Oral History Interview with Steven Kasamba

Описание: “Who am I?” – From EXODUS to today’s Britain

Videography: Rolf Killius

SUMMARY
Steven Kasamba, a performer and director from Uganda now based in London, discusses his journey promoting African music and dance. He arrived in 1997 and founded Bantu Arts in 2013, focusing on community and corporate projects. Bantu Arts has collaborated with various organizations, including Horniman Museum and London Marathon. Kasamba emphasizes the importance of traditional Ugandan music and dance, which he learned from his boarding school days. He also highlights the cultural exchange between Uganda and the UK, the impact of colonialism, and his vision to integrate African culture into British society through performances and community projects.


Mukul and Ghetto Tigers undertakes an oral history project supported by National Lottery Heritage Fund which explores the question ‘Who am I?’ raised by second generation immigrant children whose parents left pre partition India during colonial times and settled in other parts of the British empire including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania. The project investigates what it means for young British Asians growing up in a system with a colonial legacy and explores how the past horrible historic events experienced by their parents and grandparents still affect the lives of young people.
The project relates to the historical dimension, the colonial set-up in East Africa before the 1970s to the socio-cultural situation of young people with diverse cultural background in today’s UK. Through the viewpoint of a new generation, it investigates questions of ‘identity’ and ‘heritage’.