Resistant voices in African popular performance

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Periodical article

Title:	Resistant voices in African popular performance
Author:	Kasule, Sam
Year:	2007
Periodical:	African Performance Review
Volume:	1
Issue:	1
Pages:	38-49
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Uganda
Subjects:	performing arts popular music women artists
Abstract:	There are implicit opportunities in Ugandan theatre that allow us to explore the tensions of politics, culture, ethnicity and gender in a performance rooted in women's experience of growing up in a post Idi Amin Uganda. The prospects arise within uniquely layered popular performances integrating dialogue, play acting, song, and dance that interweave narratives of contemporary and past experiences. This paper investigates women's resistance strategies in the performance of popular theatre. The paper demonstrates that women in popular theatre are in an exceptional position because they have to struggle for the control of a space, and the power of their voice, in an art form dominated by men. As opposed to male performers, who sustain the traditional patriarchal concerns, themes dominating the works of female popular performers are female sexuality, male promiscuity and rediscovering the female voice. The author draws examples from various women's performances and productions, including Rose Mbowa's 'Mother Uganda' (1986), E.N. Zirimu's 'Family Spear' (1975), and popular female bands such as Kadongo Kamu (Picking Guitarists), Joy Nakimuli's Ebonies, and Joanita Kawalya's Afrigo Band. Bibliogr., sum. [Journal abstract]