Echoes of Manyatta: Edward Sembatya's PhD Performance

The School for the Contemporary Arts respectfully acknowledges the unceded traditional territories including, the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations, on which SFU Vancouver is located.

Echoes of Manyatta

Echoes of Manyatta is a poignant, stirring dance production that explores the intricate dynamics of the Karamojong community. Through the language of movements, texture, polyrhythms, call and response, speed, and control, Echoes of Manyatta captures the raw emotions and resilient spirit of the Karamojongs. The dancers embody the strength, perseverance, struggles, tenacity, chaos, resilience, and aspirations of a people locked in a cycle of historical disputes, portraying their daily lives and the echoes of their ancestral land. This performance is a recontextualization of the narratives, movements, and socio-historical knowledge inherent in the Angema, Achemchem, Ayopo, Ekaro, and Naleyo dances of the Karamojong people. It explores significant dichotomies, illustrating how traditional customs occasionally conflict with contemporary realities and how these tensions influence a community's collective identity. The production invites you to experience the deep-seated traditions and the transformative contemporary influences that continue to shape and challenge the lives and futures of the Karamojong people. A Manyatta/Ere is a typical Karamojong traditional homestead built in an enclosed, encircled residential area featuring a small access point for people and a bigger entryway for cattle. It comprises several families and shared areas for livestock.

While some of these practices are only performed in their place of origin, others (such as yoga and flamenco) take place worldwide. (Loiacono and Julia1).

Echoes of Manyatta serves as the practical element of Edward Sembatya’s research, entitled Performing the Old in the New: African Indigenous Dances in New Bodies, Spaces, Frameworks, and Contexts in the 21st Century. The primary focus of his research is on the teaching, learning, and performance of African Indigenous dance in environments, bodies, and locations that are distinct from their original settings. Specifically, he is looking at the Angema, Achemchem, Ayopo, Ekaro, and Naleyo dances performed by the Karamajong people in northeastern Uganda. His research delves into the themes of interculturalism, cultural appropriation and appreciation, identity, Sankofa, Obuntu/Ubunntu, dance as intangible cultural heritage, decolonization, and cultural deconstruction, among others. The project integrates artistic expressions with academic research. The project provides a reflective and immersive experience, highlighting the trajectories of Edward’s ethnographic research and the lived realities of the Karamojong.

For ethical considerations, and respect for the community in which this research was conducted, portions of the proceedings will be allocated to the community leaders.

Credits:

Choreographer:

Edward Sembatya

Dancers:

Daniel Steele, Safiyah Brito, Ellen Harris, Claire Whitelaw, Liam Hurley, Ashley Sankaran-Wee, and Soleil Mousseau

Music Composition and Production:

Keith Mugenyi

Technical Team:

Coco Zhou, Jessica Kwon, Emily Neumann, Ben Rogalsky, and Miles Lavkulich

Ugandan collaborators and translators:

Karamojong elders of Longaloi, Nakaperimoru, and Kotido trading Centre and the team is headed by Lotukei Gabriel; Chala Lucia, Modo Promise, Robert Anguro, and Gloria Napayo

Please visit https://www.sfu.ca/sca/events---news/events/echoes-of-manyatta.htmlfor more credits and biographies.

Thanks:

The committees, Prof. Henry Daniel, Dr. Laura Marks and Dr. Maureen Kakiika, for their academic and artistic guidance.

At the SCA, I am grateful to Rob Kitsos, Marla Eist, Justine Chambers, Director SCA Peter Dickinson, Associate Director Judy Radul, and the entire SCA teaching and non-teaching staff. You have consistently fostered a nurturing and supportive environment for both creative and academic excellence.

Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to all the artists, students, and African-based organizations I have taught in Vancouver and other parts of BC. You have all contributed immensely to this project.

I am thankful to the Almighty for the gift of knowledge and direction over this creative path.

This event may be photographed for archival purposes. By attending this event, you consent to potentially be on camera as part of the audience.