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Rwanda’s Intore dancers perform to the steady rhythm of the African drum Music and dance play an important role in Rwanda’s traditions and one of the hallmarks of its dynamic music and dance culture is Intore – literally ‘The Chosen Ones’. Historically, the dancers (the elite of the army) performed for the royal courts and they were, and still are, known for their remarkable technique that sees them leaping into the air. Dancers wear grass wigs and bells around their ankles, and carry spears as they perform the energetic dance that depicts the celebration of victory in battle. While you might be lucky enough to catch Intore dancers at a public function, performances can also be arranged through the National Museum in Butare.
NEW OPENINGS
Chimps’ Nest
Fort Portal, Uganda, tel. +256 (0)77 466 9107, www.chimpsnest.com
Drift off to a lullaby of jungle sounds at Chimps’ Nest, situated on the edge of Kibale Forest National Park and Bigodi Swamp in Uganda. Forest elephants are regular visitors to the site and the surrounding forest is heaving with monkeys and, of course, chimpanzees. Don’t forget to pack your binoculars for a spot of bird-watching. Designed and managed by two Dutchmen who are fanatical about Africa – and Uganda in particular – Chimps’ Nest has been built in the local style using natural materials. It also does its bit for the environment by producing electricity via solar power, heating and cooking with legally cut firewood and dealing with waste by using natural processes. The self-contained cottages are decorated with locally sourced furnishings, but call and book ahead to reserve the tree-house, which sits 6m above the ground and offers breathtaking views of life amid the treetops. There’s also a restaurant serving delicious à la carte cuisine and the well-stocked Chimps’ bar – a great place to kick-start or finish up a guided night walk in the surrounding private forest.
Wusum Hotel
65 Teko Road, Makeni, Sierra Leone, tel. +232 (0)76 341 079
Outside of Freetown, you’re often lucky to find so much as a hole-riddled mosquito net above a mattress in Sierra Leone. Not any more. Named after the impressive hill in Makeni, the Wusum Hotel is a $3m (€2.3m) new development from Vincent Kanu, a local-son-made-good who wanted to bring a bit of substance to the country’s northern metropolis. With an open-air swimming pool, balconies, chalets, busy nightclub and even a small forest packed with deer and fairy lights, this hotel offers a base from which to explore the markets of Makeni and the wildlife of the north in style. It’s a good jumping-off point for the Loma Mountains, Bumbuna Falls and Outamba-Kilimi National Park.
TIME OUT WITH…
…Valérie Miquel
(choreographer of the
Burudani Dance Company)
As her dance troupe causes a stir throughout East Africa with its performance ‘Memories of Child Soldiers’, b.spirit! caught up with Valérie Miquel to find out more
Where do you live now?
I consider myself a bit of a nomad. I like to travel and live in different places. I was born and raised in Paris, but I’m currently based in Kampala, although I also spend a lot of time in Nairobi.
Why do a ballet about Uganda’s child soldiers?
In 2006, I visited a camp where former child soldiers live. The children I met were still hugely traumatised by their experiences. One 15-year-old boy, Robert, who was captured at the age of 10, begged me to tell the world about what he and others had gone through in order to stop it happening to others. Dance is a great way to engage an audience and tell a story – that’s why I developed ‘Memories of Child Soldiers’.
What does Burudani mean?
It’s Swahili for the exchange of energy – between dancers and the audience, the choreographer and the dancers – it represents everything the dance troupe stands for.
So what’s next?
We’re planning on taking ‘Memories of Child Soldiers’ on a tour throughout Europe in 2009, but I’m also working on a dance ‘Wo/ Men Why?’, about violence towards women, which will premiere in March at the Alliance Française/Goethe
Zentrum in Kampala.
Valerie and the Burudani Dance Company are also staging a special performance, ‘Flight SN465’– based on Brussels Airlines’ inflight service – at the Alliance Française in Kampala on 21 March as part of Uganda’s ‘Francophone Week’ celebrations.
Visit valerie-miquel.de for information on Burudani Dance Company performances.
BALLET BEAUTIFUL
Visit Guinea’s famous African dance ensemble in Conakry as it takes a break from touring the world
Formed in Paris in 1952, Les Ballets Africains was invited to become Guinea’s national dance troupe when the country gained independence in 1958. Fusing the music and folklore of Guinea with high-energy dance, Les Ballets has astounded audiences on its global tours. In 2009, there’s the possibility of seeing the company on its home turf. Back in Conakry, the troupe works from the Siège des Ballets Africains, off Corniche Sud. Here visitors can arrange to see the dancers developing unique choreographies, or practising with their musical ensembles. For performance dates and to find out more, visit www.lesballetsafricains.com
DON’T MISS
Exciting dates to make a note of in your diary
Tusker Kenya Open Golf Championships
11-15 March
www.magicalkenya.com
More than 100 golfers gather at the Muthaiga golf club (on the outskirts of Nairobi) for the annual Tusker Kenya Open. The beautifully designed 18-hole course hosts an array of international stars competing for the winner’s purse.
Kartong Festival, The Gambia
26-29 March
www.
kartongfestival.org
Try your hand at beekeeping, give local Gambian cooking a whirl or get into the groove by learning traditional West African dance and djembe drumming at the Kartong Festival. Held in and around the village of Kartong, just 40 minutes from Banjul and a mere flip-flop away from the Atlantic’s sandy beaches, the festival is a lively four-day celebration of Kartong’s music, culture and hospitality. And this year to coincide with Senegal’s Independence Day Celebrations (4-5 April) there will be a similar festival held just over the Senegalese border from Kartong in the Casamance region.
AFRICAN GEMS
Give your home or your wardrobe a Maasai makeover with these classic designs by African artisans
Ever marvelled at the prettiness of the jewellery made and worn by local Maasai women, or longed to spruce up your home with a touch of African style? Then take a look at the Shompole Collection: the result of a co-operative of African artisans working with the team at Kenya’s Shompole Lodge to produce a range of stunning furniture and jewellery. Prices for jewelllery start from €114. There is a workshop-cum-boutique on-site at the Shompole Group Ranch on the southern Kenyan border. Or you can order online at www.shompolecollection.com
And to add a touch of bush style to your wardrobe take a look at Kasuku’s stunning safari collection featuring kaftans, wraps, and bags in neutral, earthy tones. Sisal bag (pictured) €28,03 www.kasuku.co.uk