Lessons spread through drama

In 2009, George Lwigale was contacted by Plan Uganda for a gig. The non-governmental organisation, which works to improve the lives of children in Uganda, was undertaking the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission programme and it needed to dramatise it to achieve educational value.
Lwigale had to think of a way to relay the message, but this was not hard because he is a natural dramatist. He thought out a script that would teach the masses ways through which they could prevent transmission of HIV from mother-to-child.

“With Plan Uganda’s assistance, we began to educate people through songs and drama,” he recounts. His music group, Buluya Cultural Troupe, was expanding its frontier beyond simply singing, which it was initially known for. Drama became their other form of art.
When he started performing at the Nakaseke Community Grounds on that Thursday afternoon, people in the audience craned their necks to watch him wriggle his waist. He does it so well and so naturally, as if he has no bones.

Excited, a few women in the crowd joined in, but they were no good matches because he was good on the rhythm and as his face dripped with sweat, he maintained his smile as his fellow group members beat the drums, cheered him on and sang songs that carried pertinent societal messages.

Messages on materialism in relationships that have led to break ups and the consequent fear by youth to get married, the HIV/Aids scourge, infidelity, lack of respect for culture, among other itchy issues.

In between the performances, the group would interject with drama skits to further emphasise their messages.

Grateful to Isabirye
Youthful Isabirye Muvugankaire is one of the talented dramatists in the group. Beyond his vocal abilities, he doubles as an actor.

He cross-dresses to play female roles, which makes him an attraction for the audience. He is hilarious, but clever to use his moment in-between the performances to verbally engage the crowd so that it does not miss the point. So as one enjoys the skit, one will not lose the message.

His efforts are part of teamwork of 19 other members; 12 women and seven men.
“We have several songs, such as Family Planning, Nakani Wange, Ebaluwa, among others. We are lucky to have a gifted song writer in Isabirye. He understands issues and knows how to arrange words,” Lwigale observes.

Yet with all this rich offering, the group is not really hard on the pocket. It performs for between Shs200, 000 and Shs300, 000. They have performed in many parts of the country, which has required them to adopt to a multi-linguist delivery in their songs and drama.

At Nakaseke, the United Nations Development Programme was on a field trip visiting farmers and launching kilns and the group had to package their messages to suit the day’s theme and relevance: “Agriculture And The Need to Preserve Forests.”

Various topics
Besides musically preaching about afforestation and agricultural practices, the audience is reminded about the importance of family planning.
The group’s songs carry advice for couples to agree before using family planning and when they do so, also weigh out the pros and cons on which methods to use or adopt.

Importantly, they point out the need to have manageable families as a way to control the population so its pressures do not strain or badly impact on the environment as people look for land to carry out agriculture, construct houses or cut trees for timber as a source of income.

Variety in subject matter
There is no subject too obvious when the group is putting together lyrics for their songs. They remind Nakaseke folks about the need to boil drinking water and wash hands before and after eating.

“We also tell them that a home should have a pit-latrine to prevent diseases. The average family in the village only has a little income, which should not be split into treatment or medication. There are easier and cheaper options,” Lwigale concludes.

How it started. Buluya Cultural Troupe was George Lwigale’s (pictured right) option to earn a living when he could not continue in school beyond Senior Six. He got the group’s name from the Sub-county he hails from in Busoga region, eastern Uganda. With it, he decided to entertain and educate through art.
The start. He started out by entertaining peers and fellow locals at Buluya Village. Over the years, the 35-year-old has mastered the art.
Members. Buluya is a simple group of men and women from rural Busoga who are not celebrated but carry messages so rich and relevant in their lyrical content.
Future plans. The group plans to expand further. May be and a big may be, one day they can fetch more performance fees.

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