The art of laughter and giving
Australian comedian Judith Lucy expands her repertoire to the vaginas of African women but says she’s way cooler than Bono. [raw][/raw] [wptab name=’Page 1′] Behind a drop-toilet block in the crisp highlands of the Kween district in eastern Uganda, almost thirty women are assembled. Three of them are white: Judith Lucy, an ActionAid staffer and me, […]
Abedi: the stove-maker, the change-maker
[raw][/raw] Through the eyes of an outsider, we see ‘The Lucky Country’ afresh. Omondi S. Abedi shares a rare perspective on Australia, commentating on poverty, wealth and leadership. His experience visiting Queensland is informed by his childhood in the slums of Kampala, Uganda and his steadfast attitude towards ‘white people’. Empowered with a more complex […]
‘At sea’ feeling anchored by penthouse apartment
The Kabira Country Club is as exclusive as it’s name sounds. It has an expansive, sparkling royal blue pool, a gym fancier than any I’ve been to and hosts a plethora of high-end political conferences. Sam and I go to Kabira every other day to go running and pretend like we’re not in this country […]
Theatre undresses culture
I’ve just come off stage. It’s the final night of the Valentine’s Day theatre show and I’ve finally nailed my Luganda lines. Sitting backstage for three hours each night, I’ve had a bit of time to chat and ask questions about aspects of Ugandan theatre and I’ve learned a lot. 1. If you speak Luganda […]
Muzungu stars in L-O-V-E theatre show
“Olimba!” I begin in Luganda. The men in the ‘club’ shriek in delight that I am speaking their local language. “Nze nina akabina. Temu kalabah kapapala.” The audience erupts and I shake my bum wildly, fuelling their fire. It’s Valentine’s Day and I am guest starring in a Ugandan variety theatre show of epic proportions. […]