War Dance

 

I just watched this moving documentary today called War Dance. As some hopefully know, the war in northern Uganda has been raging for years and continues today.  I wasn't aware of this until my freshman year in college when I watched Invisible Children.  The rebel army continues to kill and abduct children all over the north of Uganda. This film captures the grief of these children and their families that have been directly affected by the war. 

In particular, the Acholi tribe that has moved to a government funded camp is seen in the film. The camp was meant to house around five families but in the time of the documentary, around 50,000 people lived there. For the first time, the Patongo school seeks to participate in the national Kampala Music Festival.  The film tells the story of three children affected by the war and their journey to the competition.

I was deeply moved by the sadness of these children. They have been robbed of their childhood because of the rebel army and have seen things no one deserves to see, especially not a child. Many of them have been orphaned because of the war and have also lost brothers and sisters. Despite all the pain, music and dance help these children free their minds from the past. You can see the smiles light up on their faces when they dance, sing, and play instruments.