His body swung to the left and then to the right. It gyrated as if possessed by a spirit. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead before turning into a small river that coursed down his face. the Kanzu on his back soon started turning from the snow white into shades of dark water marks as his body emitted sweat. The sweat created its own course that marked river—like boundaries down his back. He was too busy to spare time for us to even get his name.
A few meters away was 12-year-old David Ssenabulya, a pupil at Namilyango Boys Junior School, who was busy swaying in all directions playing the rondo, a piece of instrumental music in which the principal theme is repeated between at least two different tunes.
National festival
The two boys and many others were in final rehearsals at the National Theater as the 2011 National Primary School Dance and Drama Festival finals drew to crucial elimination stages for the more than 30 schools that made it to Kampala for this year’s final. But for all who participated, it was a worthwhile and befitting closure of the school term.
Senabulya had his eyes on the prize, winning the overall trophy for his school, to do this, he had the backing of his parents, teachers and colleagues, whom he knew whether present physically or not, were following and feeling every movement of any part of his body. “The first time I joined these Dance and Drama competitions in 2009, I thought my parents were going to get so bitter with me and force me to dropout, but when I consulted them, I was so surprised they told me to continue participating. That was the greatest moment in my life,” said Ssenabulya.
His school emerged the best in last year’s competition and represented Uganda’s primary schools on June 14 in the World Children’s Festival in Washington DC, USA. “We received a gold medal and US$1000,” Ssenabulya says. “I know our school will still win the annual National Primary school Music, Dance and Drama Festival here at the National Theater in Kampala,” he said confidently. The festival that has attracted close to 35 schools from all over the country, is aimed at motivating primary schools children both academically and socially.
This year’s theme is ‘East African Community alive, safe and learning.’ According to Mr Conelius Mwima, one of the chief organisers of the festival committee, this festival is one of the curriculum activities by the Ministry of Education and Sports for primary schools and normally takes place at the National Theater.
To mark this year’s festival, the East African Community anthem was sung. Other activities to mark the festival include drama, poems, creative dance, folk songs, and instrumental compositions, set pieces and speech making, among others. This year, only about thirty government and private schools participated because of inadequate funding at the districts, which has made transportation of students very hard, hence some schools have arrived for the festival late.
The schools participating in the festival include; Namilyango Junior Boys School in Mukono District, Kabale Preparatory School from Kabale District, Homing Dove International School in Adjumani and Bugunzi in Sironko District among others. Mr Felix Isingoma, the choir master of Namilyango Junior Boys School said: “This festival has helped the children a lot. They have had an opportunity of interacting with children from different cultures.”
Parents’ support
The parents of the children who are taking part in this festival have been called upon to support their children in promoting their talents because through these activities, they might be able to earn a living in future. In this festival, primary school children are going to have a chance to show off their talents and promote their cultural Heritage because culture is an identity. The best school is going to be awarded a trophy and other prizes will go to individual best performers in the various activities.