Join us for a Musical Book Signing Event!

Dr. Damascus Kafumbe returns to the Clemmons Family Farm to share his new book, Tuning the Kingdom: Kawuugulu Music, Politics, and Storytelling in Buganda. Join us for Dr. Kafumbe's fascinating presentation of the use of traditional music and storytelling to shape Ugandan political structures and processes.

A skilled composer and musician, Dr. Kafumbe will also demonstrate some of the traditional musical instruments and songs that influence political life in the country. BYOD (Bring your own drum) to learn some of the wonderful beats and secrets of traditional Ugandan drumming.

Get ready for a highly educational, engaging, and interactive book signing! This event is free. Donations are welcome. Admission is limited to a maximum of 35 people- advance registration is required.

Autographed copies of Tuning the Kingdom will be on sale for $35.00: please bring cash or a check (sorry, we cannot accept credit card payments at the book signing).

About the Book

Tuning the Kingdom draws on oral and written accounts, archival research, and musical analysis to examine how the Kawuugulu Clan-Royal Musical Ensemble of the Kingdom of Buganda (arguably the kingdom's oldest and longest-surviving performance ensemble) has historically managed, structured, modeled, and legitimized power relations among the Baganda people of south-central Uganda. Damascus Kafumbe argues that the ensemble sustains a complex sociopolitical hierarchy, interweaving and maintaining a delicate balance between kin and clan ties and royal prerogatives through musical performance and storytelling that integrates human and nonhuman stories. He describes this phenomenon as "tuning the kingdom," and he compares it to the process of tensioning or stretching Kiganda drums, which are always moving in and out of tune. Even as Kawuugulu continues to adapt to the rapidly changing world around it, Tuning the Kingdom documents how Kawuugulu has historically articulated and embodied principles of the three inextricably related domains that serve as the backbone of Kiganda politics: kinship, clanship, and kingship.

About the Author

A native of Uganda, Dr. Kafumbe received his B.M. from Makerere University and M.M. and Ph.D. (Musicology) from Florida State University. He is a professor at Middlebury College, having joined the music faculty there in 2011 to teach ethnomusicology/world music courses, direct the Middlebury African Music and Dance Ensemble, and maintain the College’s Ugandan musical instrument collection.

Dr. Kafumbe’s research spans diverse fields, including ethnomusicology, performance, history, politics, ritual, African studies, and social organization. In addition to "Tuning the Kingdom" (his newest book), Professor Kafumbe has published articles, reviews, and interviews in African Music, Ethnomusicology, World of Music, and Yearbookfor Traditional Music.

A multi-instrumentalist, dancer, composer, and instrument technician, Professor Kafumbe specializes in East African musical and dance traditions. He is knowledgeable about the construction and maintenance of many of the instruments he plays, and has served as an instrument technician and acquisitions consultant for the Musical Instrument Museum, Tallahassee Community College, Appalachian State University, Wabash College, Florida State University, and Indiana University. Record/production companies such as Deer Pants Productions, Odd Freak Films, Endongo Records, and Sony BMG have released/commissioned his music.

Professor Kafumbe has received recognitions and research awards, including the Mark and Margery Pabst Charitable Foundation of the Arts Musicology Award and a Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship that recently took him to University of Jos (Nigeria) to co-design a B.A. music program. He is also an active member of the Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM), the International Council for Traditional Music (ICTM), the African Studies Association (ASA), and the African Theatre Association (AfTA).

Admission is Free! Donations are Welcome!

Did you know that donations to the Clemmons Family Farm help us to preserve one of the rare African-American owned farms in the state of Vermont and in New England as a cultural heritage asset for the community? There are one billion acres of farmland in the United States. Over the past century, African-American land ownership in the U.S. has decreased by 93%: from a combined total of 41 million acres to just 3.5 million acres today.

• According to the 2012 United States agriculture census, of the nearly 7000 farms in Vermont, only 19 are African-American-owned or operated.

• Of the 1.2 million acres of farmland in Vermont, only 740 acres are owned or principally operated by African Americans. Less than half of one percent (0.4%) of all farms in the United States are African-American-owned.

FAQ

Where do I park?

The historic Barn House is located on the west side of the Road at 2122 Greenbush Road (Adirondack Mountain side). Please park across the road (east side of Greenbush Road) in the barnyard that is near the two old red barns (the shed and the "Big Barn"). You will see "Event Parking" signs indicating the areas where you can park. You will then cross the road and walk down the hill to the Barn House.

What do I do if I cannot walk down and up the hill to the Barn House?

Please call 802-310-0097 so that we can arrange for a car to drive you down (and up) the hill. Also, the Barn House has an access ramp for those who may have difficulty using the stairs at the main entrance.

Is it ok to bring children?

Yes! Parents and children should really enjoy this event. If your wee ones get restless, there's plenty of room outside on the lawns for them to run around, but they will need to be accompanied by an adult.

Why is there a limit set for the number of residents from a given town?

One of the goals of the Clemmons Family Farm's "A Sense of Place" project is to foster a loving and supportive multicultural community among the residents of six towns: Charlotte, Shelburne, Hinesburg, South Burlington, Burlington and Winooski. Our African-American and African Diaspora arts and culture events are designed to help residents of these towns to get to know one another and to build community across differences of race and culture.

How can I contact the organizer with any questions?

Please contact us if you have any questions about this event. Email clemmonsfamilyfarm@gmail.com or call (765) 560-5445 and leave a message.

Where can I learn more about the Clemmons Family Farm?

Check out our website and like us on Facebook!