"The Drums of Our Homeland"

Ngoma Ya Kwetu is different from other youth programs because at its core it's all about arts as an emblem of identity.

Gregory Sharrow

The men of the troupe perform
at the Sarah Holbrook Festival.

About Us

Ngoma Ya Kwetu, Drums of Our Homeland, is devoted to the learning and performing of traditional Congolese dance and drumming. Eighteen Congolese youth refugees, from ages 3 to 20, make up the group, under the direction of programs coordinator, Lusenge Siriwayo, and group leader, Jean-Marie Kakule. The group's mission is to preserve cultural identity by teaching the youth the traditional dance of the northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo within the context of the dances' meanings and the significance of the different rhythms. The group performs an hour long program where the audience is strongly encouraged to participate. At the end of the Set, Ngoma Ya Kwetu invites the audience to join the dancers, ask questions, and share observations in order "to build"--in the words of Mr. Siriwayo--"bridges of understanding through cross cultural dialogue."

Jean-Marie Kakule teaches two of the troupe members
the movements to a new dance.

History of Art Form

Munde is an ancient art form created by the Nande people, an ethnic group that accounts for more than 5 million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo, primarily in the northeastern region. Munde consists of dances and complex drum rhythms that convey specific meanings. It is rooted in ritual and often accompanies a time to rejoice. Munde is performed to celebrate an event in the community such as a wedding, a birth, or a time to welcome a respected authority figure or friend. The art form is traditionally passed down from generation to generation in the town square. Youth of a town join together every evening to dance and perform.

For the past 20 years, the Democratic Republic of Congo has been wracked by civil war due to corrupt rulers and unstable peace treaties. The war has been especially bloody with almost 4 million casualties. People are still dying and the U.N. is concerned that the death counts may still add up to around 1000 every day. Many people have been forced into refuge. The Vermont-Congolese youth of Ngoma Ya Kwetu have grown up in refugee camps or countries far from the Congo. They have not had the opportunity to learn dance in the town square or be immersed in their own culture. Mr. Kakule and Mr. Siriwayo aim to give the dancers of their troupe the opportunity to explore their cultural identity while they live amidst American culture.