Song and nation: A study of the secondary school song competition ‘original song composition’ in Uganda

Abstract

In this thesis, I examine song as a performance of the nation. At the heart of the thesis, I discuss the secondary school music competition in Uganda in general and the ‘original song composition,’ item as a distinct subset of the larger corpus of school inter-house music competition in particular. I argue throughout the thesis that competition is a dynamic way in which various cultures, subcultures and identities are performed, constructed and reconstructed on stage, creating conditions for reflection on tensions, solidarity, sensitivity and harmony within society. Additionally, competition song gives space for voices that need to be listened to, in this case, the voice of the students that perform the songs and those they collaborate with in producing these songs. Drawing on both postcolonial and performance theories, I argue that students in their performance of song occupy trans-spatial and imaginative realms as they are able to interact with their community and themselves in contesting, and remaking their nation even across transnational networks. Using a qualitative approach, data were collected through focus group discussions with the student performers; key informant interviews with the teachers and practitioners in competition song performance; observation of the performance events; and through documentary review and analysis. The findings from this study revealed that children, in their performance of the original song composition, occupy ambivalent spaces that allow them a chance to transit between adult and children’s spaces. Additionally, they are able to both consciously and unconsciously interrogate issues of national history, nationalism, national and cultural identity. In doing this, they are able to construct and project their future, one where they can ably ensure the continuity and survival of their communities and nation. This study points to the importance of studying performance within the context of national experience, policy and the vision for the future. Additionally, it suggests new ways of studying competition song performance as a collaborative process aiming at discussing national issues and finding solutions to national problems. The interactions children have with the adults and their experiences in Uganda open doors for a broader understanding of how children, as symbols of the future, construct and (re)imagine their personal identity and aspirations through a contestation of their position as vulnerable citizens of the Ugandan nation.