Title: Protection of traditional knowledge in Uganda

Author: Stephen Rwagweri Atwooki

Affiliation: Engabu Za TooroP.O Box 886, Fort Portal, UgandaTel: +256-772-469751Email:engabuzatooro@gmail.com, engabuzatooro@infocom.co.ugFacebook: Engabu Za TooroBlog: www.engabuzatooro.blogspot.comWebsite: www.engabuzatooro.or.ug

Abstract

Uganda has diverse and rich traditional knowledge, covering socio-economic aspects of life like music, folklore, apprenticeship, handcraft, production, medicine, etc.The modern civilization had threefold effects on the traditional knowledge; Some forms of traditional knowledge steadily disappearing, some remaining static and some prevailing through adaptation and integration in modern knowledge.The Copyright and Intellectual Property rights laws in Uganda stem from the British Copyrights laws and Intellectual Property regimes. As a result, these laws are based on western modes of authorship and ownership and could not recognize Ugandan traditional forms of knowledge like oral traditions and folklore.

Traditional knowledge and Folklore in Uganda is not protected. The technical explanation is that traditional knowledge and folklore doesn’t meet the established international standards and criteria of copyright protection which define what, how and who can be protected and for how long. This has been just an intellectual debate among the lawyers and scholars of copyright law. The traditional knowledge sector itself is not developed to generate organized and sensitized practitioners to participate in the debate and generate demand for protection.The production, presentation and distribution of different forms of traditional knowledge is not organized and developed to secure themselves for protection. Actors in traditional knowledge sector like cultural and traditional institutions and civic groups are not sensitized, organized and coordinated enough to pursue a common mission of organizing the sector and securing protection.Some forms of traditional knowledge increasingly get threats of extinction due to failure to be relevant in the contemporary life, failure to cope with effects of high-tech modern communication, emerging hostile beliefs and value systems and imported forms of entertainment.As traditional knowledge sector attempt to pursue protection, challenging questions emerge. Such questions include the definition of public domain, how rights are shared between original author and the one who re-invests and makes folklore relevant today? How to reconcile need for originality and need for adaptation?

It is recommended that Uganda first focus on programmes to re-invent and organize traditional knowledge so that it can meet some standards for protection and a study be undertaken of possibility of evolving a unique regime for protecting traditional knowledge.Programmes of research, documentation and digital data systems for Uganda’s traditional knowledge should be developed like it has been done in India andSouth Africa.

IntroductionUganda

Uganda is a landlocked East African country with a land area of 241,039 square kilometers and a population of 30 million people. The country’s GDP per capita stands at US $ 470.

Engabu Za Tooro

Rwagweri (Right) with other dignitaries at a cultural function organised by Engabu Za Tooro

Engabu Za Tooro is a Ugandan non governmental organization promoting research and documentation of traditional knowledge and folklore. It is also accredited to WIPO’s Intergovernmental committee on intellectual property and genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore.The organization is currently establishing a cultural centre to be an epicenter of traditional knowledge research and documentation and digital database development.

Why concern with Traditional Knowledge

Majority of indigenous and grassroots population in Uganda still rely on traditional knowledge for information and livelihood. Traditional knowledge inform scientific innovation. Therefore, there is need to give traditional knowledge its appropriate recognition.
The state of traditional knowledge in Uganda

Like any African society, Uganda has a rich and diverse stock of traditional knowledge in all human sectors like medicine, music, production, folklore, dance, apprenticeship and craftsmanship.Uganda also has traditional and cultural institutions mandated to safeguard and perpetuate the traditional knowledge. Historically, Uganda had five major Kingdoms that included Bunyoro, Buganda, Ankole, Tooro and Busoga and chiefdoms in several parts of the country. These institutions traditionally had political and administrative powers which led to collision with colonial and post colonial central governments leading to their abolition in 1967. see page two below

The post Protection of traditional knowledge in Uganda first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Stephen Rwagweri is a social worker, book writer, broadcaster and currently working on a very ambitious project to build a museum for the people of Rwenzori region. He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Engabu Za Tooro or Tooro Youth Platform for Action ,a development organization, which operates in the Rwenzori region which includes the western Uganda districts of Kasese, Bundibugyo, Kabarole, Kyenjojo and Kamwenge. Solomon Akugizibwe talked to him about his writing and development works in Tooro kingdom and Rwenzori region in general.

Writing books, starting with The Invasion exploring HIV/AIDS
I wrote my first book while still a student at the university. It is called The Invasion and tells about the struggles against HIV/AIDS. Llater, I researched on the subject of culture among the tribes of western Uganda mainly Batooro and the neighboring tribes and wrote another book titled Tooro and her peoples, past, present and future. These are the two books published so far although I have many more not yet published.

The invasion book was a creative piece on the HIV/AIDS pandemic. It was inspired by how the scourge of HIV/AIDS was threatening society and putting the hopes of many people in jeopardy. As a person, I got touched because I saw our generation under very serious threats and decided to put my reflections into this book. It was welcomed by many organizations fighting the HIV/AIDS scourge like AIDS control program, Uganda Aids Commission and UNDP which, contributed resources for the development and final publication. It was distributed through schools, institutions and book centers all over Uganda.

Where he got the writing skills
Writing skills or spirit is a talent in born and people need to catalyze or develop it. At secondary level, I was a student of literature and it was my favorite subject which, exposed me to reflecting on the skills and inspirations of the writers and after S.6, I studied philosophy at philosophical centre in Jinja which strengthened my imaginative capacities and reflective qualities but much more is the will power, the encouragement and the interest to write.

Rwagweri (Right) with other dignitaries at a cultural function organised by Engabu Za Tooro

I wrote the first manuscript of my first book (the invasion), when I was in my S.6 vacation, at that stage many people could not believe that I had written a book, when I told my parents they said I had run mad/ My uncle too declared me mad. They thought books are written by professors and that was one of the challenges I faced because I was convinced that I had done my best, but it was so difficult to share with anybody since they couldn’t believe me writing a book based on my experience and education.

I was helped by a friend who helped me to type the manuscript; I sent it to a publishing firm in Nairobi. The person reading my manuscript in Nairobi asked whether the author of the book is a professor at Makerere University by the name of Rwagweri Stephen. He thought I was a lecturer to think of writing a book, by then and it was more shocking to tell them that I was a first year student for the first degree in the institution. Of course they developed some biases and carried on the biases while looking on my manuscript. These two issues show the biases communities have on who should do what at what stage.

Copies distributed so far for The Invasion book
If you think in terms of copies, you have distributed as a writer you will get disappointed. What is important is putting your ideas and experience in specialized form whereby, it will live on even generations after you. I had a lot of imaginations and this is a lesson to upcoming writers that books after writing and publishing will go on marketing themselves endlessly.

In the field of writing, the real experience is different. I can’t recall he number of copies I managed to distribute or my publishers or distributors put out there. I recall a number of times we did a re-print, the books were distributed in the first months and year after the launch and after the pace of its distribution becomes very limited unless it’s a directly academic or educational book.

Ugandan society has a very serious problem of lacking a strong reading culture which discourages the writers and its one of the reasons I have slowed down in my writing. It isn’t so much that one is moved by the urge to get money from writing but moved by the urge to communicate a message and you get satisfaction when you get feedback, generate debate and reflections from people receiving your message.

We have more of a listening population because if I went on radio and started discussing a topic, the following day will get a feedback especially if the topic is well handled, controversial and brings out challenging issues which generate debate and discussions. I have used both methods of communication in my life experience. I have written and been a regular panelist on many radio programs and radio has been more effective in terms of reaching out to the targeted audience.

I see my first book quoted in academic books and papers because it was distributed well in secondary schools. Once in a while, I hear people telling me that they have read my book.

The writer Solomon Akugizibwe is a graduate journalist and also works for Tooro Center for Development and Peace (TOCEDEP)

Related links
Kabarole’s Bigwigs Daily Monitor 2006
Rwagweri Stephen mentioned among Kabarole’s notable people

Harnessing Culture to make a living Daily Monitor September 6, 2008

Story about Rwagweri’s Engabu Za Tooro cultural programs and exhibition

Multiple faced Rwagweri Edirisa.org

Rooting for Culture’s Role in Development Ultimate Media

Engabu Za Tooro website

See PART 2

Using Africa indigenous knowledge in development programs

The post Rwagweri Stephen talks about preserving African culture, writing books first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.