Agwara (dance)

Alur man in traditional Alur cultural wear.

Alur people performing their dance

Alur people on stage performing Agwara dance

Agwara ^[1] is a royal dance of the Alur people of Northern Uganda, performed in the presence of the king (Rwot). ^[2] It is performed by both women and men during social occasions. The dance is performed to drums, and uses linear and circular formations characterized by leg and waist twisting while wearing ankle bells to emphasize their footwork. ^{[3] [4] [5]} The dance is named after the sound of trumpets. ^[6] The dance evolved during the process of Alur people mixing and smearing mud on their houses. ^[7]

Performance

In the past, Agwara was performed at rituals organized by communities in order to worship or appease the gods, in order to ask for a good harvest before sowing, at the occasion of midsummer or midwinter festival, or just on the occasion of entering a new lunar phase or if there was need of rain. Additionally, there are two types of agwara, "Kwaya" or "Mbaka" which are danced for two days especially for clan competitions and "Selewa" which is ordinarily for thanksgiving. ^{[8] [9]}

See also

• Buganda People
• Samia Tribe
• Gisu People

References

1. "2007 Kampala, Uganda". doi.org. 2016-09-01. doi:10.14217/776362ed-en (inactive 23 February 2025). Retrieved 2025-02-23.
2. "Rwot Ubimi urges subjects on developing kingdom". New Vision. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
3. Oneka, Dennis (2011-05-06). "Agwara dance".{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
4. "Cultural Dances in Uganda". Waka Natures. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
5. "Alur". 101 Last Tribes. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
6. "Agwara dance -- [Digital Collection of East African Recordings]". diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu. Retrieved 2025-02-23.
7. Dennis, Oneka (2011-05-06). "Agwara dance" (in other). Archived from the original on 2024-01-09.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
8. "Celebrating the wealth of ethnicity". Monitor. 2021-01-05. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
9. "Background on the Music of Northern Uganda". Singing Wells. 2012-10-29. Retrieved 2024-01-27.