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Photo: Dennis Ojwee
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Acholi Artist Draws for the Future
Source: http://www.acholinet.com
Posted by David okumu
Ugandan artist John Okot an acholi from Northern Uganda, hopes to preserve the Acholi people's rich cultural heritage that he says has been eroded by decades of brutal war in the north of his country.
"I'm an Acholi: I know how they dance; I understand the rhythms in Acholi life. I love my Acholi people," he says. It is these rhythms which he says have been interrupted by the 20-year conflict between the rebel Lord's Resistance Army and the Ugandan government. Acholiland has been hit hard. Encompassing Uganda's Gulu, Kitgum and Pader districts, it has borne the brunt of the rebellion.
UprootedDuring the conflict, tens of thousands of people have been killed and over a million and a half have been displaced, many of them Acholis. They have been forced to move into displacement camps, where they face very real problems.
The camps are over-crowded places: there is little space and inadequate water and sanitation for their many inhabitants. But the movement of so many people from their homes, uprooting them from their villages, has also impacted the cultural life of the Acholis.
This is where John Okot wants to play a role. Trained as a graphic artist at Kampala's Makerere University in the 1970s, he now mostly works with batiks.
This is where John Okot wants to play a role. Trained as a graphic artist at Kampala's Makerere University in the 1970s, he now mostly works with batiks.
This is a textile design technique using wax and dyes. The wax repels any dye painted onto the fabric to preserve the color of the original cloth beneath. "I know it's not modern art and it's not abstract in a way that is fashionable," he says. "But this is intended to be a record of what Acholi culture is like for future generations."
CautionHis picture of three young men drinking alcohol - known as Kongo - together is a perfect example. The brew, made from fermented sorghum and maize flour, is popular among the Acholi. But it is also a comment and a warning about Acholi men. "Alcohol is what they like best," he says. "Women come second and Acholi culture comes third. Money is a long way down the list." The importance of marriage is also reflected in Okot's work and he has produced several paintings depicting the courting process. In one, young men and women dance opposite each other as they decide who to pick as their future husband or wife. Traditionally, the men would participate almost naked so that the women have the opportunity to see that they were fit and healthy.
Leper feetOkot says that an uncle of his once wooed a girl for a very long time, but with little success. While courting, he always wore canvas shoes. Then one day, he came across his beloved while he was wearing sandals. "Ah, so you are not a leper," she said. And once she was satisfied that he was indeed healthy, agreed to marry him.
For the Acholi people, however, Uganda's northern conflict, while not a part of their traditional culture is now a part of Acholi history, whether they like it or not. And it is a topic Okot's work also deals with. One painting in particular stands out: an old woman sits on a mat, surrounded by graves, while in the background armed men wreak havoc on her village. The canvas is dominated by the color red. Okot says he painted the landscape in permanent acrylics and added the red coloring later in watercolor. "I know if people have enough good will, they can clean up the mess in Acholiland," he says referring to the current peace talks considered the best chance of ending the war. "If they do that, I will clean the watercolor from the painting and it will become a landscape without the blood," he says.
For the Acholi people, however, Uganda's northern conflict, while not a part of their traditional culture is now a part of Acholi history, whether they like it or not. And it is a topic Okot's work also deals with. One painting in particular stands out: an old woman sits on a mat, surrounded by graves, while in the background armed men wreak havoc on her village. The canvas is dominated by the color red. Okot says he painted the landscape in permanent acrylics and added the red coloring later in watercolor. "I know if people have enough good will, they can clean up the mess in Acholiland," he says referring to the current peace talks considered the best chance of ending the war. "If they do that, I will clean the watercolor from the painting and it will become a landscape without the blood," he says.
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