Ethnomusicology Project: Journal Entry 3: Favela Rising and War Dance--Cultural Opportunities on the Margins of Society

For this part of my ethnomusicology project, I am responding to the documentaries Favela Rising and War Dance, which we watched in class.  Favela Rising tells the story of Anderson Sa and the Grupo Cultural Afro Reggae as they attempt to provide opportunities for the children of one of Rio de Janeiro's most violent favelas, or slums, that allow young people to achieve respect through music and dance rather than by joining the drug armies.  War Dance documents the journey of a group of children in Patongo, a refugee camp sent up by the government of Uganda to protect tribespeople from the rebel Lord's Resistance Army, as they prepare for and compete in the National Music Competition.

Throughout both documentaries it is amazing simply how such rich musical traditions are able to flourish in such socially and economically marginal settings.  But what is truly inspirational is how the people of the favelas and the people of Uganda are striving to provide cultural opportunities for these young people who seemingly were allowed no chance in life.  Through music, young people are able to forge new identities for themselves and paint a more hopeful picture of their future.  Rose, one of the students from Patongo, said after her school won a trophy for their traditional dance performance at the National Music Competition, "Now I am no longer the girl who lost her parents; now I am the girl who helped bring the trophy back to Patongo."  The stories recounted in Favela Rising and War Dance show the incredible ability of music and dance to make an impact on young people's lives and provide inspiration for anyone who is in a position to share music and the performing arts with youth.