"Haba na Hababa hujaza kibaba”: Little by little the basket is filled

The Fun/d-Raiser for the Indigenous House of Culture and Spirituality at Mpambo Multiversity in Uganda last Saturday evening at RRU was a fitting tribute to Paulo Wangoola’s dream of mother-tongue scholarship . . . in a community-based centre for higher learning dedicated to the advancement of indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing.
 
Opening with a traditional welcome and prayer from Greg Sam, RRU Aboriginal Relations Coordinator, and followed by 55 members of the Gettin’ Higher Choir (GHC) coming out in full and glorious force to sing songs of hope and peace, and songs from Africa including the anthem, N’Kosi Sikeleli – this was an outstanding beginning to a hugely successful night.
 
And the choir literally became the event with its numbers exceeding those of the 40- member crowd (total attendance 95) is what is so remarkable. What good fortune for all of us, particularly our dear friend and colleague, Paulo Wangoola in Uganda who we know is deeply thankful that we tenderly hold his vision for a better world close within our hearts and collectively in our community a half a world away. And when there is so much bad news these days, all this goodness and hope comes directly from our own community - all of us helping each other - little by little, step by step, songline by songline, twoonie by twoonie, brick by brick,!
 
Special thanks to Denis Donnelly and Shivon Robinsong, directors of the GHC, the Gettin’ Higher Choir choir, Greg Sam, our friends at the UVic Community Based Research department (especially Budd Hall and Charlotte Charlie), Wendy Gedney, Alison Brophy, Angela Pollack and the new Habitat staff member Carmen, Lyn Thornton from VIDEA, RRU Production, Media Tech,the Continuing Studies team and all at RRU who contributed to the event.