Art and craft in Uganda
At 51, Uganda is young among nations but its heritage takes back to pre-historic times. To enrich this heritage, different people at different times have traveled into the country where their interactions with the indigenous people are fused with their culture. But then the story of Uganda is a story of 65 indigenous people located in 4 geographical regions. One quickly observes the differences and identities through the work of their artisans, craftsmen and artists. These people endeavor to decorate their functional objects not only to identify themselves but also attract users. Their work which has fused with others now constitutes Uganda’s art and crafts industry.
A visitor who visits a part of Uganda will carry away a craft or an art piece which should be an experience about the villages, cities, the landscapes, the environment and the way of life of the people. There are as many as experiences as there are varieties of art and crafts in Uganda and these varieties have attracted tourists from different parts of the world.
One of the greatest skills found allover Uganda is weaving although different people weave in a different way with a variety of material common to their environment. What the Ugandans are best to doing is baskets. They are professional basket weavers and they make world class baskets which are exported to other countries. Most of the nice-looking baskets come from western Uganda and there is a women group involving 165 women who have specialized in making these magnificent art-pieces. These baskets are colored using leaves and roots of plants and no chemical is used. These items are made primarily for home functions such as carrying and storing stuff. Today, these baskets have attained a good appeal and this has provided for a much needed household income.
In Uganda, the tradition is for children to make their own toys.They make these toys from every available material within their reach. Again the craft industry has seen their form of art. Children’s play things are now a major collection in the crafts shops. For those children in modern homes especially in towns who can’t make these toys, ask their parents to buy for them from the craft shops. Also tourists are fond of buying these artistic toys and take them for their children. Some of the most common toys that children love include; toy babies made from banana leaves, bicycles made from steal wires, cars made of steel wires and balls from grass. On your cultural visit to any of the villages in this “pearl of Africa”, you will get surprised to find a clique of young girls and boys playing with some of these rare toys.
Another attribute that portrays Uganda’s art and craft that you will embrace on your safari is the style of building. There are ancient buildings anciently designed in most of the towns. Some of these buildings were constructed by the Indians in the early 1900 using rare designs that are not found elsewhere. A drive through some of the major towns of Uganda like Kampala, Jinja, Mbale, Tororo, Mbarara, Masaka, will expose you to these buildings
All in all, Uganda is the best destination for visitors interested in enjoying an original cultural experience and also looking at some of the artistic materials which are not found elsewhere in the world.
