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Ndere Cultural Center
In 1986, Rawangyezi Stephen founded the Ndere Troupe as a cultural development project. The famous Ndere Cultural Center was established in 2003 to house Uganda’s first traditional dance troupe, Ndere Troupe. One cannot discuss cultural centers without mentioning the Ndere Cultural Center, which is the home of all Ugandan cultures, and the Kampala Cultural Night. It is built on 9 acres of well-kept green, beautifully flowered walkways, as well as fruit and other African trees. The Ndere Centre’s unique architectural design is a seamless combination of artistic creativity and simplicity that elevates African forms, materials, colors, and construction to unprecedented heights.
The Ndere cultural Center is located in Bukoto, a Kampala suburb. The Ndere Troupe is a group within the Centre that entertains people with traditional dances and music from Uganda’s various local tribes. The Ndere Troupe performs at the Centre as well as at various events such as weddings, business functions, parties, and other social gatherings.
They can also perform in any convenient location, such as hotels or lodges. Their main performances, however, take place at the Ndere Centre on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Everyone who wishes to attend the performance on the aforementioned dates is welcome to do so.
“Endere” means “flute” in most Bantu languages, and the Cultural Centre identifies with the adaptability of the melodic instrument. It currently provides excellent accommodations, a restaurant, party facilities, meeting rooms, and our information center. The flute was chosen as a beauty symbol because it produces such beautiful and irresistible music that can be manipulated to depict a wide range of emotions, from sadness to joy, and from love to loneliness.
It also represents global unity, as flutes are found in the traditions of all peoples around the world. The flute represents the blood that circulates in our bodies regardless of our external differences. The Ndere Troupe enjoys emphasizing similarities while appreciating rich diversity.
Cultural Encounter at Ndere Cultural Center
The Ndere Cultural Center is synonymous with traditional Ugandan dance, singing, and cuisine from across the country. The 700-seat Ndere amphitheater is packed every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday evening. The stage is filled with talented traditional dancers dressed in traditional dance attire, gyrating, moving, shuffling, gesticulating, and stamping to the lovely tunes of the background vocalists, drummers, and instrument players. The entire cultural experience at Ndeere Cultural Centre is meticulously designed to provide a sense of daily living in ancient Ugandan culture. You will be wowed and fully immersed in the experience, from the famous Mwaga Imbalu initiation dance from Bugisu, the Amagunjju Buganda royal dance, the Ekitaguriro harvest dance from Ankole, to the Lakararaka, Acholi courtship dance, among others, due to the dexterity and imagery with which these dances and songs are presented.
Harvests, war, marriage, love, celebrations, and other emotions are depicted in such a way that even those who do not speak their native languages can participate.
In between performances, Stephen Rwangyezi, a passionate and great storyteller, engages the audience with Ugandan traditional folktales and stories, which he performs with obvious love. For a fee, visitors can also sample Ugandan cuisine from various regions of the country, including banana leaf steaming matooke, Atapa – millet bread popular among many tribes, and other exquisite traditional dishes and sauces.
For a fee, the Ndere Cultural Center in Uganda also offers dance and instrument classes to individuals who want to take their experience back home with them. They also offer culinary courses for people who want to learn how to make Ugandan dishes or just for fun. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that should not be passed up!
Entrance Fees at Ndere Cultural Centre
Every Sunday evening, the cultural center puts on a family show for guests and the shows start at 6 pm. The following are entrance fees for guests visiting Ndeere cultural center;
- Children aged 2-12 years pay $8 which is equivalent to UGX 25,000/=
- Nationals (Adults) pay $15 per person, an equivalent to UGX 45,000/=
- International Guests are charged $25 per person, equivalent to UGX 80,000/=
The above fees exclude meals served at the cultural center.
