ABSTRACT
Drums are of great social and cultural value in Uganda, as expressed in the Buganda proverb: ‘Teziraya ngoma’ (meaning ‘drums are not beaten without a reason’). Traditionally, drums were beaten to alert people to meetings, weddings, funerals, ritual cleansing ceremonies and dancing competitions, and were given as gifts during give-away ceremonies (Wachmann, 1938). Despite the availability of taped electronic music, drums continue to be used in Uganda today, most commonly in schools and churches. Mpigi district in central Uganda, which has a population density of 203 persons per square kilometre, is the best-known area for drum-making.
