PhD Theses & Dissertations

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12504/308

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    Embedded meaning of traditional art forms used in cultural practices of Baganda of central Uganda
    (Kyambogo University (Unpublished work), 2018-08) Kekimuri, Joan
    Art forms play a pivotal role in strengthening community connections through open dialogue and can help in bridging cultural distinctions. They are used extensively by societies for creativity, imagination and moderating complexities of globalization. Art forms in different communities continue to evolve and increase the sense of collective identity and efficacy. In Africa art forms used by different communities are embedded with meaning that communicate specific messages to the users. In Buganda there were and are several art forms used in traditional practices. However, globalization continues to threaten cultural diversity due to technological advances which change the artforms’ embedded meaning. This study establishes how traditional art forms used in Baganda cultural practices historically developed; it goes on to analyze the embedded meaning of traditional Baganda art forms used in cultural practices in reference to their application; it evaluates how globalization has influenced the perceptions of Baganda People towards art forms used in their cultural practices; it examines how visual narratives have developed which are enlivened by the embedded meaning of selected art forms used in Baganda cultural practices. This work adopts an ethnographic study design guided by the theory of culture and behavior developed by Triandis; it also relies upon the hybridity advanced by Bahbah as amalgamated with other theories. Seventy participants using purposive and snowball techniques participated in this study. Findings indicate that the embedded meaning in traditional art forms which, in earlier times enabled communities to function, is today continuously neglected in favour of eurocentric ideologies. This modernity traumatizes communities such that they lose their long-standing identity, creativity and imagination. Despite these trends, communities in Buganda still consult long-standing cultural practices and inhabit cultural art forms. Since Buganda communities attach importance to these art forms it is important that they not be neglected. Upholding and recording our cultures for posterity through the visual arts will ensure that traditional cultural objects are promoted as tools embedded with meaning that address the concerns of particular communitie
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    Ritual pottery and its repurposing in contemporary social design space in Acholi sub-region, northern Uganda
    (Kyambogo University (Unpublished work), 2025-10) Adong, Sanday Rhodest
    Pottery constitutes a fundamental element of material culture, deeply embedded in the socio-cultural fabric of communities across the world for millennia. Among the Acholi people of Northern Uganda, pottery has historically played a pivotal role in familial and communal rituals. However, the forces of modernisation and globalisation have engendered misconceptions surrounding both the rituals and the associated ceramic traditions, leading to the secret production and use of ritual pottery, which is the main focus for this study. This study was conducted in the sub-counties of Awach, Paibona, and Pukony in Gulu District with the overarching aim of adapting the Acholi ritual pottery for integration into contemporary social design space. Specifically, the study explored Acholi family rituals that used pots, analysed the significant use of pots in rituals, and engaged in a community-based practicum to explore the potential for repurposing ritual pots within contemporary physical and ideological contexts. Blumer's theory of symbolic interactionism served as the theoretical foundation for the study, which employed ethnographic research design and a qualitative methodological approach. The research population included potters, cultural leaders, elders, and pot users from both rural communities and modern social environments. Purposive and snowball sampling strategies facilitated the selection of twenty-five (25) participants. Data collection techniques included in-depth interviews, participant observation, focus group discussions (FGDs), and photographic documentation. Thematic analysis was employed to interpret the data systematically in alignment with the research objectives. Findings revealed that despite prevailing societal stigma, ritual pottery continues to be produced and utilised within the community. The study documented a range of ritualistic practices involving ceramic vessels, with a specific focus on three primary family rituals: birth, naming, and death. Five distinct ritual pots were examined, some of which were explicitly crafted for ceremonial use, while others were repurposed from conventional pottery. These included twin pots (Agulu Kirubi), bathing troughs (Agulu Otako/Otako Lwok), serving bowls (Atabo Lobo), umbilical cord pots (Atabo Pen/Lawum Pen), and burial plots (Agulu Lyel). Furthermore, through the community practicum, ritual pottery was reinterpreted and produced for adaptation within the contemporary spaces. The study recommends the implementation of vocational skills training to mitigate the skills gap among ageing potters and to ensure the sustainable transmission of pottery-making techniques. Additionally, the research advocates for the conservation and innovative repurposing of ritual pottery within contemporary design frameworks to foster cultural continuity and enhance the visibility of Acholi material heritage in contemporary social settings.