Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu (Peace be with you plus the Mercy of GOD en HIS Blessings!) If you walk through an uninhabited Desert Valley en find a very odd Gallery smack in the middle, will you reason that it came into existence by a sudden Cosmic Explosion? Is that how our Planet en the Galaxy came into existence or was it created by GOD? Sometimes you want to scream to GOD, but (it's like) HE can't hear you. I have never seen GOD nor felt HIM hug me, speak to me in an audible voice, nor have I memorized the exact trademark Smell of HIS Presence but despite my Sins, Imperfections, Shortcomings, Problems en Mistakes, I believe HE is the Paramount Reason I remain Irie.
Happiness is a State of Mind - it's discovering that GOD's Will is Superior to our Plans en Freedom is believing that only HE can shelter us from Satan. Lucifer MUST Die! We can stab en wound the Beast but cannot kill it. Nevertheless, Isa (Jesus) is Superior! He'll be back to bring Harmony to our World. Maranatha!
A certain Woman kept blaspheming GOD until one dark night when she almost fell on abandoned razor-sharp barbed wires in a pit but cried to GOD for Forgiveness en angels held her.
One suicidal Atheist went to a Club en sat at the bar counter smoking Marijuana to ease his depression while cussing, "GOD, if YOU freaking exist, come en get me out of here!" After a short while, a macho guy wearing a black T-Shirt emblazoned with the word "SECURITY" approached him en said, "Get out of here, GOD was too busy, so HE sent me to bounce you!"
Another Non-Believer was lost in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean (where all the four hemispheres meet) during a storm that destroyed his Panama Expedition raft en for the first time, he begged GOD for help. After two minutes, a man rowing a small boat made from banana stems came by but he refused to board saying GOD would help, "He's supposed to come in a Big Boat since he claims to be BIG." Later, a Pesticide spraying helicopter lowered a rope and the atheist again told the pilot that he had alerted GOD to come en save him. Then a great white shark came and swallowed him. After death, he asked GOD why HE didn't help him but GOD replied, "I sent the boat en air rescue, but you still didn't believe in me."
Cheers!
Monday, April 11, 2011
The Beginning of 3D-CG in UG
One of the Most Complex en Painstaking Visual Arts is 3D Animation, a sister to CGI used in Movies. Before the turn of the Millenium (2000), many Ugandans, namely US based Solomon Jagwe (Soreel Graphix), UK taught Yunus Sebyala (X-Toons Animations) en Wales graduate David Masanso (Crossroads Digital Media) had started experimenting seriously with 3D Animation Graphics. Nevertheless, by 2011, the Animation Industry in the Pearl of Africa was still regarded as "Young but growing fast" and it will never die despite the challenges. I remember in the 1990s, there was a Privatisation Campaign brilliantly animated for TV. I wonder where it was done. One of the major challenges in UG though is Production Capital, not only monetary but also technological skills. If upcoming animators and enthusiastic 3D artists keep trying new tricks, more improved work can be produced. Learn from the best! Tra-Digital Animation is also recommended by experts. It blends both the old en new, traditional hand-drawn en digital. TDA takes the Best of Both Worlds en explores new possibilities in storytelling. We should never think that the medium alone, in this case 3D Animation produced using 3ds max, Maya, Mental Ray, Blender, Vue 7, Poser, ZBrush or LightWave (used to make Titanic, Avatar, 300, Iron Man en Finding Nemo), tells the story. TDA is also a great supplement, en so is Google SketchUp Pro used to design Google Earth Maps.
In 2010, Makerere University Kampala and Digimation UK entered a partnership to conduct Digital Animation Courses in the well facilitated Faculty of Computing en I.T. Meanwhile, Artfield Institute in Naguru near Kembabazi en Rescue was also founded to offer courses in 3D Animation en Graphic Design.
Some notable animations from UG include the MTN "Yori Yori" Caller Tunez TV Commercial (by Phantom in Nsambya) though some think it's from RSA; Animated Snippets mixed with realtime Video Footage of Youth in "Lwaki (Why?)" by EYEZEE OMUWANDUZI ft. SANDSOUL; the Animated Video for "You Want Another Rap" by the Most Excellent Rapper SEVO (Uganda's President) produced by Yunus en his crew that included (NTV) Mini Buzz Cartoonist Jimelux Tashobya; Galiwango: Obulamu Bwe'Kisodde/ The Life of a Gorilla (Luganda Animated Film), female Hiphop sensation KEKO's Animated Video, another Music Video combining human footage with animations entitled "Uganda Yange" by Swedish-based GEROCK and more...
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Jesus is Superior ...
Below are some of the life transforming teachings I managed to grasp during Andrew Wommack's Ministers' Conference at Serena Hotel Kampala's Victoria Hall on Saturday 18th July 2009. Before he came, his TV shows, books and internet articles had emphasized to me a truth I have been exploring for about a dozen years now, "Hypocrites (Religious Pharisees) can also be mistaken to be Saints." I actually wrote a short story entitled "The Wrong Train to Heaven" exploring this topic inspired by my own new life and a storyline from a nightmare I had seen close to the end of the previous millenium while studying at St. Mary's College Kisubi (1997 to 2000). Believe me, Hypocrites rot in the Lowest Part of Hell; we preach one thing and then live another. Why? It's because we are still human. Our bodies still have sin in them, but the decay varies in different people depending on whether you listen more to GOD's Holy Spirit or the Devil's agents and demons. Sometimes I feel our righteousness (even if not pretended) is like torn very ancient rags compared to GOD's exquisite and flawless designer fashion." Never put faith in your own works; only Jesus can save us. Galatians 2: 20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of GOD, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
"Jesus is like the epitome of worth. His value is as great as the whole universe, so when GOD sends him to die for all of us, we should be proud that we are worth all of that. This joy and pride can even make a statue shout. (Talk of stones praising His name if we human beings don't). It's good to fear GOD but even better to love HIM. Love makes you live a holy life as if by accident. You become prone to holiness. When you accept Christ, your spirit becomes like His - You are righteous even though your mind and body are different. The flesh will repeatedly wrestle against the spirit but that's a No Contest as long as you never commit the one sin that will take people to hell which is rejecting John 16: 9 (Of sin, because they do not believe in Me;). Jesus bought salvation for our souls, so live free. Tithe in order to get more money to tithe. When you tithe, everything is provided to you supernaturally. (What you need to do is get rid of the worry that if you tithe even the last Shilling banknote you have, you will have nothing left! GOD provides in mysterious ways.) We are all on the same level, there is no need for cloaks and collars to differentiate the clergy from the laity. We are all ministers, equal at the foot of the cross. There is nothing like there are some who know GOD more. Before Christianity went to Mexico, they had a big temple built for a GOD who appeared in three different forms, the same happened in Vietnam. We are supposed to pray the LORD's Prayer, not recite it like religious fanatics do. Every culture has an in built sense of GOD and the conscience to differentiate between what is right and what is ungodly or (un-GODlike). The latter is punishable, so must always be avoided. I cannot commit adultery at the moment however much you tempt me because I love GOD and my wife. Thieves do not have love for their victims, prostitutes do not love their clients nor themselves."
Before a two hour lunch break, Andrew thanked a number of people who helped in the operations in his ministry. One of them, Leland Shores who manages Andrew Wommack's Bookshop at Shop 39 Cham Towers (Former UCB Main Building) on Kampala Road revealed that after the previous evening's conference, while returning to his rest place, Andrew commented that among all the nations in the world he had been to, the people of Uganda understood his message fastest even though it took Andrew about two decades to figure out what he preached to Ugandans during his conference. I used to watch Andrew's TV show almost regularly ever since I learnt, close to the end of 2008, that it shows on LTV. Why did it take this long for me to notice? GOD forgive me!
Andrew preaches about exactly the same thing I have been trying to figure out ever since I accepted Jesus into my rotten heart (1997) and then had a demon of 'Pretended Holiness (Hypocrisy)' cast out of me (2000). I learnt a lot from Andrew during 2009 and even bought a book entitled "A Better Way to Pray". The conference was also very eye opening, the thoughts were clear and liberating. He confessed, "I am a plain preacher, I do not shout and show theatrics because I am promoting Jesus not myself. I have kept myself holy and avoided sin so that I can set other people free. Sin is not just breaking a commandment but also failing to do what you know is the right thing to do. Religion has made people compromise with so many Bible truths, but it does not mean we follow the rules to the nail and become robots (like the ones in Will Smith's film entitled 'iRobot'). I used to preach against skirts above the knee but stopped. We need to free up our souls and know that GOD is love not an angry being who is ready to kill us anytime we sin even in our minds. (I believe dressing is not the matter, what matters is self control. In Australia, women dress scantily but it is not a shameful issue, the issue is men's minds. If you do not dress your mind, even a well dressed woman - well covered like an Afghan woman in a Muslim 'Burka' - can become an object of your lust. Besides, ancient Africans used to walk naked while others only covered themselves with leaves but committing adultery, fornication, defilement or rape was punished by death.)
Here is a summary of Andrew Wommack's message, "GOD has given us mercy through Jesus Christ but we should not take that as a license to continue sinning. You can even self destruct if the Devil implants his religious doctrines into your mind and goes on vacation. What you need to know is that the righteous things you do cannot save you, only Jesus can save you. So when you sin, GOD forbid, He is the Holy Grace to save you."
Andrew gave away some of his books and recommended that people read the one about "Self Centredness". Joyce Meyer actually ordered for 100 copies and gave to her ministry team. When you sow the word in people, it germinates eventually.
"Jesus is like the epitome of worth. His value is as great as the whole universe, so when GOD sends him to die for all of us, we should be proud that we are worth all of that. This joy and pride can even make a statue shout. (Talk of stones praising His name if we human beings don't). It's good to fear GOD but even better to love HIM. Love makes you live a holy life as if by accident. You become prone to holiness. When you accept Christ, your spirit becomes like His - You are righteous even though your mind and body are different. The flesh will repeatedly wrestle against the spirit but that's a No Contest as long as you never commit the one sin that will take people to hell which is rejecting John 16: 9 (Of sin, because they do not believe in Me;). Jesus bought salvation for our souls, so live free. Tithe in order to get more money to tithe. When you tithe, everything is provided to you supernaturally. (What you need to do is get rid of the worry that if you tithe even the last Shilling banknote you have, you will have nothing left! GOD provides in mysterious ways.) We are all on the same level, there is no need for cloaks and collars to differentiate the clergy from the laity. We are all ministers, equal at the foot of the cross. There is nothing like there are some who know GOD more. Before Christianity went to Mexico, they had a big temple built for a GOD who appeared in three different forms, the same happened in Vietnam. We are supposed to pray the LORD's Prayer, not recite it like religious fanatics do. Every culture has an in built sense of GOD and the conscience to differentiate between what is right and what is ungodly or (un-GODlike). The latter is punishable, so must always be avoided. I cannot commit adultery at the moment however much you tempt me because I love GOD and my wife. Thieves do not have love for their victims, prostitutes do not love their clients nor themselves."
Before a two hour lunch break, Andrew thanked a number of people who helped in the operations in his ministry. One of them, Leland Shores who manages Andrew Wommack's Bookshop at Shop 39 Cham Towers (Former UCB Main Building) on Kampala Road revealed that after the previous evening's conference, while returning to his rest place, Andrew commented that among all the nations in the world he had been to, the people of Uganda understood his message fastest even though it took Andrew about two decades to figure out what he preached to Ugandans during his conference. I used to watch Andrew's TV show almost regularly ever since I learnt, close to the end of 2008, that it shows on LTV. Why did it take this long for me to notice? GOD forgive me!
Andrew preaches about exactly the same thing I have been trying to figure out ever since I accepted Jesus into my rotten heart (1997) and then had a demon of 'Pretended Holiness (Hypocrisy)' cast out of me (2000). I learnt a lot from Andrew during 2009 and even bought a book entitled "A Better Way to Pray". The conference was also very eye opening, the thoughts were clear and liberating. He confessed, "I am a plain preacher, I do not shout and show theatrics because I am promoting Jesus not myself. I have kept myself holy and avoided sin so that I can set other people free. Sin is not just breaking a commandment but also failing to do what you know is the right thing to do. Religion has made people compromise with so many Bible truths, but it does not mean we follow the rules to the nail and become robots (like the ones in Will Smith's film entitled 'iRobot'). I used to preach against skirts above the knee but stopped. We need to free up our souls and know that GOD is love not an angry being who is ready to kill us anytime we sin even in our minds. (I believe dressing is not the matter, what matters is self control. In Australia, women dress scantily but it is not a shameful issue, the issue is men's minds. If you do not dress your mind, even a well dressed woman - well covered like an Afghan woman in a Muslim 'Burka' - can become an object of your lust. Besides, ancient Africans used to walk naked while others only covered themselves with leaves but committing adultery, fornication, defilement or rape was punished by death.)
Here is a summary of Andrew Wommack's message, "GOD has given us mercy through Jesus Christ but we should not take that as a license to continue sinning. You can even self destruct if the Devil implants his religious doctrines into your mind and goes on vacation. What you need to know is that the righteous things you do cannot save you, only Jesus can save you. So when you sin, GOD forbid, He is the Holy Grace to save you."
Andrew gave away some of his books and recommended that people read the one about "Self Centredness". Joyce Meyer actually ordered for 100 copies and gave to her ministry team. When you sow the word in people, it germinates eventually.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
No War in Kampala
To pessimists, it seemed like the beginning of another Government versus Kabaka saga similar to the one in 1966 that ousted Kabaka Sir Edward Muteesa II, the father of the current king, but even after the first day of riots, you could see where everything was going to end: Victory for peace loving Baganda and Museveni who is, in the first place, actually the reason why there is a Kabaka today plus other cultural leaders including that of the Banyala who were the antagonists in question. They would not accept the Kabaka in their territory hence the cancelling of the trip by Government. There was no reason why Buganda administrators overlooked intelligence warnings that they may not be safe visiting Bugerere. It was for their good but they took it as an invasion of their autonomy. I respect the Kabaka and Buganda cultural values (even if I am not a Muganda, maybe am from Burooli, I'm not sure!) but this time I think they took their freedom and passion a mile further by rejecting helpful information. Government is in the business of preventing chaos and so they have their eyes wide open, they can speculate where insurgencies can occur. I trust them on that and that is exactly the reason why I went to town on Friday 11th September 2009 (8th Anniversary of the World Trade Centre Bombings in New York) to book my Gaagaa ticket from Kampala to the northwest. I wasn't "running from a war" like my first nephew kept insisting humorously when I finally reached my destination safely the following day. A constructor near the Gaagaa booking office on Wilson Road actually remarked that he was born in Kampala and the ongoing rioting was one of "the weakest he had ever seen in his entire downtown experience". I actually spent about two hours at an Arua Park Restaurant with my old boy Grace who was going to disembark in Nebbi later that day. He had missed his 7 O'Clock bus because of fearful radio reports warning of more chaos erupting. (Now that is where the media goes wrong sometimes, no wonder three radio stations were closed by that afternoon) There was no need to panic, the city wasn't on fire nor at war. Grace's friends kept calling him to ask where they had reached. He was still in Kampala, hahaha, safe and sound not because the route was unsafe but because he had changed his departure time. Only one coach was left and it was going up to Koboko that day (like our 7.30 AM bus on Saturday) and so it took all the remaining few travellers.
There were very few taxis, most were on some sort of strike. Those on the streets were ferrying people into the suburbs away from the City Centre. It's good they did not operate because I can tell you that the number of people on Kampala streets that Friday was worse than on public holidays. Almost all shops were closed because of fear of looters and people stayed home except for brave souls like me (Am not bragging that I do not fear gun battles, they were actually going on in the background as I approached the city centre. I was just cocksure civilians would not risk confronting army men and I had a Sunday deadline to beat upcountry, so I had to be very brave). Tyres were burnt Thursday and Friday in Bwaise and other surburbs outside the city sparking off Police gunshots that killed a few people. Rioters did so many crazy things including assaulting Policemen but when M7's army from as far as the Gaddafi Barracks in Jinja was brought in, you could see that there was NO CONTEST. I couldn't even imagine a war between civilian hoodlums and Uganda's army. That would be total whitewash hence the raised arms when army guys started whipping stubborn pedestrians in the city. No wonder a number of days later at a UN Conference, M7 en Gaddafi both warned that cultural institutions should never be involved in politics. As a ray of sunshine, M7 finally met the Kabaka in the first week of October 2009 after two years of trying to reach 'Magulunyondo' (Iron Feet) and both commented that the meeting went well. Please smile, there was No War! Long live President Museveni and the Kabaka!
There were very few taxis, most were on some sort of strike. Those on the streets were ferrying people into the suburbs away from the City Centre. It's good they did not operate because I can tell you that the number of people on Kampala streets that Friday was worse than on public holidays. Almost all shops were closed because of fear of looters and people stayed home except for brave souls like me (Am not bragging that I do not fear gun battles, they were actually going on in the background as I approached the city centre. I was just cocksure civilians would not risk confronting army men and I had a Sunday deadline to beat upcountry, so I had to be very brave). Tyres were burnt Thursday and Friday in Bwaise and other surburbs outside the city sparking off Police gunshots that killed a few people. Rioters did so many crazy things including assaulting Policemen but when M7's army from as far as the Gaddafi Barracks in Jinja was brought in, you could see that there was NO CONTEST. I couldn't even imagine a war between civilian hoodlums and Uganda's army. That would be total whitewash hence the raised arms when army guys started whipping stubborn pedestrians in the city. No wonder a number of days later at a UN Conference, M7 en Gaddafi both warned that cultural institutions should never be involved in politics. As a ray of sunshine, M7 finally met the Kabaka in the first week of October 2009 after two years of trying to reach 'Magulunyondo' (Iron Feet) and both commented that the meeting went well. Please smile, there was No War! Long live President Museveni and the Kabaka!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Graffiti Skills taught to Me by Imran Azad
"Innovation Katogo" was the theme for the last Wapi Event in 2008 (organised by the British Council plus Silk Events) and I managed to spray paint my very first amateur Graffiti before making my annual Christmas pilgrimage to Arua Town the next weekend (Didn't even attend my Old Fellow Jona's Wedding).
Trivia: My very first professional painting was around August 2007 but it wasn't graffiti, just an interior decoration for an old boy. The second followed immediately just before CHOGM.
Imran Azad, the uniquely colourful artist taught me some valuable techniques I applied to produce my 'INOV8RZ' Graffiti piece. Someone said he liked the way I did the Z, I liked it too. Not bad overall but I felt I needed to do much better than I did, paint dripped in some areas even after I started fantastically. I lost my nerve somehow close to the climax and even held my spray-can with two hands. Some stranger who came late and couldn't get a board wanted to help me finish my name smoothly. I let him do it; he advised me to spray once (that is continuously) while creating a letter. Another guy asked me to spray on his trousers, wow! Was that fan courtesy? Naah, I think I was just available. Roland who did a live painting during Kirk Franklin's previous Serena Concert was on my right side. The girl on my left side was also doing it for her first time and told her friends I was quite 'good' despite everything else but the highlight guy whom my second cousin Edwin (holding a videocam) told me to check out was a white painter whose meticulous touch was so smooth that it attracted several watchers. Owl (real name Derrick Muhiirwa) had remarkable stuff near the fence. Imran , my mentor was also loud with about two pieces. The master (who bravely appeared in Desire Luzinda’s song “Bingi” while other men shunned the bare-chested role in the video) painted great stuff too. He later confessed that I did better than he thought I would on my first attempt. I know that everybody has a certain talent but we need practice to perfect our disciplines.
Here are a few guidelines he shared with me before and during the December drill. I have chosen to summarise them into seven entries:
1. Spray from a distance, it may be faint but it prevents the dripping of paint. (Remember to always wear a mask covering your nose to avoid poisoning!)
2. Learn to use the index finger, weaker than the thumb but allows flexibility. The thumb may not give you very good results compared to the index finger (aka second or forefinger)
3. Do not try to rub away paint when there is another colour around, will cause a mixture and result in a new colour
4. Be free (and not uneasy). Don't be nervous, relax, YOU CAN DO IT! (He said that just about the time Obama became the First Black President of America)
5. To create a line that is smooth, depress the aerosol and spray once while making lines
6. To keep the paint mixed, you can turn the can upside down in addition to shaking
7. Start by spraying light colours like yellow first, then add dark ones (Personally, I don't mind the reverse as long as you know your vision)
Trivia: My very first professional painting was around August 2007 but it wasn't graffiti, just an interior decoration for an old boy. The second followed immediately just before CHOGM.
Imran Azad, the uniquely colourful artist taught me some valuable techniques I applied to produce my 'INOV8RZ' Graffiti piece. Someone said he liked the way I did the Z, I liked it too. Not bad overall but I felt I needed to do much better than I did, paint dripped in some areas even after I started fantastically. I lost my nerve somehow close to the climax and even held my spray-can with two hands. Some stranger who came late and couldn't get a board wanted to help me finish my name smoothly. I let him do it; he advised me to spray once (that is continuously) while creating a letter. Another guy asked me to spray on his trousers, wow! Was that fan courtesy? Naah, I think I was just available. Roland who did a live painting during Kirk Franklin's previous Serena Concert was on my right side. The girl on my left side was also doing it for her first time and told her friends I was quite 'good' despite everything else but the highlight guy whom my second cousin Edwin (holding a videocam) told me to check out was a white painter whose meticulous touch was so smooth that it attracted several watchers. Owl (real name Derrick Muhiirwa) had remarkable stuff near the fence. Imran , my mentor was also loud with about two pieces. The master (who bravely appeared in Desire Luzinda’s song “Bingi” while other men shunned the bare-chested role in the video) painted great stuff too. He later confessed that I did better than he thought I would on my first attempt. I know that everybody has a certain talent but we need practice to perfect our disciplines.
Here are a few guidelines he shared with me before and during the December drill. I have chosen to summarise them into seven entries:
1. Spray from a distance, it may be faint but it prevents the dripping of paint. (Remember to always wear a mask covering your nose to avoid poisoning!)
2. Learn to use the index finger, weaker than the thumb but allows flexibility. The thumb may not give you very good results compared to the index finger (aka second or forefinger)
3. Do not try to rub away paint when there is another colour around, will cause a mixture and result in a new colour
4. Be free (and not uneasy). Don't be nervous, relax, YOU CAN DO IT! (He said that just about the time Obama became the First Black President of America)
5. To create a line that is smooth, depress the aerosol and spray once while making lines
6. To keep the paint mixed, you can turn the can upside down in addition to shaking
7. Start by spraying light colours like yellow first, then add dark ones (Personally, I don't mind the reverse as long as you know your vision)
Monday, July 13, 2009
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 canned. 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.”
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 canned. 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.”
Koyi Koyi (by GNL Zamba) Lyrics
The groundbreaking video for this upbeat song (Title song for his Album) was shot in Entebbe, Uganda’s Flyest Town. Their neighbourhood was the kind with its own president (forget the one in the renovated State House). The people there are so unique they do not speak Luganda but understand the language in music. GNL’s crew arrived late at the venue because it had rained. Getting extras was hard. The crew looked like Police so the locals played it safe but when GNL took his hood off, they knew it was the “Soda Ginjale” guy and relaxed. The bandages on GNL’s body are meant to symbolize hiphop, picture a Ugandan mummy. Hiphop is like a dead pharaoh and GNL is supposed to reawaken the genre that’s why he takes off the bandages at The End. The camera was shaky because he held it in his hand while running in one scene. This filming technique is like one used by Xzibit in one of his videos, the only difference is that the American had the camera strapped by metal rods to his body. GNL tripped over a stone and people laughed but “it was enjoyable…”
[CHORUS:] [Koyi koyi, (Ndya) X2, Ono akilya, Oli akilya. Wulira wenkilya ] X2
[VERSE ONE:]
Banzalira mu ghetto, awatali mu?to
GNL Zamba ndinga omwana Yesu Kristo
GNL nze jena va, abana teba mbala ngato
Enkuba wetonya, oku vayo obera wetaga lyato
Okubera wano namwe nze kyali kiloto
Nawandika nga rhymes zange mwana ku tadoba
Charlie wange P-Tek nangamba nti, "Man, toloba! Luliba lumu wolifuna nekiriba."
Kati laba ye nze ali ku MTV ne Jam Agenda
Byenkola ku kazindalo ba Charlie babitenda
Ndemede ku nsonga kati ninga Andrew Mwenda
Manyi jenva ate manyi jengenda
Njukira webangambanga nti, “GNL tomalako!”
Naye kati malako ba Charlie nzanya 90 [kyenda]
Miziki jenkuba kati mujiwulira mubyenda
Manyi jenva ate era manyi jengenda
[CHORUS:]
[VERSE TWO:]
Eno ensi tulinga aba nyiga olwazi okulujamu amazi
Mpita mu Kampala ndaba banji ba tunula angazi
Abavubuka enaku zino ebizibu biba goba nga abasezi
Wembera nkuba rhyme nange ndaba abachwezi
Naye nenfuna hope nga face yange nji laba ku mwezi
Muvubuka lemerako nga oba Sylvester ne Abrams,
Lemerako nga onyonya answer to the riddle of koyi koyi
Wade nga obulamu bwocha nga fumbiro ya Sitani
Wade nga olinga ayetise enjovu tano ku minzani
Nga ne obulamu bukusala nga ebiso bya ba sultan
Koyi koyi oteka kubare ne plan, nze njukira gwali 2005 [Nkumi biri mu tano]
Big Brother weyachakira wano ne Gaetano
Nali ku East Africa TV mwana Channel 5 [Tano], wenasoka okukuba rap mululimi olwawano
Shadrak nampita, Mother Africa ne ba All-Star
Tulidewo award, twalina squad
Nga mukuwandula ebigambo tubera nga abasilikale mu Baghdad
GNL kati nkomyewo
Album bajiyita ‘Koyi Koyi’, njije ku writing pad
[CHORUS:]
[VERSE TWO:]
Wali olabye omusajja omukulu nga akaba amaziga
Nagezako okuseka nga naye Enaku emunyiga
Wali olabyeko bano eno ba R ‘n’ B singer, bafanana nga entebbe nkalu kulunaku lwa launchinga
Oyo sexy golaba bamuyita nankinga
Womulaba mubala, gwe olowoza achillinga, kumbe mwana muwala nga omubiri gwe gwa dealinga
Okulaba ntino afunira abanabe obulamu obusinga
Mu buno obulamu obulinga obwe nyanya
Sente mwana watu tezilabika gwe newo ozinonya
Nze jensula landlord ambanja nkumi nya, buli lwe mulaba musala ebikuubo nga omunya
Nga ate wensula watonya
Obulamu nga oli mwavu obera nga ekyenyanja mu kamwa ka gonya
Chova olaba nonya answer ya koyi koyi, nonya
Ndiku stage, nonya answer ya koyi koyi, nonya
Abali ku boda boda, aba taxi, abali ku byenyanja, aba fuba
Bona banonya answer ya koyi koyi (Koyi koyi X3) What?
[OUTRO:] Platinum Entertainment baby, Baboon Forest Entertainment baby, It’s your boy GNL, your boy Sam, right? Hiphop we taking over men. Ey yo, ey yo! This song goes out to everybody that knew me when I was broke, right? My father, my mother, my sister Sef?, Emron, Shadrak, what up, hahaha! (We) taking over men, (Koyi koyi ndya X3)
[CHORUS:] [Koyi koyi, (Ndya) X2, Ono akilya, Oli akilya. Wulira wenkilya ] X2
[VERSE ONE:]
Banzalira mu ghetto, awatali mu?to
GNL Zamba ndinga omwana Yesu Kristo
GNL nze jena va, abana teba mbala ngato
Enkuba wetonya, oku vayo obera wetaga lyato
Okubera wano namwe nze kyali kiloto
Nawandika nga rhymes zange mwana ku tadoba
Charlie wange P-Tek nangamba nti, "Man, toloba! Luliba lumu wolifuna nekiriba."
Kati laba ye nze ali ku MTV ne Jam Agenda
Byenkola ku kazindalo ba Charlie babitenda
Ndemede ku nsonga kati ninga Andrew Mwenda
Manyi jenva ate manyi jengenda
Njukira webangambanga nti, “GNL tomalako!”
Naye kati malako ba Charlie nzanya 90 [kyenda]
Miziki jenkuba kati mujiwulira mubyenda
Manyi jenva ate era manyi jengenda
[CHORUS:]
[VERSE TWO:]
Eno ensi tulinga aba nyiga olwazi okulujamu amazi
Mpita mu Kampala ndaba banji ba tunula angazi
Abavubuka enaku zino ebizibu biba goba nga abasezi
Wembera nkuba rhyme nange ndaba abachwezi
Naye nenfuna hope nga face yange nji laba ku mwezi
Muvubuka lemerako nga oba Sylvester ne Abrams,
Lemerako nga onyonya answer to the riddle of koyi koyi
Wade nga obulamu bwocha nga fumbiro ya Sitani
Wade nga olinga ayetise enjovu tano ku minzani
Nga ne obulamu bukusala nga ebiso bya ba sultan
Koyi koyi oteka kubare ne plan, nze njukira gwali 2005 [Nkumi biri mu tano]
Big Brother weyachakira wano ne Gaetano
Nali ku East Africa TV mwana Channel 5 [Tano], wenasoka okukuba rap mululimi olwawano
Shadrak nampita, Mother Africa ne ba All-Star
Tulidewo award, twalina squad
Nga mukuwandula ebigambo tubera nga abasilikale mu Baghdad
GNL kati nkomyewo
Album bajiyita ‘Koyi Koyi’, njije ku writing pad
[CHORUS:]
[VERSE TWO:]
Wali olabye omusajja omukulu nga akaba amaziga
Nagezako okuseka nga naye Enaku emunyiga
Wali olabyeko bano eno ba R ‘n’ B singer, bafanana nga entebbe nkalu kulunaku lwa launchinga
Oyo sexy golaba bamuyita nankinga
Womulaba mubala, gwe olowoza achillinga, kumbe mwana muwala nga omubiri gwe gwa dealinga
Okulaba ntino afunira abanabe obulamu obusinga
Mu buno obulamu obulinga obwe nyanya
Sente mwana watu tezilabika gwe newo ozinonya
Nze jensula landlord ambanja nkumi nya, buli lwe mulaba musala ebikuubo nga omunya
Nga ate wensula watonya
Obulamu nga oli mwavu obera nga ekyenyanja mu kamwa ka gonya
Chova olaba nonya answer ya koyi koyi, nonya
Ndiku stage, nonya answer ya koyi koyi, nonya
Abali ku boda boda, aba taxi, abali ku byenyanja, aba fuba
Bona banonya answer ya koyi koyi (Koyi koyi X3) What?
[OUTRO:] Platinum Entertainment baby, Baboon Forest Entertainment baby, It’s your boy GNL, your boy Sam, right? Hiphop we taking over men. Ey yo, ey yo! This song goes out to everybody that knew me when I was broke, right? My father, my mother, my sister Sef?, Emron, Shadrak, what up, hahaha! (We) taking over men, (Koyi koyi ndya X3)
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