In November, staff at Reid Hall participated in a KUMBE Dance Workshop hosted by performance artist and researcher Haman Mpadire, a 2024 – 2025 resident of the Displaced Artist Initiatives. As part of his residency, Mpadire offered participants this unique opportunity to connect with their bodies, explore personal memories, and embrace the art of improvisation in a judgment-free, inclusive space.
The term “kumbe” comes from Lusoga, a Bantu language spoken by the Basoga people in eastern Uganda. The word which symbolizes awareness, healing, and the awakening of the psyche. Mpadire drew inspiration from Busoga indigenous aesthetics and rituals in the workshop, emphasizing the pelvis, spine, chest, waist, and the “bumbum” as central elements of expression. Mpadire’s approach invited participants to think and communicate through their bodies.
“There’s nothing wrong or right,” Mpadire emphasized, “No Apology. No judgement. No expectations.”
Born in Eastern Uganda and deeply rooted in the traditions of the Busoga tribe, Haman Mpadire brings a wealth of cultural and creative experience to Reid Hall. His artistic practice bridges experimental research with themes of colonial and post-colonial systems, identity, and visibility, particularly for black African bodies. These elements infused the workshop with profound depth, making it as much a cultural exploration as a physical exercise.
Co-sponsored by the Columbia Global Paris Center and the Institute for Ideas and Imagination, the workshop was part of the Displaced Artists Initiative, a program supporting artists who have been forced to leave their home countries due to extreme circumstances. Haman Mpadire’s residency and his work underscore the importance of fostering artistic expression in displaced communities while enriching cultural understanding in the hosting communities.
Participants left the session feeling invigorated and reflective, having explored new ways of connecting with their bodies and their histories. The workshop wasn’t just about dance; it was about embracing freedom, vulnerability, and self-discovery through movement.
The workshop playlist
https://youtu.be/0JiR8sQdMW4?si=zcYQ90OxZ4fbiSD4
https://youtu.be/k-VBUVz5jXM?si=Wd8zp1NkhMyx4Ky0
https://youtu.be/toMc5msVZpg?si=CPGdxdw1EYDNigho
https://youtu.be/iGeczCyi8xY?si=IkkC-H5C4JECb-Vv
