Roads), part of Jinja Road (at Kitgum House), Colville Street, Kimathi Avenue, Parliament Avenue, King George VI, Speke Road, Dewinton Rise, Sir Appollo Kaggwa, and Siad Barre.
Tips on how to enjoy the Kampala City Festival
- Leave the car at home.
- If you can, park far away from Kampala city centre and Central Business District and walk.
- Why not get an Uber? Install the Uber app and get UGX 10k off your first trip by using the promo code VISITKAMPALA. In terms of price, from Ntinda to town costs about 8k and Makindye to town costs about 8k. TIP: install the Uber app BEFORE Sunday! And note: your Uber cab will have to drop you away from the main stages because of road closures (and huge crowds!)
-
How to enter the promo code VISITKAMPALA and get 10k UGX off your first Uber ride!
- Even boda bodas are refused entry to the area cordoned off for Kampala City Festival.
- There are lines of security checks to enter the procession route. No-one gets past without being frisked. There will be lots of security, both uniformed and plainclothed.
- DRESS TO IMPRESS!
- Wear comfortable shoes, and ladies, don’t take a huge handbag. With the crowds thick in places, you will be glad you left it at home.
- Do you really need to take your fancy phone? Pickpockets love these type of crowded events, wherever you go in the world.
- Arrange to meet friends before you leave home. Either meet up first and travel together, or agree a time and place to meet. Stick to it! Although you may want to call someone during the festival, it is far safer to leave all your valuables at home.
- Taking the kids? They will love the KIDS’ ZONE in Constitutional Square, Kampala. There is plenty for them to do there but the square, and access to it, will be packed.
- Don’t drink too much. I’m not sure how many toilets you are going to find along the route. Secondly, I’m not sure what kind of state they will be in. Lastly, if you are boozing, don’t forget you have to get home once the Kampala City Festival is over – as do another one or two million people. If you’re a bit drunk, it could become a bit of a nightmare for you.
-
Tips on how to enjoy the Kampala City Festival
- There will be lots of stalls selling different types of food, from full plates of Ugandan food, to fried chicken, and more. Snacks and drinks include carrot, pineapple and passionfruit juice; popcorn, candy floss and beer, samosas, G nuts (groundnuts), ice cream and ice lollies. If you want to eat healthily, or drink water, bring your own.
- The Kampala City Festival fireworks display starts just after 11 o’clock at night.
- If you absolutely have to take your phone or your camera with you, share your photos on Instagram, KCCA on Twitter or Facebook
Are you going to the Kampala City Festival?
What are your tips and recommendations for having a good time at the Kampala City Festival? Which performers are you looking forward to seeing ?
KLA ART 014 – “Unmapped” – Kampala Contemporary Art Festival
“Unmapped” – Who are the unheard voices of our cities? KLA ART 014, Kampala Contemporary Art Festival
Now you’ve seen it all! ‘Cow on a boda boda’ on display at the launch of KLA ART 014 at Kampala Railway Station
This year Kampala residents are being treated to a wide range of original African art: August’s Kampala Art Biennale has been a highlight of 2014, and KLA ART 014, Kampala Contemporary Art Festival, this October is set to be equally enlightening.
Kampala Contemporary Art Festival KLA ART 014 official poster
Two years ago, my friend Robert announced that, rather than come drink beer with yours truly, he planned to give up his Saturday to visit some old shipping container in downtown Namuwongo. (The Muzungu has been stood up for less I suppose, but I digress…)
In fact, Robert was taking part in the inaugural KLA ART event, in which a number of old shipping containers were converted into art installations. It was their placement in and around various Kampala ‘no go areas’ that really caught my attention: here was art physically ‘going to the people’.
Inviting someone to a gallery is in a sense ‘preaching to the converted.’ A gallery visitor is someone who already ‘gets’ art, already appreciates art, who perhaps even already creates art.
A contemporary art festival, such as KLA ART 014, takes art to the next level: inviting Ugandans to think and talk about art, to express themselves through art – something they may have never done before.
Participating Ugandan artist Helen Nabukenya at press launch for KLA ART 014 Kampala Contemporary Art Festival
KLA ART 014 is Kampala’s contemporary art festival.
Throughout the month of October, the festival is unveiling new artworks from 30 artists from Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Congo and Rwanda, asking the question:
‘Who are the unheard voices of our cities?’
According to Violet Nantume, Curatorial Committee, KLA ART 014:
“The bicycle knife sharpener; the express fashion designer; the mobile nail salon: they fill every corner of the city. ‘Unmapped’ will attempt to artistically showcase how people from every stratum of society adapt creatively to survive.”
Have you ever been inside Kampala Railway Station? Now’s your chance!
Thanks to KLA ART, Rift Valley Railways, KCCA and Umeme, Kampala Railway Station is open to the public for first time since 1994.
This free-to-attend Festival Exhibition features ten artists displaying their interpretation of Kampala’s “Unmapped.” (The Muzungu admitted to being very keen to have a nose around this iconic Kampala landmark and was delighted to be invited to the VIP preview).
At Kampala Railway Station the public has a chance to meet and discuss the artworks with the artists themselves.
Selected artists work on a variety of media, from paintings to sculpture, and fabrics to music.
Unusually, many VIP guests arrived before the 6 pm opening time – so keen were we all to be the first inside Kampala Railway Station!
Thanks to KLA ART, Rift Valley Railways, KCCA and Umeme, Kampala Railway Station is open to the public for first time since 1994
Back in the heyday of the 1950s and 1960s day, regular Mail Trains ran from Kampala to Nairobi, as Malcolm McCrow’s wonderful old photos show.
Kampala Railway Station is open to the public for first time since 1994. All the original features are in place
A brilliant exhibition space! KLA ART 014 Kampala Railway Station Exhibition main hall
Rocca Gutteridge, Project Director, KLA ART 014 says “KLA ART 014 offers a platform to showcase new and emerging ideas by contemporary Ugandan artists. KLA ART is a two-year process of thought, production and experimentation resulting in a unique festival, which directly links artists, artworks and audiences.”
The Boda Boda Project
At the VIP launch, we had a chance to meet the artists behind the Boda Boda Project who have transformed 20 boda boda (motorbikes) into public artworks. The Boda Boda project is all about giving Ugandans access to contemporary art and these 20 bodas will be ‘mapping’ the streets of Kampala throughout October, driving north, south, east and west to engage with the community and chat about contemporary art.
‘Cow on a boda boda’ – a statement on the mistreatment of transporting animals – on display at the launch of KLA ART 014 at Kampala Railway Station. Creation of artist Grace Sarah (pictured) with inquisitive soldier!
How would Uganda manage without boda boda transport?
Reagan Kandole, from the Waste Management Education Project, WaMeP, watering the plants growing in the recycled boots decorating his boda boda. Every item on his boda boda had a purpose – I love it!
Kampala Railway Station is such an inspiring venue for the exhibition – here an artist discusses his work on the Boda Boda Project
The KLA ART artists and their boda boda creations are creating temporary exhibitions in a variety of locations across the capital. An interactive recording studio and a travelling cinema are just two of the innovations that will be touring the streets of Kampala on boda bodas.
I can’t wait to see how the streets of Kampala are transformed by this mobile exhibition!
I wonder too what the first-time art visitor will make of some of the ‘weird and wonderful’ boda boda creations on display?
KLA ART comes at a time when Ugandans have been discussing this year’s census: when people have been asking themselves quite a fundamental question: “if I don’t register, then do I exist?” Will the “Unmapped” recognise themselves or their situation in these pieces of contemporary art? It will be interesting to hear the feedback.
Here is the KLA ART free programme of events showing where the 20 boda bodas will travel to each day between 4th and 31st October.
What’s more, the KLA ART 014 free programme of events includes:
- The Festival Exhibition – open every day at Kampala Railway Station from 10 am – 6 pm.
- The Boda Boda Project – launching every day from the Railway Station and driving from there to a different location in Kampala
- Studio tours every Wednesday during October
- A symposium
- Film screenings and
- ‘Street art intervention’, run by Weaver Bird
KLA ART 014 is organised by 32° East | Ugandan Arts Trust, a centre for the exploration and creation of contemporary art in Uganda www.ugandanartstrust.org The full list of partners and sponsors is here.
Underscoring the theme of accessibility, press information is also available in Luganda.
For the latest information on KLA ART 014, check out:
www.klaart.org | www.facebook.com/KLAART | www.twitter.com/KLAARTfestival
So have you seen any of the 20 boda boda project bikes driving around Kampala yet? You certainly can’t miss the huge billboards in the centre of town.
Have you visited Kampala Railway Station? I’d love to know your impressions!
Kampala Art Biennale – what’s it all about?
About the Kampala Art Biennale
Kampala is a dynamic city, bursting with talent. I love this city.
Throughout August this year, Kampala Art Biennale is a showcase of contemporary art from Africa with the goal to expose, educate and create debate about the value of art in society. The Biennale consists of an exhibition of 100 artworks including paintings and photographs, showcasing 45 artists from 13 African countries working under the theme of PROGRESSIVE AFRICA and featuring panel discussions on the relation between art, culture and tourism.
The Muzungu: It’s always great to hear of new initiatives for channeling people’s creativity and giving them a stage and I’m sure the Kampala Art Biennale 2014 marks an important step in putting Kampala’s art scene on the tourist route. I’m really excited to have been asked to help promote this event.
EVERYONE IS INVITED – and that means you! Inaugural Kampala Art Biennale ” an international art event to promote Kampala and Uganda as an art tourism destination”
Kampala Art Biennale was established by the Kampala Arts Trust a collective of visual and performance art practitioners living and working in public and private spaces within Uganda’s capital.
Daudi Karungi on the newly painted zebra crossing at Aga Khan School in Kampala this week “Educating Kampala society about the value and importance of contemporary art”
Kampala Art Biennale is afro-centric in nature and seeks to promote only artists (foreign or native) working on the African continent. It was established to recognize and integrate African contemporary art that is being created on the peripherals of the mainstream.
The Kampala Art Biennale is an opportunity to see visual arts in various venues across the city. Much more than that, it is an opportunity for debate and discussion on how Africa can transform itself and how creative industries can help generate economic growth. Promoting Kampala as a destination for art lovers is just one way the tourism industry can benefit and in turn help develop Kampala and Uganda.
Paul Ndema, wings spread-38cm x 55cm-acrylics and ink on water colour paper
Kampala Art Biennale: Theme
PROGRESSIVE AFRICA is a theme derived from the current Pan African – and increasingly global – discussion of AFRICA IS NOW versus AFRICA IS THE FUTURE.
Today in Africa, there are divergent views about the status of Africa in the global village. Some say the world is moving to Africa for opportunities while others say African economies are becoming global markets. These conversations discuss which strategies are the best to accelerate Africa’s progress. All these dialogues suggest one thing; that something is happening on the African continent whether right now – or as it moves into the future.
Under the theme PROGRESSIVE AFRICA, the Kampala Art Biennale 2014 is part of this discussion. African painters, photographers, illustrators, cartoonists, writers and all 2D media artists have been invited to present their perception of the current status of Africa through visual art.
Viewers and visitors will then join in the discussion – pro or against the purported progress – with the help of the invited artists’ resulting 100 images, the aim being a questioning of African political, social and economic practices.
According to Kampala Art Biennale 2014: “The Biennale will serve as a conduit through which to start a debate that we so desperately need right now about a modern and progressive Africa starting right here in Kampala. There is a need to generate discussions centered on looking beyond aid to the financial resources Africa needs to enable transformative growth.”
Zerihun Seyoum – Adoption-oil on canvas-2013
Kampala Art Biennale: dates to remember
1st August 2014
Art, Culture and Tourism panel discussion with experts from the art, culture and tourism sectors. Uganda Museum, 16:00 hrs. On invitation, live on social media
1st August 2014
Official opening of the Kampala Art Biennale 2014 PROGRESSIVE AFRICA exhibition. Uganda Museum, 17:30 hrs.
2nd – 31st August 2014
Kampala Art Biennale 2014 PROGRESSIVE AFRICA exhibition. Open to the public at various venues across Kampala.
Georges Senga, UNE VIE APRES LA MORT, SIZE DYPTIQUES, 140Cm X 84Cm PRINT Inkjet on barité paper
The Biennale exhibition will be on throughout the month of August 2014 at various venues.
Kampala Art Biennale: Venues
The inaugural Kampala Art Biennale will take place across Kampala at traditional art venues such as Nommo, Afriart and Makerere Art Galleries and the Uganda Museum;
in community venues in heavily populated parts of Kampala, such as offices and hotels (to put art in people’s everyday lives);
and in ‘non-traditional art venues (such as factory, unoccupied buildings and Kingdom Mall building site opposite Oasis Mall).
For the full list of venues, please check the Kampala Art Biennale web site.
Eria Sane Nsubuga, The art of faking it, 2014
Kampala Art Biennale: selected artists
Uganda Ronex Ahimbisibwe, Paul Ndema, Kalungi Kabuye, Anwar Sadat Nakibinge, Eria Nsubuga Sane, Joshua Ibanda, Ronnie Tindi Chris, Ronald Kerango, Henk Jonker, Wasswa Donald, Babriye Leila, Gillian Gibbons, Shelley Van Heusen.
Kenya Samuel Githui, Justus Kyalo, Yassir Ali Mohammed, Brian Omolo, Michael Soi.
South Africa Samson Mnisi, Senzo Njabulo Shabangu, Nico Phooko, Rael Salley, Daniel Rankadi Mosako, Sylvie Phillips.
Ethiopia AlexanderTadesse, Ezra Wube, Yonas Melesa, Zerihun Seyoum
Angola Angel Ihosvanny Felicidade
Ghana Florine Demosthene, Akwele Suma GLORY
Nigeria Ufuoma Isiavwe, Olusola Otori
Togo Da Costa Kwami
Cote d Ivoire Gopal Dagnogo
Zimbabwe Tashinga Matindike, Gondo Danisile Ncube
DRC Georges Senga
Mali Harandane Dicko
Tanzania Jan van Esch
Florine Demosthene, Bitta Disappointment,72cm x 91.44cm, Ink, charcoal, graphite and oil bar on polypropylene
Kampala Art Biennale: side events
Kampala Art Biennale 2014 is partnering with other art and cultural organizations to run a series of side events. More details of these can be found on the Kampala Art Biennale website.
Launch of the Kampala Art Biennale at the Uganda Tourism Board with artists Daudi Karungi and Henry Mujunga and Simon Kaheru, Afriart Gallery. Oh yeah and some Muzungu chick 😉
What is a Biennale?
Biennale [pronounced bee-en-ar-lay] comes from the Italian word for “biennial” or “every other year.” It is most commonly used within the art world to describe large-scale international contemporary art exhibitions.
A Biennale usually has an official theme, spotlights artists of the same nationality as its host city, and is held all over the host city in a number of venues simultaneously. Additionally, Biennales are non-commercial, meaning artists are invited or selected to take part, but don’t sell their art at the Biennale.
The Venice Biennale is the originator of them all, established in 1895. Around the world, there are now over 60 art Biennales.
“Born as a vehicle for national propaganda, the art biennial today has become an outsize phenomenon mobilizing not only artists, curators and gallerists but sponsors, celebrities and politicians, commanding huge press attention and deciding the careers of artists worldwide. For a city to host a biennial today has colossal ramifications.”
Kampala Art Biennale: contacts
Elizabeth Mbabazi, Afriart Gallery, info@kampalabiennale.org +256 772 662 575
Daudi Karungi, Kampala Arts Trust, daudi@afriartgallery.org +256 712 455 555
Launch of the Kampala Art Biennale at the Uganda Tourism Board: “Using art to rebuild the creative, jubilant and celebratory spirit of Kampala”
The Kampala Art Biennale initiative is part of a strategic partnership between Kampala Arts Trust and Uganda Tourism Board. Encourage everyone you know to attend at least one of the galleries or venues in Kampala during August.
If you’re unfortunate enough not to be in Kampala (!) do check out the 100 artworks as they appear on the Kampala Art Biennale Facebook. You can also follow Kampala Art Biennale on Twitter
All roads lead to Namugongo
Commemorating the Uganda Martyrs. How did the muzungu end up in Namugongo?
It always makes me laugh: the unexpected things I end up getting involved in Uganda, so I shouldn’t have been surprised when John Ssempebwa, the Deputy Executive Director of Uganda Tourism Board sent the Muzungu a message asking if I would help him do the voice-over for a promotional DVD… all about the Namugongo Martyrs.
How the Muzungu came across on film, I’ve yet to see! – but nonetheless the filming was the perfect opportunity for me to learn all about the Martyrs, one of my “blogging resolutions” in fact.
My pre-filming homework was to read Father Simeon Lourdel, Missionary of Africa, White Father, Apostle of Uganda 1853 to 1890. Despite its incredibly dull-sounding name, this account had me hooked from start to finish. Catholic missionaries aren’t normally my cup of tea frankly, but the six month journey on foot from the Indian Ocean coast, traversing Tanzania and fighting off wild animals (lions!), sickness and numerous antagonistic tribes to the south of Lake Victoria had me captivated.
The diary of a French missionary, writing in the 1870s, recalls:
“It was no joke to foresee all that would be necessary for 10 missionaries for a journey of six months across unknown land, all the food, the tools and equipment for putting up permanent settlements in an empty continent. The big headache was to go gather enough of the items to use for the bartering with the African tribes, for free and safe passage through the territories: bales and bales of calico material, boxes and boxes of glass beads, reels and reels of brass wire. The two (Catholic) fathers had also to recruit 300 porters and an escort of soldiers. They had two interpreters who spoke Kiswahili and managed to speak broken French to make sure that their orders were properly understood, and for bartering with the African chiefs on the way.”
The traverse of Lake Victoria – the world’s second largest freshwater lake – in a dugout canoe must have been one hell of a journey for these weary and sick travellers. As well as recounting the subsequent tales of many of the Namugongo Martyrs, the book gives a wonderful insight into the Buganda Kingdom, describing:
“A huge palace with hundreds of courtyards, a countless number of huts and thousands of servants living in and milling around. Great dignitaries of the kingdom were the only people allowed to approach the Kabaka (King). Also admitted to the courthouse visitors were dignitaries who came from neighbouring tribes, as long as they brought presents carried by slaves.”
About the Uganda Martyrs Walk
And so, one Sunday in Kampala, I joined the Uganda Tourism Board in the inaugural 10 km “UGANDA MARTYRS WALK.” Along the route of this unique walk, professional tourist guides explained the history of numerous Namugongo Martyrs, including: Mathias Mulumba, Jean Marie Muzeeyi, Mapeera and the three Martyrs killed at Busega. These names meant nothing to me before; now I notice them every day, as I pass the churches and schools named in their honour.
I am seeing Kampala in a new light.
WHERE is the Uganda Martyrs Walk?
The walk starts at Old Kampala Secondary School and finishes at Busega Martyrs’ Church, Mityana Road.
WHEN is the Uganda Martyrs Walk?
First Sunday in June, from 9 am.
WHY is the Uganda Martyrs Walk?
This is the launch of what promises to be a big, popular annual event with people coming from all over the world. Proceeds from the Martyrs Walk will go to Uganda Heart Institute, Mulago Hospital, Kampala, to undertake life-saving cardiac operations on children and babies born with Congenital Heart Disease.
Millions of Christian pilgrims flock to Namugongo, Greater Kampala, every June. Photo courtesy of Red Pepper
In addition to the professional tour and the chance to learn more about the Namugongo Martyrs, walkers will have access to free medical check-ups.
SSENTE MEKA? How much is the Uganda Martyrs Walk?
10,000 UGX for the walk; 20,000 UGX for the special souvenir T-shirt.
HOW DO I REGISTER for the Uganda Martyrs Walk?
Registration for the walk is going on at the main Kampala Post Office and at the National Theatre. Pilgrims can also register by sending 10,000 UGX to Mobile Money tel +256 704 731 215 and +256 773 831 825. [Note these are the contacts for 2014; in subsequent years, these may change].
Uganda Martyrs Day is celebrated 3rd June every year. On this day, more than a million people congregate at Namugongo.
No-one can help but be moved by the Martyrs’ incredible stories. I’m not a religious person but I was blind-sided by these individuals’ belief, determination and the ultimate sacrifice.
For me, this event celebrates human survival and endurance. Every Martyr’s story is inspiring. The reality of their unbearable agonies defies belief.
Join the pilgrims travelling to Kampala on this special occasion.
For more information about the Uganda Martyrs Walk, contact the Uganda Tourism Board. The DVD story of the Namugongo Martyrs is also available from Uganda Tourism Board – [reminder to self: upload it to YouTube!]
As I write, pilgrims are walking to Namugongo, a few kilometres from central Kampala, from across Uganda and East Africa.
We hope to see you there!
BINGO! Rwanda’s Kwita Izina, gorilla naming ceremony
It was with great excitement that I travelled to Rwanda to attend the Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony. This event is strictly by invitation only so the Muzungu was honoured to be invited by the Rwanda Development Board, thanks to my friends at The Gorilla Organization (TGO), a British charity whose dedicated international team pull out all the stops to protect the Mountain Gorillas in their native forest habitats straddling the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
As we drove uphill towards the Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony website, the roads were lined with children and young people all walking in the same direction, eager to see the pop stars descending on Kinigi for the ‘Festival of the Gorillas.’
A magical place indeed. The volcanic peaks of the Virungas, approaching the site of Kwita Izina, Festival of the Gorillas
We sat in the ubiquitous white plastic seats and waited for the show to begin. Every few minutes there was an excited cry from the crowd as another celebrity joined the throng. All we could see was a sea of black heads, just visible above the safety barrier. The kids were gathered for the pop stars of course – there was a huge cheer as popular singer Rastaman arrived – we only hoped they would leave the gorilla naming ceremony as conservationists too.
Kwita Izina is hugely popular with local children gorillas Rwanda
One thing is for sure, one way or another, the majority of these young people will benefit from the gorilla tourism industry, the flagship product for Rwandese tourism. Five per cent of the revenue from tourism is invested in communities living around Rwanda’s national parks. This investment is helping change behaviours, changing once-poachers into protectors of the gorillas and wildlife and habitats in general.
Children flocked to take part in the Festival of the Gorillas
The Rwandese Prime Minister welcomed “ambassadors, friends of Rwanda and distinguished guests – and not forgetting the very important residents of Musanze” to Kwita Izina 2013.
Half of Kigali, representatives from Nairobi, Kampala and 61 journalists from across the world made their way to this small town in the Land of a Thousand Hills for the ninth annual conservation celebration. Not a bad show for a small country the size of Wales.
A smiling Rwanda Development Board ranger welcomed us to Kwita Izina 2013
The Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony is a very inclusive affair. Over 30 countries were represented at Kwita Izina in 2013. As each country’s name was read out, its representatives stood up to the applause of the audience: the muzungu was delighted to stand up and represent Uganda, from whence I’d travelled on another legendary bus journey.
Traditional dancing from Rwanda’s National Ballet was a delight. Kwita Izina 2013
Traditional dancing from Rwanda’s National Ballet was a delight. Reggae artists Dr Claude and King James went down like a house on fire! I was happy to get on my feet and dance by then. Goodness knows the foothills of the volcanoes are a lot cooler than Kampala. The Muzungu should have worn socks!
Jillian threw a Gorilla Organization frisbee into the expectant crowd of festival goers. Did she get it back…?
The lady MC reminded us that “while we are here to celebrate Rwanda’s gorillas, you can see how much more Rwanda has to offer.” Well organised, professional and a fun day out, I was very impressed by the whole setup and the global ambition of this event.
Audience participation is a key feature of Kwita Izina. Amongst the international celebrities invited to name the gorillas were the American actor Isaiah Washington; the Japanese Ambassador to Rwanda; actors from Nigeria and the Netherlands; the economist Jeffrey Sachs and Secretary General of the UN World Tourism Organization, Dr. Taleb Rifai. You can watch the highlights of the 2013 Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony here.
Each gorilla was named, in English and in Kinyarwanda, to claps and murmurs of approval from the audience. The first baby gorilla to be named was Icyamamare Maktub or ‘Rising Star.’ I liked the name Isimbi ‘Shining Pearl’ said to “represent the shining light of Africa: Rwanda. We look forward to shining the light on tourism in Rwanda.”
Emmanuel, looking very cool in his traditional costume, was honoured to name a gorilla at Kwita Izina 2009
The Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony is an opportunity to publicly thank the conservationists closest to protecting these great apes.
In 2009, The Gorilla Organization’s Rwanda Programme Manager Emmanuel was invited to name one of the gorillas.
The Gorilla Organization’s Jillian Miller at Kwita Izina 2009 – looking very glam in her Kwita Izina attire
In 2009, the UN Year of the Gorilla, The Gorilla Organization’s Executive Director Jillian Miller and Ian Redmond O.B.E. (Ambassador for Year of the Gorilla and now Chairman of TGO) were invited to take part in the gorilla naming ceremony. Jillian’s gorilla was named ‘Everlasting’. Ian’s gorilla was named Umuganda meaning ‘working together.’ You can watch Ian Redmond’s UN Year of the Gorilla speech at Kwita Izina here.
Putting on the traditional costume and being part of the show sounded great fun!
Ian Redmond O.B.E. Chairman of The Gorilla Organization at Kwita Izina 2013 with Allison Hanes of Art of Conservation
Audience participation is not just reserved for the celebrities: everyone was handed a sheet showing photos of the new baby gorillas, so we could write down the new names as they were read out.
The printed photos and list of new baby gorillas make the event fun and educational. Kwita Izina 2013 Rwanda. (Can you read the Muzungu’s handwriting?)
“It’s a bit like playing bingo!” Jillian joked.
The Kinyrwanda gorilla name ‘Ubukerarugendo’ translates as ‘the early travellers – who woke up early to take a trip.’ “You could say this is the first word for tourism and represents the importance of tourism in Rwanda” said the Secretary General of the UN World Tourism Organization.
What is Kwita Izina?
The Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony is an idea based on the Rwandese tradition of inviting the community to name a newborn child. In Rwanda, it is customary to delay naming a child until some of its characteristics are known. (If you look through some of the names of the 161 gorillas named since Kwita Izina started, many give an insight into the individual gorillas’ temperament and family history). The community join together and party to celebrate this new life.
The Gorilla Organization was previously known as the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. This painting of Dian hangs in the TGO office in Musanze, Rwanda.
After the gorilla naming ceremony, at Hotel Muhabura (‘the guide’ in English) in Musanze – made famous by the late Dian Fossey – we had a chance to meet Rosette Rugamba, the creator of this must-attend conservation and tourism event.
Rosette Rugamba, the creator of Kwita Izina, with Jillian Miller of The Gorilla Organization, Kwita Izina 2013 Rwanda
I asked Rosette her view on the international success of Kwita Izina?
“When we started this event we had a big vision: to make sure that gorillas continue to be recognised but also to help, in a big way, to change the image of Rwanda. As much as we are honoured to be the custodians of these wonderful creatures, these animals belong to the whole world. That is such a huge responsibility.
So we created a public event. The world needs to watch over us to make sure that we’re making this happen and to celebrate the birth of the gorillas. We continue to be held accountable and the international community realises they have a role in the success of gorilla conservation too.
There was always a concern that tourism might have a bad effect on conservation but it’s proven that responsible tourism can actually contribute to conservation.
Nine years after the creation of Kwita Izina, I think we have come a long way in achieving our objectives. The government is still committed, and has been right from the start.
This is the format of an event that brings in everybody. When we held the first Kwita Izina, 94 nationalities had come to trek the gorillas in Rwanda. Now, I think you could say the whole world has been: someone from every country has trekked the gorillas in Rwanda. Gorillas are symbolic creatures and Rwanda is just lucky.
“I look forward to next year” said Rosette, “10 years of Kwita Izina – a decade!”
This painting of a gorilla family hangs in The Gorilla Organization office in Musanze, Rwanda. The TGO Resource Centre is open to the public
For a premium, visitors to Musanze’s Hotel Muhabura can now stay in cottage number 12, where Dian Fossey regularly stayed on her visits down from the mountains. Dian Fossey’s cottage has been maintained to ‘honour a life dedicated to gorilla conservation.’
If you’d like to learn more about the work of The Gorilla Organization, click here.
Would you like to attend Kwita Izina? Would you like to trek the Mountain Gorillas?
If you’re travelling to Rwanda at the time of Kwita Izina, you are invited to attend the event. Invitations need to be issued in advance and the date does change from year to year so you are advised to check the Kwita Izina section of the Rwanda Development Board website or contact me directly. This would be the perfect time for you to trek the mountain gorillas yourself! Contact the Muzungu for more information on buying gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda or trekking the Mountain Gorillas in Uganda.
