Light, Voice, Action

Listening Post 326. Better to light a candle than curse the darkness: Rare is the artist who embodies this adage as fully as Uganda’s Rachel Magoola. Since the 1970s her homeland has seen military dictatorship, civil war, forced recruitment of child soldiers, an HIV epidemic, economic collapse and food shortages. Magoola addresses these serial hardships not only as a singer-songwriter but also as activist, philanthropist and—as of 2021—a member of the Ugandan parliament. During her career with the legendary Afrigo Band and subsequently as a solo performer, she has written emblematic songs to promote education for girls, caution against teen pregnancy and call attention to sickle-cell anemia; raised funds to purchase ambulances, give scholarships to orphans and assistance to expectant mothers. Resilience: Songs of Uganda, her seventh solo album, touches on war, poverty, family and society, and is dedicated to her nation’s capacity for renewal. In service to unity, Magoola sings in five of Uganda’s 43 languages, her band using string and percussion instruments representing every region of the country—and her sparkling voice delivering new and traditional songs in upbeat tones, even when they involve heartbreaking themes. Sunsuuni (The Hunter’s Sunbird, video 1) is an allegory about rival wives of the same husband—Uganda has legal polygamy—while Bufuubu (Orphan, video 2) tells the story of a child alone in the world. In Muduku (Gun, video 3), she recycles a symbol of her country’s violent history, now firing only blanks, for a teasing love song. Maama Mutesi (My Mother Mutesi, video 4) sings the praises of a generous matriarch, and Kati Kantwaala (A Stick Takes Me, video 5) is a children’s song, akin to Ring a Ring o’ Roses/Ring Around the Rosie—but with no one falling down. For a nation with a troubled past, Rachel Magoola offers lyrics and music, action and incandescent hope. (ARC Music)

Language note. With a population of 45 million, Uganda has 41 indigenous languages, plus English and Swahili, its two official (and non-indigenous) languages. On Resilience, Rachel Magoola sings in Lusoga, Acholi, Gisu, Ateso and Rukiga.

Rachel Magoola: Resilience – Songs of Uganda
Rachel Magoola: Lead vocals
Njoroge Kiracho: Akogo, pads, keyboards, lead guitar, bass guitar, percussion, hand claps, backing vocals, brass, drums
Kikule Fred: Embuutu, enduumi, engalabi, endingidi, adungu
Joe Kahirimbanyi: Acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Muduwaani Barnabas Anguchi: xylophone
Kaz Kasozi: Flute
Wilber Kasaale: Backing vocals
Jimmy Abila: Backing vocals, percussion, keyboards

Sunsuuni / The Hunter’s Sunbird
Traditional
A song from the from the Kingdom of Busoga (one of four constitutional monarchies within modern Uganda), located on the north shore of Lake Victoria. It tells a story of rivalry in a polygamous relationship, using the allegory of birds fighting in a tree for supremacy

(From the lyrics in Lusoga)
Sunsuuni in the tree, watch Sundwa prancing around
She attacked me, attacked me
Attacked me, attacked me, came prancing around
She attacked me over my man
Attacked me over my man, came prancing around

Iyii Iyii
Iyiii Iyiii

She attacked me, attacked me
She came, my rival attacked me
She came prancing around

She attacked me over my man
She came, my rival attacked me over my man
She came prancing around

I could not eat anymore
I could not sleep any more
I could not conceive

Bufuubi / Orphan
Rachel Magoola
The story of a parentless child, inspired by the Bagisu tribe, who live on the slopes of Mount Elgon in eastern Uganda.

(From the lyrics in Gisu)
It sucks to be an orphan, yaya
I have no mother, yaya
I have no father, yaya
I have nowhere to go, yaya
I have no father, yaya
I have no place to sleep, yaya
I have no aunt, yaya 

Oh, when I cry of these troubles, what do you think makes me cry? I’m so sorry
Oh, without relatives, I will just be thrown away
Oh, when I cry for my father, where was he buried?
Oh, without relatives, I will just be thrown away

Oh my God. One day I, too, will be gone

Everywhere I go they call me, everywhere I pass they shout at me, calling me a dog
Everywhere I go they ask if I am a goat
Everywhere I go they call me “you dog, you smell” 

When you have a mother – oh wow! When you have a mother, you are blessed
When you have a father – oh wow! When you have a father, you are blessed
When you have all your relatives – oh wow! When you have all your relatives, you are blessed
When you are sent to fetch water – you go running
Go clean the house – you go running
Go bathe the children – you go running
Go fetch firewood – you go running
When you have a mother, you are blessed

My friends
My troubles, are getting tougher
If they are eating, they chase you away
Where shall I go?
Oh my God, one day I too will be gone

Muduku / Gun
Rachel Magolla, Jimmy Abila
A song from Acholi tribe of northern Uganda, a region hard hit by the country’s civil war. In the song the image of a gun that haunted so many lives becomes a prop in a love song by a cheeky girl who teases her man for being weak-kneed and shooting blanks.

(From the lyrics in Acholi)
I once said your knees were weak
My love, that was a joke

I once said that your gun has no bullets/My love, that was a joke
Hmmmmm I actually know/And you also know that it was a joke
It was a play/And you also know that it was a joke
It was a play/I don’t know what happened to me
Yes, I don’t know/The reason I am always joking with you I don’t know
I don’t know/There is no bad intention
Come here my love/Hmmmmmm it’s a joke
It’s a play/Hmmmmm it’s a joke
It’s a play my hero 

Your knees are already weak/Your knees are no longer there
Your gun fires blanks/There are also no bullets
Even your knees are already weak/Your knees are no longer there
Your gun fires blanks/And there are also no bullets
Forgive me, my hero/This is just a joke
Forgive me, my elder/This is just a joke
Forgive me, my hero/I am just joking with you
Forgive me, my elder/I am just joking with you

In times of war there are many problems, my love
It is so/Forgive me, I still love you my love
It is so/Even if your knees are weak and your gun fires blanks my love, hmmmmm
I have forgotten again I just said your knees are weak
Eeeeh it is so/I have forgotten again I just said your gun fires blanks, eeeeh hmmmmm
That’s a joke/That’s a play
Hmm that’s a joke/That’s love my hero
The sound of the gun drives me crazy/It makes me joke with you
Eeeeeeeh the gun sounds “pim pim”/It makes me joke with you
The gun sounds “pim pim”?It makes me joke with you
Eeeeeeeh the gun makes noise it makes me joke with you/The gun sounds “pim pim” it makes me joke with you
Hmm that’s a joke/That’s a play hmm
That’s a joke/That’s a play my hero

You are coming near the drums/What are you looking for
You are coming close to the drums/You will have a case to answer
The gun is empty/There are no bullets
Take it easy, aaah/Take it easy my dear
You girl get groovy/Even you boy please get groovy
To say I wish I knew/It’s Lamentations
Eeeeeeeh, I wish I knew means Lamentations
You are coming close to the drums/You will have a case to answer
You are coming close to the drums/You will have a case to answer

The gun oyeeeee

Maama Mutesi  / My Mother Mutesi
Rachel Magoola

(From the lyrics in Lusoga)
Mother Mutesi is a princess, a princess of Bugweri, a gift from God
A woman of Busoga who sits and expands the fortune of the home
The myth of not building a big house is a lie/She welcomes visitors of all kinds
Mutesi is friendly, a social magnet/Welcomes a co-wife
Mutesi the Princess/Maintains the customs and norms

One you can ignore, but she will not be abandoned
What man can resist Maama Mutesi?/Innovative, obedient
Jack of all trades who speaks boldly/Her smile unveils her beauty

Room in her heart, and good character/A princess who overflows with kindness
Mutesi, the Princess of Bugweri/Is the gold of Busoga

Her love is honey/It permeates through her children, her husband, her friends and siblints
She avoids conflict with others/She gives herself and others respect
She is determined in every case, and creates good change
Mutesi is a hero, resilient, brave, patient, creative, and fears God
In the history of Busoga, Mutesi is the gold standard

Kati Kantwaala / A Stick Takes Me
Traditional
A children’s song from the Busoga Kingdom; equivalent to Ring a Ring o’ Roses/Ring Around the Rosie.

(From the lyrics in Lusoga)
Little stick is taking me
I have never seen the lake
Little stick is taking me
I have never seen the lake

Let’s go, I am not a stick
Let’s go, I am human