Launching a Website documenting Uganda’s Built Heritage

On Tuesday 30th June 2009 at the Uganda National Museum opposite Seascallop Restaurant on Kira Road, the Makerere University Faculty of Technology Department of Architecture launched the website (www.tech.mak.ac.ug/heritage) documenting and illuminating the surviving historic built heritage of Uganda. The Mission of the Website is: To create awareness about surviving built heritage resources of Uganda so as to impact the local preservation arena with a research, publishing and archiving culture as a powerful tool for conservation action. The website features religious bodies, primary plus tertiary institutions, culture functions, health services, residences and public art. As referred to in the 1972 UNESCO Convention for Conservation and Protection of the World Natural and Cultural Heritage, it includes works of monumental sculpture, painting and other monuments, elements or structures of archaeological nature, inscriptions, cave dwellings and combinations of features, groups of buildings: groups of separate or connected buildings which because of their architecture, their homogeneity or their place in the landscape are outstanding historically, artistically or scientifically. Also included are residential precincts, business premises, sites, parks and gardens and or mixed use facilities.

Many interesting ideas were shared during the workshop. I came in very late and couldn’t place names to the various contributors but here are a few of the ideas:
“Without architectural acumen, you may create a lame building, or a deaf one. Create things like you for the future generations! Beautiful buildings attract tourists. Souvenirs of buildings for example T-Shirts of Namirembe Cathedral when sold can be bought and earn money.”

“There is a problem in Uganda as a result of the education system; people do not appreciate culture. Some politicians speak bad about other regions. There is no spirit of cooperation. We have our own innovations but do not believe in ourselves. Some MUK professors reject bibliographies that include work by professors like Justice George Wilson Kanyeihamba (Chancellor of KIU – Kampala International University) from our own country. In our Primary Schools, if you speak vernacular, you are caned. The issue of culture should be brought up at the primary level. When rebels wage wars, they shouldn’t destroy the existing landmarks.

“(In some European countries, they pray for maximum destruction during war so that they can start the first development program.) For architecture, whenever you look at a building, there is a signal in your brain. Someone once asked: ‘Why zone floors, here don’t go beyond three floors?’ Let us appreciate the dwarf, the tall, the Karimojong.”

“Forces of globalization (colonialism) have destroyed indigenous values where people would sit down and listen to their grandparents. These were negative trends brought before we were born, it’s now up to us to change that. Nevertheless, English helps us understand further, higher, deeper and larger. We do not have to abandon vernacular.”

“Students fail simple exams set at the Faculty of Technology because they never understand the fundamentals or abstracts which can be taught best using vernacular. Uganda teaches sciences in English but if you draw a line from Nimule, in Southern Sudan or New Sudan, to the North Pole you will find that all teach in their local languages.”

“If you want to know the future, you must glorify the present. This project has come to fill the vacuum. The grant from the U.S. Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation will surely ignite Ugandans.”

Nelson Abiti aka Nelly, one of the Uganda Museum facilitators at the workshop emphasized to me after the proceedings that, “Colonial evangelists taught us how our traditional cultures were of the Devil, yet when someone takes very good care of a certain tree in his homestead, he is actually honouring GOD who made the tree.”

Church-itecture

Uganda is blessed with many inspired Church designs from East to West, North to South eg St. Andrew's Church of Uganda Jinja, St. Andrew's Bukoto, SMACK Chapel (rooftop like an eagle), St. Philip's Arua, Namirembe Cathedral, Emmanuel Cathedral, Miracle Centre Rubaga, etc...

Treating the Common Cold (plus My Top 11 Cartoons)

Having a Cold is a terrible Health experience, the mucus, sneezing and difficult-breathing through a blocked nose can drive you mad! But don’t worry, on Thursday 12th February 2009, Deutsche Welle (DW-TV) featured an interview on the Health Programme ‘in good shape’ to get you in good shape when you have a cold: “Drink lemon in hot water, add honey; drink Carmamile in hot water, eucalyptus base; Get some rest, put your feet in hot Water to make your Temperature rise; drink a hot cup of herbal tea (3 Cups a day); take it easy; tie a scarf around your neck to keep yourself warm..." [The last one I have tried so many times and it works wonders; I wish I did not overlook it during my school career. The Heat generated by a warm cloth around your neck makes the Flu Virus uncomfortable like sweet Revenge against the devils partying inside your nose, heehee; ask Osmosis Jones! If you are using garlic to soathe a sore throat, you might find that it tastes better with Groundnuts, that’s what my Arua Uncle Diyo once told me. Sometimes, I would gargle salt water or sniff eucalyptus leaves hoping they work like Vicks Kingo or similar balms; the leaves smell like the green Sweet Peps (Cough drops) very popular in Ordinary Level.] The other Super-Remedy for Common Flu I discovered in February Twenty21 is Pine Needle Tea; it contains five times more Vitamin C than Oranges. This is a Jungle Hack or Wilderness Survival tip I accepted to try out while watching Discovery Channel at my Best Friend's crib. Sickness is war, so you have to search for the Most Ballistic medicines to stage a resistance. Pine needle tea literally removes mucus from the lungs in two days; I found small amounts of blood in my nostrils when I overdosed on the green tea which was a sign that it is quite potent. Kung Flu (Coronavirus Disease-19) may be lethal to our breathing system, but there is no infectious disease without a GOD-engineered herb already in existence. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 39 categories of diseases. JESUS was whipped 39 times to heal all our infirmities and sicknesses. Call on HIM...

My Top 11 Cartoons

Here are 11 of the Best Cartoons I have ever marveled at, but in no particular hierarchy:

1. Galaxy Rangers: I guess the team was something like the Fantastic Four, the main guy had an arm that could turn into probably a gun (not sure), another was probably massive like the beast in X-Men, and the third man could turn on flames and fly or was he invisible at times? Meanwhile the woman probably had similar qualities like Mr. Reed’s wife in F4 but she wasn’t called Invisible Woman. I cannot remember the details properly because I was below 10 years of age…

2. The Adventures of X-Men (Probably Japanese Anime): I loved this creatively produced show because of the flowing adult dialogue and interesting characters…My favourite X-Mutants included the Beast because he seemed untouchable, invincible and could walk on the wall as well as ceiling. Wolverine’s fury inspired me to remain angry whenever I wanted to feel macho. Gangbit was a fantastic rogue like the red masked guy in Wild Cats. I admired Cyclopes’s laser emitting eye power…Someone, probably the creator of the story, once commented that there is a GOD-made X-Man in each one of us, great stuff!

3. Adventures of Zelda: It usually came after the Kids’ Kamp Show (My motivating factor for story-telling), a collection of very interesting cultural folk stories and legends from Europe and it featured a macho young man who was out to fight evil plus save the beautiful woman of his life in each episode she faced very difficult trouble in. It was more like a romantic action cartoon…

4. Batman Animated Series: The previous three were watched mainly on KTV (Kids Television) in Jinja but when I came to Kampala, Zoom Club - STV (Sanyu Television)’s Children’s Extravaganza during the weekend had a feature of the caped crusader that sizzled. I love Batman because he does not kill, does not mind losing out on love because he is dedicated to his service, hides his real identity from even the best spies and does not claim to have super powers. He is just a normal human being with very unusual gadgets when on duty, things that would make bats and policemen jealous…

5. Wild Cats: I loved reading about them in Comics (like The Price) and they are a wonderful covert team fighting the wicked Demonites, no wonder “(Wild) Cats” stands for “(Wild) Covert Action Teams”. I also like the TV series because of the mature dialogue and well designed costumes…

6. Galactik Football: A football fanatic (especially one appreciative of Arsenal’s entertaining offensive play, also called “Kawoowo” meaning ‘delicious flavour’ by Kampalans) who cannot feel this French animated series has a conflict of interests for sure. This is simply fantasy football brought to life on screen…

7. 2 Stupid Dogs: I have never met any individuals as stupid, funny and ridiculously brainless as these two homedogs. They are truly man’s best friend. If all dogs were like these two, the world would be a laughing village…

8. Kissyfur: A nice Woodland adventure about a young cute bear that had to be very watchful or else he would be trapped by the two evil crocodiles in the forest marshes. This toon alongside two others marketed well the profile of CTV (Cablesat Television). Its appearance was also more polished than the 3 bears in the Goldilocks story I always read earlier on in life…

9. Duck Tales: This was the other of CTV’s first three gem-toons featuring the Richest Duck in the whole world. His name was neither Bill Gates, Warren Buffet nor Slim but Donald, and I mean Donald Duck, not Donald Trump ... Duck Tales, oohwooh ooh!

10. M.I.B (Men In Black) Animated - The Instrumental at the end from a song written by Will Smith (also Agent J in the Movie) and others, makes each episode feel unforgetable even if it's over...

11. Animation Films: It would be unreasonable not to mention feature length animation films as one of my favourite toons. So I have decided to make that the final entry on my list and they are quite many including The Incredibles, Antz, Finding Nemo, Prince of Egypt, et cetera…

Footsubishi (Poem by Aiko)

My P5 English teacher called me a hypocrite.

My A-Level classmate called me daft, stupid, fake and boring with cassava stem legs.

My campus crush told me everything I want to give her she will get from another man.

My neighbour labelled me an Earlyman,

But here I am.

Foot-subishi and Pa-jero,

Keep walking!