Ndere Cultural Troupe

Founded way back in 1986, one of its aims was to rekindle, among Ugandans, the sense of pride towards cultural practices, basically for the rural to meet the urban.

The Director of Ndere Troupe, Mr.Rwangyenzi Stephen believes that cultural activities still dominate and influence individual and community behavior to a great extent. Thus through the medium of development theatre the group contributes to human development and understanding as they work with NGOs.

The word ''endere'' means flute thus Ndere Troupe means flute troupe. But why the flute? It represents beauty and universal unity since all peoples of the world have a flute in their cultures. Ndere Troupe prides in emphasizing commonalities and enjoying the rich differences. Since 1986, the group has produced several educative plays such as:

Munaku (1988), Ekirabo (1991), Time Bomb ('93) and currently Waakareeba to mention but a few. Countries toured include: Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Canada, Kenya among others and have each time had resounding success. They have released four CDs ,two in the USA, two in the Netherlands, two international educational videos-one by the JVC/Smithsonian museum(USA) and the other by SFINX OF Denmark. Their repertoire of over forty authentic dances and songs are accompanied by instruments rallying from the xylophone(amadinda) to the tube fiddle(endigidi).Dances include Kizino(of the Bakiga), Ding Ding (Acholi) and Bakisimba, a royal dance from Buganda.

Judging from the energy and enthusiasm of the dancers it is not hard to conclude that Ndere Troupe is Africa's Dancing Encyclopedia. And as they say, ''When you see Ndere Troupe, you have seen Africa." Moreover they even emphasize the importance of education by recruiting youth who, though talented, hasn’t got enough funding to get ‘em through school. They cater for this and at the end of the day you have managers, teachers, accountants and the like efficiently-professionally running the “show”.