The Ongala Festival aims to provide a platform for artists across Africa and beyond, whilst promoting and showcasing local talent enabling both to come together.
During the Ongala Festival the Goethe-Institut has set up the project “Urban Music Rebels”. It presents a specific trend which can be observed in East Africa for some years. More and younger musicians are rediscovering their roots, combining traditional instruments, sounds and rhythm patterns and local vocal languages with contemporary sounds and production methods of electronic music. This creative upheaval has led to new musical styles, such as Singeli in Tanzania, Acholitronix in Uganda, Bengatronics in Kenya and the use of the Inanga (traditional oval-shaped harp) in the upcoming electronic music scene in Rwanda.
The project aims to identify the band and style potential of this trend through a three day workshop and a festival showcase. The respective music scenes from Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda are to be networked in order to inform and inspire each other, to exchange production methods and to initiate co-productions.
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