A sculptural contextualization of selected Lugbara artifacts

Abstract

The ethnic diversity of Uganda is something of beauty. The Lugbara people is one of the groups that have made WestNile their home and have over the years cultivated a rich culture and heritage. Lugbara artifacts continue to be in the shadow of many cultural artifacts which have over the years been researched and explored. This research gives the opportunity for Lugbara artifacts to come to the fore front and take center stage. The purpose of the study is to contextualize selected Lugbara artifacts in sculpture. Sculpture is one of the oldest forms of human creating dating back millennia. The Lugbara have especially functional sculpture which has the capacity for daily use but also entails a huge amount of aesthetic content and beauty. Discussions with Lugbara people defined this research in many unimaginable ways as they were able to provide a lot in oral literature but also access to some of the scarce artifacts. It should be noted that the scope available from which the artifacts cane be selected was vast and narrowing it down came to employing different considerations. These included first and foremost, the appearance of the artifact, the frequency of use among the Lugbara and the cultural significance of the artifact. The selected artifacts included the Envu which is a Lugbara cooking pot made of fired clay. Kobi which is a winnowing shovel used in grain and general food preparation, the Luku, which for this research might carry the most beautiful story and significance, the Luku is a traditional baby cover made by the Lugbara to cover infants by a mother as African culture has women putting their children behind their backs. The Luku then is used to shield the infant from the elements such as rain and sunshine. Koyo and Mari are musical instruments used by the Lugbara in recreation but also if coupled with drums can be used to sound alarms and send communication. Lastly the Adungu which is widely known and is also a musical instrument used in recreation. These artifacts were examined and coupled with the information gathered from interviewing the various Lugbara informants, sculptural expressions were created. Creating sculpture is the surface of how important this research is but enforces the fact that art can play a vital role in creating awareness about the loss and disappearance of our culture in society today and encourage us to conserve it as we best possibly can.