Women leaders in Mbarara local councils host a luncheon to celebrate Hon. Miria Matembe's re-election to Parliament with song and dance
Your are welcome, you are very welcome!
These words of greeting echo across Uganda. Where ever we go, women reach to shake hands and we are welcomed.
When there is time, the welcome includes song and dance.
This simple rattle, made of closely tied grass, is used to set the dance rhythm. The sound is like rustling grass. To create rhythm, women strike alternatively with their thumbs. Right, left, right, left.
The songs are structured with a lead part and response by the singing group. Because they are also a women's group, the singers are dressed in their group dress. Each local woman's group designs and sews their own costume. For more photos of womens' groups and their costumes, watch for the interview with Regina Sanyo from Kisoro.
The lead singer addresses the guests and sings out the message to them. This message is then repeated by the group and woven into a chorus verse. The lead and refrain overlap one another, creating beautiful combinations of layered harmony.
During this exchange, the energy builds, until it breaks out into a vigorous dance segment where women twirl and shake the grass apron that it tied over their hips. The sound of rattling aprons adds to the rhythm.
The audience joins in during these dance segments. Here, Honorable Miria Matembe joins the dancers along with members of the delegation from California.
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