Ebinyumu Ebyaffe
Project Title: Ebinyumu Ebyaffe: Our Happy Places, Where We Still Walk
Research Thesis: Exploring Kampala’s Cemetery of Cinemas through Elly Wamala’s Ebinyumu Ebyaffe
Project Lead: Jim Joel Nyakaana
Exhibition Type: Solo Research Showcase & Collaborative Museum Exhibition
Venue: Uganda National Museum, Kampala, Uganda (All components presented in one unified space)
Event Context: The 4th Edition of the Audio-Visual Heritage Show, staged in celebration of UNESCO’s World Day for Audiovisual Heritage
Dates: October 25th – October 27th, 2023
Symposium Animators: Clyde Mayanja and music journalist Michiel van Oosterhout
Collaborative Network: Jointly showcasing alongside independent artists, archivists, and heritage collectors
Medium: Documentary Photography, Historical Archive Research, and Archival Ephemera Displays, family album photos, Elly Wamala’s song Ebinyumu Ebyaffe.
Project & Exhibition Narrative
"Exploring Kampala’s Cemetery of Cinemas through Elly Wamala’s Ebinyumu Ebyaffe" presents an evocative, research-driven journey into the architectural and cultural tapestry of 1960s Kampala. Conceptually guided by the nostalgic melody of Elly Wamala’s timeless masterpiece, Ebinyumu Ebyaffe ("Our Happy Places"), this multi-layered visual archive was exhibited exclusively at the Uganda National Museum from October 25th to October 27th, 2023. Anchored within the museum's 4th annual Audio-Visual Heritage Show to mark UNESCO’s World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, the project brought together a dedicated network of independent artists, archivists, and heritage collectors. Animated by archivist Clyde Mayanja and music journalist Michiel van Oosterhout, the symposium functioned as an immersive repository to explore the intersections of memory, sound, and changing cities.
The venture sets its compass directly from Wamala's lyrics, tracing a historical journey down Kampala Road from the former La Quinta Bar (now transformed into the Plaza building) to Theatre La Bonita, and culminating at the historic Norman Cinema. At the very core of this visual and spatial practice is an urgent defense of the Norman Cinema structure, originally built by Indian entrepreneur Norman Godinho and now housed within the walls of Watoto Church.
Featured artworks.
The Heritage vs. Development Dialogue
This initiative unfolded amid a highly complex legal and cultural juncture: Watoto Church’s ongoing contestation of redevelopment permits issued by the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) due to the building's protected heritage classification. Juxtaposing historical conservation with progressive modern development, Ebinyumu Ebyaffe emerged as a vital catalyst for meaningful dialogue. By displaying this unified body of work alongside independent archivists and collectors at the Uganda National Museum, the presentation sought to cultivate a balanced, peaceful coexistence between landmark preservation and structural progress.
Bypassing traditional art presentations, the installation housed curated historical films, rare archival documents, and contemporary architectural photography captures in one cohesive space, transforming the museum gallery into an engaging tapestry of exploration that rejuvenated Kampala's architectural narrative.
Installation Views
