The Makaramba Project is empowering the path from a culture of violence to a cultural peace (Demilitarizing the Mind). Its program uses culture and art for reconciliation and conflict coping mechanism by artistic expression, communities exchange and is promoting the diversity of culture.
This peace through art and culture programs is a part of the socio-cultural Makaramba project initiated by TRANSCEND AFRICA Network earlier in January 2008 gathering local Artists, craft groups in Kampala with mostly displaced and refugees from D.R.Congo, Burundi, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea, Rwanda, and Kenya. The Makaramba Project carries out various aspects of cultural and artistic activities such as drama, comptemporary and traditional dances, exhibitions, and poetry in combination with research, debates, and training. The Project aims to offer tools of expression as well as a step to self definition, and determination regarding cultural identity and self documentation of the conflict history in the region, and really introducing or creating visions for a time beyond the conflict. As a platform promoting free speech/word and democratic values, the Makaramba project provides a space for discussing culture, identity and developing coping skills for healing through art and culture. Here culture is seen as a dynamic process which is negotiated in each act unlike the different interpretations.
Why Makaramba?
MAKARAMBA is word used in sub-Saharan Africa particularly in Zambia and D.R.Congo to lift awareness in time of uncertainty. In Zambia, the word can mean also “come and see”, and in the Congo various group may use the word to point out a problem happening in the community. For example “Mokili Makaramba” was widely used by displaced people in the oriental region during the civil war in 1999 only to mean that the “world going wrong”. Makaramba however is not a negative word but a term to be used for awareness, for prevention remembering us when something wrong is going on in the community. It is a term that allows community members to pose the question and discuss on issues to find a solution.
MAKARAMBA art initiative, it is joint initiative between young people from different background Uganda, Congo, Rwanda, Sudan, Ethiopia establish in January 2008 in Kampala. This non-profit initiative aim to support the youth, boys and girls through ar
tistic performance, display and exhibition using filmmaking, painting, sculpture, contemporary dance, drama and photography for tolerance, acceptance and peace in the society.
Especially in the conflict ridden Great-Lakes region such a project give a mouth piece to unpopular topics, empower reconciliation with the past and build up a vision for the future. Not only war and conflict but also the dilemma of humanitarian aid which often influences and damages healthy relationship towards people cultural identity in the region. Over 2 million people are displaced throughout the region. Uganda itself as receptacle of various group of refugees, must cope with 22 years persisting conflict effect in the northern part which has spread a culture of violence which has causes prejudices between various ethnical groups. Therefore <!–[if !vml]–><!–[endif]–>Makaramba offers a space for young people who have experienced traumatizing events notably refugees, internal displaced people, orphans, street children, victims of sexual harassment…, helping them to boost their esteem and self-confidence as well as empowering them to develop a common vision for a better future.
Blending in cultural diversity, we believe that by bonding and accepting each for their own cultural background; we can embrace together and adopt oneness that allows each one in their own way to narrate their cultural values and yet remain unbiased. Makaramba want to bring people together and foster unbiased intercultural dialogue between the North and the South
Conclusion: The project targets to support a sustainable and deep structural peace by dialogue. The dualism between tradition and modernity will be transformed by a combination of drama, exhibitions, movies, radio live debates and further forms of expression. The project is to build dialogue groups within the neighboring regions.
