Discover the interesting traditional dances of Uganda, a country with more than 56 tribes of the people of Uganda.
Uganda is a small landlocked country occupied by over 38 million people and is made of more than 56 tribes. What you will love about Uganda is the Traditional dance moves. The numerous tribes within the country means a rich cultural diversity hence different traditional and cultures across the country. Each of the tribes has exceptional traditional dances and songs that set it apart. There are more than 10 interesting traditional dances that you can enjoy while on a cultural safari in Uganda. These include;
Agwara Dance
This interesting dance is performed by the Alur of North-western Uganda and participants include women and men. Agwara dance is always performed during social occasions and dancers follow the sound of the drums and dance in linear and circular patterns characterized by leg and waist twisting while wearing ankle bells to emphasize their footwork.
The Bakisimba Dance
This traditional dance is performed by the Baganda in Central Uganda and was believed to be derived from the movements of a drunken King (Ssuuna) of Buganda Kingdom. It was initially a Buganda Royal Court dance in the ancient days. Presently, the dance is performed at all social occasions within Buganda for general entertainment and is performed by both men and women who wiggle their waists and use intricate footwork.
The Bwola Dance
The Bwola dance is an exhilarating Royal dance performed by the Acholi-Luo tribe of Northern Uganda and is always performed by less than fifty participants. In the past, the dance was performed to commemorate the coronation of a new King but presently, it is performed to entertain guests for several important social functions.
The Embaga dance and Nansaka
Buganda Kingdom has a number of dances for several occasions and one of them is the Embaga dance and Nansaka that is mainly performed at weddings, Introductions as well as other important social functions. The main emphasis of this dance is on the movements of the hips and the intentional gestures.
The Ekitaguriro Dance
The Ekitaguriro dance is an exhilarating dance for the Banyankole people in western Uganda and is normally performed at most social functions. The performers of the dance always involve both women and men to depict local wealth-mainly cattle. The dancers move their feet to the sound of the drum and is characterized by jumping with outstretched arms to show their long horned cattle and is complemented by singing.
The Dingi-dingi Dance
Besides the Bwola dance of the Acholi, the Dingi-dingi dance is another dance you can enjoy from the Acholi people of Northern Uganda. This dance is always performed by odd number of dancers and a captain. The men provide the music while the women dance in linear and circular patterns depending on the rhythm of the instruments.
The Larakaraka Dance
The Larakaraka dance is a courtship or wooing dance performed by energetic youth of the Acholi Tribe of Northern Uganda. This tribe is undoubtedly one of the most culturally rich in Northern Uganda and Uganda in general. The men or boys in the dance provide the music while the women or girls dance in linear patterns.
The Mwamgu dance (Imbalu dance)
This dance is also known as the Imbalu dance and is performed by the Bagishu of Mbale district in Eastern Uganda during the public circumcision Ceremonies locally known as “Imbalu”. Imbalu is a ceremony where boys are initiated into manhood. Mwamgu dance is performed by both young women and men. Much as it was only performed during the public Circumcision ceremonies, these days it is performed in most Ceremonies in the region.
The Naleyo dance
Naleyo is a fascinating dance performed by the Karamajong people of Eastern Uganda as a wooing dance. The dance is performed in two lines with the women on one line and the men on the other line. What makes the dance very interesting is the way the men and women jump high while facing each other.
The Runyege dance
Runyege is a traditional dance performed by the Banyoro of western Uganda (Masindi, Hoima, Kibale and Kiryandongo districts) and is danced by women wearing rings around their waists and men having foot rattles. It is from the rattles (locally known as “Ebinyege” that the dance derived its name. What makes the dance more interesting is the vigorous foot stamping that characterizes the dance.
The Tarrienha Ibuga dance
This invigorating dance is performed by the Basoga of Eastern Uganda and is danced at all occasions (functions) by both women and men. The dancers display skilful details such as the exceptional waist movements and the extraordinary musical instruments that make the dance worth watching.
The Entogoro dance
Entogoro is danced by the Batooro in western Uganda and derived its name from the pod rattles (locally referred as Ebinyege in Rutooro) that the men tie on their legs to produce a number of rhythms as they dance. This riveting dance is performed by young men and women during cultural occasions or social occasions.
The Ekizino Dance
Ekizino is the traditional dance for the Bakiga of Kigezi region (Switzerland of Africa) in South-western Uganda. The invigorating dance was derived from the hilly terrains of the region because men who move out for farming in the morning must jump around to get warmth and stretch their muscles after the hard work for a while. In the past, the locals used to jump and stamp the ground until they found signs of water hence the origin of the dance. It is for this reason that the Ekizino dance involves stamping and jumping.