I have read the first few chapters of the book The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap Between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World by Jacqueline Novogratz who according the the author profile at the begining of the book is frequent speaker on TED along with other international conferences and was listed by The Daily Beast as one of the “25 Smartest People of the Decade”. This is a video of one of her shorter TED talks.

In the prologue of the book Jacqueline states: “In my twenties, I went to Africa to try and save the continent, only to learn that Africans neither wanted nor needed saving”. Which is something I think we always need to remember when going to do “good” it is not about working for the people it is about working with people.

I went to get my vaccines and meds and it is amazing how exciting it is get get shots and prescriptions.

The seal of the Uganda National Football team, the Cranes.

I was pleasantly surprised when I finally read the article I printed about soccer in Uganda and foun that it also related to a question I had asked Diane after our last group dinner. I ask her about pop culture in Uganda and if there is a widespread pop culture. I was curious because I am interested in American pop culture but wondered if a common pop culture was not as present in countries such as Uganda because national media (at least not the sort of media that pushes pop culture) is not as prominent and accessible. I also ask her what impact American or other “western” pop cultures have on Ugandan pop culture. The article I read titled “Arsenal in Bugamba” is about exactly that, it is about English Premier League (EPL) football becoming increasingly popular in Uganda. It talked about the history and development of the sport in Uganda, why EPL specifically is popular in the country and lastly what changes the popularity of soccer has caused in Bugamba and other areas of Uganda.

The article starts by talking about the history of soccer in Uganda noting that “football itself is not new in Uganda” (Vokes 10). He also explains that soccer in Uganda began in the schools and came to have a large importance in politics with different politicians supporting and funding various teams.

 Vokes talks about why EPL is so popular as opposed to other European leagues. He says that the fascination can’t just be traced by to the fact that the British were the nation to colonize Uganda but “perhaps more important here is the fast-paced, and generally exciting nature of English football, and the fact that EPL teams tend to have more African and other black players than do their European counterparts” (Vokes 14). Also the popularity may be “seen as an outcome of the EPL’s, and EPL clubs’, own advertising and marketing strategies…African imagery has become increasingly prominent in the league’s own promotional materials” (Vokes 14). The EPL attempts to draw in African fans and viewers by showing their global appeal and relating to an African audience.

The most interesting part of the article was the last section on Football and social change.

The two changes that peaked my interest were:

1. “As a result of their engagement with the EPL, people’s descriptions of time [have] become more specific than ever before…I later learned that under the influence of EPL start times, such talk has now become quite common in everyday speech” (Vokes 15). Since games start at specific times and have timed halves Vokes noted that people have become conscious of start and stop times and conscious of being somewhere on time (such as being on time to watch the games). I found this interesting because Diane is always talking about how time is much less rigid in Uganda so it is interesting how to think of how sport could make a huge impact on that mindset. I personally am looking forward to being more lax about time, I have worn a watch since the 4th grade and I hate how much it controls my life.

2. “..the particular style of English football commentators, who have for long demonstrated an obsession with stating the country of origin for each EPL player, has forged a much more specific understanding of the geography of European nations in particular… very notion of a generalized ‘global domain’ has today become largely redundant among young people, at least” (Vokes 15). It great that a sport can have such an educational impact and interesting how much a world view can be shifted through watching sports.

I found both of these impacts interesting because they go back to how importan pop culture can be and how much what we take and interest in can change society and culture. I wonder how much watching/being involved in sports has changed my mindset and how my life would change with out sports.

Article read:

Vokes, Richard. “Arsenal in Bugamba: The rise of English Premier League football in Uganda (Respond to this article at.” Anthropology Today 26.3 (2010): 10-15. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 24 May 2011.

I watched Invisible Children’s “GO” this morning. It was really inspirational to see high school students so determined to travel into Ugana and make a difference.

One of the students in the video stated “We all come from somewhere but think instead of where you can go”.

I am thinking more and more about where I am going, not only where I am going but what I am doing there. I am more excited everyday.

PS next post will finally be on the soccer article (it is already in a draft promise)

This is a picture of me playing soccer on my team Total Chaos. After my soccer game yesterday I decided to look up some articles/information about soccer in Uganda which will be the subject of my next post.

A map of Uganda.

I will be staying near the capital of Kampala.

This is an map of Africa.

I think here we often forget to think of Africa as a large amount of countries on one land mass and just lump all the land and people of Africa together as one. We forget to consider the diversity of Africa. We learn about Egypt and South Africa but don’t know much about the rest of the countries. Before deciding to go on this trip I am sure I had heard of Uganda and knew it was in Africa but I could not have placed it on a map.

Uganda is on the east side of Africa and is bordered by The DRC, Sudan, Tanzania and Kenya.

I was born with an intense interest in Judaism. Why? I have absolutely no idea, I just know that the interest has always been in me. If there is a god and he (though it pains me to write about “god” using gender specific words) created me I would think there would be some reason why this interest is within me. That being said I went to Passover Seder at Otterbein on Monday for the second year in a row. The Seder was very laid back and probably not too much like Seder with a Jewish family in which everyone is aware of the stories and traditions that go along with the celebration but it has none the less been a great experience.

One of the most important parts of the Passover Seder is the asking of the four questions:

1. On all other nights we eat both leavened and unleavened bread; why on this night do we eat only unleavened bread?

2. On all other nights we may eat all kinds of herbs; why on this night do we eat especially bitter herbs?

3. On all other nights we do not usually dip our food in anything at all; why on this night do we dip food twice?

4. On all other nights we eat either simply or in festivity; why on this night do we celebrate with such special festivity?

During dinner we talked about how not only are these questions important but through these questions we should consider the importance of developing other questions. 

I thought about the question of the practice of Judaism in Uganda. I assumed if Judaism was practiced in the country that it would be an anomaly and wondered if I would be able to find any information. It is of course an anomaly but there is a smalled Jewish community called the Abdayudaya (which means Jews in Laganda) living at Nabugoy Hill in Eastern Uganda.  

I read one article from NPR about the Abdayudaya’s celebration of Passover and another about the beginnings of the group and the view of the group in the eyes of the Israeli orthodoxy. The Abdayuday’s practice of Judaism is much more strict that that we many Jewish people through out the world, “in fact, they believe that every human act is scrutinized or rewarded through the eyes of God.” (Schultz and Meyer) Which myself and the author of “Reunited with our Ancient Faith…” find very interesting. Whether or not I believe in their religion, I respect their conviction (which is of course a topic for a different blog- the one I’d love to start on religion). Schultz and Meyer also note: “Perhaps the Abayuday community resembles the Judaism that was once observed…In fact, the Community’s approach to religion, which is firmly grounded in their awe of God, evokes images of the Ancient Israelites who lived by absolute faith in Yahweh.”

Passover, a holiday celebrating freedom always resonates with Jewish communities, most of which have at some point experienced oppression including the Abdayuday when Uganda was declared a Muslim nation in 1972. Though they can once again freely practice their religion the Adayudaya are very small in numbers and there are only three active synagogues in the country. Freedom is a concept I think many of us (as Americans) fail to think of on a daily basis because we consider ourselves free but on Passover we can remember to take a moment to remember the enslavement of Jews in Egypt and the freedom brought by God and to consider the feelings of enslavement and freedom felt by people through out the world. I would imagine that when the Adayudaya  could not practice their religion freely they felt not only enslaved by their beliefs but isolated being a group so far removed from the majority of Jewish people.

Which brings up more questions:

How did the Adayudaya devote themselves to God when it was prohibited?

What did people do to get away from persecution?

How has the community grown since they once again felt freedom?

Who is still “enslaved” here, there or elsewhere on Earth? And how can we promote freedom?

Can we free ourselves by asking questions?

It is at least a start.

I am going to continue to formulate questions I have about Uganda as I continue to find out information in the roughly 8 weeks till we leave.

“May slavery give way to freedom. May hate give way to love. May ignorance give way to wisdom. May despair give way to hope. Next year, at this time, may everyone, everywhere, be free!” -chag semach!

Articles Read:

Ladin, Joy. “Nourishing Hope — in Uganda and in the United States.” Tikkun 26.2 (2011): 23-25. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 20 Apr. 2011.

SCOTT, SIMON. “Celebrating Passover with Uganda’s Jews.” Weekend Edition Saturday (NPR) (n.d.): Newspaper Source. EBSCO. Web. 20 Apr. 2011.

Schultz, Kenneth, and Matthew Meyer. “Reunited with Our Ancient Faith: Practicing Judaism in Uganda.” Judaism 49.4 (2000): 470. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 20 Apr. 2011.

After going to Passover Seder on Monday I researched Judaism in Uganda. It is the topic of my post in progress that I will publish this afternoon.