Visit to a Ugandan Kids’ Dance Troupe
by Esme (as dictated to her father)
Uganda is a sweet, spiritual place. But there are a lot of people who have misfortunes in their life. Many Ugandans are very poor. Sometimes, teenagers have kids, and sometimes kids are treated badly. Some can’t afford to go to school. Some are orphans. We met kids who work in a rock quarry—crushing rocks with a hammer or carrying rocks up steep cliffs.
We visited a group of kids outside of the capital city, Kampala, who went to classes at an organization called the Naggalabi Indigenous Community Theater, also known as NIT. The teachers at NIT, Eric and Sylvie, teach kids from the local community traditional Ugandan dances and to play drums from traditional communities. They also encourage the kids to stay in school and to talk about their problems.
The drive out to visit the kids at NIT took a long time because we got lost. When we finally arrived, the boys greeted us by standing in two rows and drumming fiercely and the girls by doing a traditional welcoming dance. It was a unique and vivid welcome.
We ended up staying for six hours. During that time, the kids at NIT performed several dances from all regions of Uganda. In my favorite dance, the girl dancers put more and more pots on their heads. They started out with two pots and by the time the dance was over, the girls had different amounts of pots balancing on their heads: one had three, one had five, one had six, and one had seven pots balanced on her head while dancing! Follow this link if you want to see some of the dance:
Some of the kids were especially friendly to me. One boy took me by the hand and showed me how to dance, but I was terrible.
Later, I taught the kids poetry. I wrote a few acrostic poems and asked them to read them, and then a few of the kids tried to write poems of their own.
For lunch we had a big feast cooked over an open fire. Eric and Sylvie and the kids treated us like really special guests. The end.
Four In Transit 
Hi Esme, thank you for your amazing words and wisdom. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful journey with us. We miss you but are so glad all is well and you are experiencing such a beautiful and spiritual culture like Uganda. Safe travels and please give hug hugs and kisses to your mom, dad and awesome brother. Sending lots of love from the Vineyard! xoxoxo Polly and Brad Simpkins
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be-au-tif-ul- gee -gee misses you mis you soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much i can’t even explain it . I’m learning so much in school my favorite teacher is miss bass even though she’s strict but it would be better if you where there :[ but attest your having a good time:] bye -lucy:]
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Hi Esme!
I loved reading your blog! I shared it with my friends at work. They are all impressed by what a great travel guide you are! I especially loved reading all the differences between the USA and Ethiopia that you have come across. And I LOVE the photo you took of the giraffe!
When I was 8, I was a pretty bad dancer, but I have found recently if you just throw your hands up in the air and let it all out it’s a great way to express yourself! Did you get to try dancing with pots on your head? Did you learn the significance of why they dance with pots on their heads?
I’m going to share your blog with Rosie. I look forward to reading more.
Love to you and your Mom, Dad and Roman!
Claire
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oh this is good. i enjoyed my evening reading about this for my fight time let it was posted long ago. thanks Blis for choosing to visit Nit.
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Wow you are so lucky to go to Uganda and see amazing dance troupes and dance with them! Right now I wish I was there with you! I am looking forward to watching all of your videos. Good bye and keep posting about your trip.
Love,
Chelsea
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Esme, Tom and I just read your stories about the animals and Uganda. Thank you, as usual funny and interesting. I’ve noticed that you another new bracelt. I love that you don’t loose your sense of style while traveling. Many keeses to all of you.
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