Mbugwe

From 14th to 20th On June 2nd 2021 we came together with 38 artists from the Mbugwe people for an arts retreat. It's a day and a half journey by car from Mbeya north past the capital Dodoma. In 2018 and 2019 we had already been to the Mbugwe to ask them about their arts and the problems in their culture. On the free time itself we continued these investigations. Issues ranged from water shortages to alcoholism, mistreatment of poor people and abuse of young women, deficiencies in raising children, and very low self-esteem about their own language and cultural heritage. On the basis of these investigations we had searched out passages from the Bible over a long period of time that gave help and advice for the problems of this people. Since the Bible translators of the Mbugwe had only completed four books of the Bible, there was a lot to be done to finish translating these relevant texts before free time and have them checked by the translation consultant. With these words of the Bible in hand, the artists developed new works of art with very traditional but also more modern Mbugwe arts.

Reputed top professionals in the wide variety of Mbugwe arts had gathered. The musicians composed in groups and taught each other traditional dances. In the making of traditional Mbugwe grass hats and rugs, old women would devise new lyrics and memorize them by singing. Art genres that were almost extinct were revived and filled with new content. Four men sang about the mistreatment of young women, what a big step! Painters drew pictures, one of which warns against using dirty water for domestic use. Potters made classic Mbugwe vessels but also a sculpture to create man out of clay as a reminder that we and all creativity come from God the Creator. God's Word was discussed on relevant topics and the participants began to study the Bible themselves.

It was a whole week full of sparkling creativity, loud laughter and moments of dismay. Participants said at the end of the week that until now they had only sung secular texts, but now they would like to use biblical texts. Others said that from now on they would also go to church.