After a successful day two of the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo, the delegates were treated to an evening of a cultural experience in Kampala at Ndere Cultural Centre.
Ndere Cultural Centre is a hidden gem of Kampala. From Speke Resort and Conference centre it is only a 44 minutes’ drive to the Ndere Cultural Centre. If you are looking at arriving a bit early to take a walk around the facility, I suggest you come a bit early and try to skip the rush hour on your way to the centre.
The evening started with a welcome dance from the Ndere dance troupe and we were lead to where the dinning and the performances will happen. The Ndere dance troupe are a cultural development that was founded in 1986 by Rawangyezi Stephen. The Ndere troupe prides itself on emphasising harmonies and celebrating their cultural differences. The Ndere troupe performances consist of a collection of more than 40 authentic Ugandan dances and songs while using various instruments to accompany their performances.
The Ndere Cultural centre is run through the motto “sharing Africa music with the world.” The Ndere Centre is home to cultural information, the Ndere Troupe and headquarters of the Uganda Development Theatre Association (UDTA). The centre is also used as a restaurant, accommodation facilities, art gallery and hostings.
The evening started with a welcome drink called the Obushera which is made from boiled water and millet. We were also entertained with an opening act performance from the Ndere troupe. After the performance, we were indulged with the authentic Uganda cuisines from cassava, makoote, grilled chicken and goat ribs to basmati rice to groundnut sauce etc. The food was definitely delicious and I loved every bite.
After we were well-fed the entertainment part of the programme proceeded and we learnt a lot about Uganda culture and history through dance and music. We were serenaded with a few performances and that came with a bit of background of Uganda and the different tribes during the performances.
Ndere Cultural Centre offers a unique experience for the locals and the tourists that are interested in learning about the culture, history of Uganda while indulging on Uganda cuisines and drinks. Definitely a go-to spot when in Kampala.
