Aside from the popular reign of President Idi Amin of Uganda, which the world will not forget in a hurry, the Nyege Nyege festival of Uganda is another event of reckoning. Although the festival, which was founded by Debru Deck and Dilsizian to stand up for peace, has altogether incorporated a mix of great music shows, dance and partying, and a showcase of cultural tolerance.
This lovely country is endowed with natural resources and, fortunately, hosts Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake, making its land fertile and well-watered. The country is also blessed with wonderful young people who are strong, resilient, enjoy having fun creating their own art and music.
No wonder the Nyege Nyege festival is so beloved in the country, drawing thousands of revellers from outside, inside, and around Jinja, the small town where the exciting events take place.
Let’s now explore this interesting festival by revealing five fun facts that will excite you
Origin of the Nyege Nyege festival
There are varied claims out there about the origin of the festival in Uganda; however, it is important to note that the Nyege Nyege festival is the product of two brothers who decided to put into practice what they have always loved to do.
They organized night parties and dancehall shows and soon established a recording studio, from which they started producing various local artists in the country.
More intriguingly, the name Nyege Nyege is of Swahili origin, and it means “an uncontrollable desire to dance.” The inspiration from the small indoor jamming and dancing sessions grew to a larger scale, and the first festival was held in 2015.
Today it has grown beyond the borders of the country, involving international interest, corporate sponsors, media, tourists, etc.
The Irresistible urge to dance
Fascinatingly, on a personal note, the dress codes of this festival could be tagged “dare to dress”. The festival itself provokes fun and freedom. So, the mind could interpret it to mean to gain prominence and excitement in a dress.
People dress extravagantly to show off their art and exuberance, but most importantly, to be able to show off their dance style without any restrictions. Ladies are mostly dressed in hot pants or bum shots with lazy tops, whereas men are sometimes dressed in simple tops or bare bodies with a pair of jeans pants or 3-quarter shots.
The dressing is a showpiece, but the dancing is far more important.
The unusual dress style
This fun fact will excite you.
Fascinatingly, on a personal note, the dress codes of this festival could be tagged “dare to dress”. The festival itself provokes fun and freedom. So, the mind could interpret it to mean to gain prominence and excitement in a dress.
People dress extravagantly to show off their art and exuberance, but most importantly to be able to show off their dance style without any restrictions. Ladies are mostly dressed in hot pants or bum shots with lazy tops, whereas men are sometimes dressed in simple tops or bare bodies with a pair of jeans pants or 3-quarter shots.
The dressing is a showpiece, but the dancing is far more important.
A Musical Showcase of African Diversity
In the Nyege Nyege festival, one of the exciting features is the presence of various genres of African music and arts, at this juncture, African sounds such as hip hop, afro hip hop, reggae, highlife, and other indigenous sounds come from a number of artists lined up from the continent.
More interestingly, not only does this platform provide the musicians with the opportunity to share their talents and works, but it also provides them with the chance to interact with a large audience and other musicians from the continent, including established and upcoming artiste.
The DJs are not left out either; they are offered the chance to expose their talents and works by allowing them to flex their scratching skills, hype the parties, and jam exciting music genres that light up the ambience of the place.
Nyege Nyege Festival, host the youngest population in the world
Uganda is one of the countries in Africa that has a very young population. 44% of Uganda’s population is under the age of 14. It may also surprise you to know that 77% of the population is fewer than 25; this is as released by UNICEF’s data source.
This goes to show why the Nyege Nyege Festival is so unique. The young people of the East African country troop out en masse to showcase their passion and love for their culture, with a mix of Westernization that is reflected in their music and other presentations. In addition, It comes as no surprise that the authorities struggled to maintain the festival’s ban because it was similar to suffocating the youth.
Finally, if you are looking to spend some time off, set the month of November aside to visit the Eastern African country to light up your fun life and enjoy the diversity and depth of the artistic manifestations on the continent through its immersive experiences, eclectic musical performances, and promotion of African talent.
