ABSTRACT
The Asians' concern for literature and the arts apparently was manifest from the time of their earliest settlement. The Asians formed their own communal and intercommunal drama, dance, and literary societies, established their own theaters and allied edifices, contributed generously to the organizations initiated by the governments and European communities. With enthusiastic attendance, it supported the plays, musical performances, and readings of poetry and other literature produced by the Asian writers and artists. The Asian literature will be remembered not so much for its quality, or even its quantity, as for its unique role in East African literary development. None of these plays, poems, novels, and short stories is likely ever to enjoy an enduring esteem in world literature. Among all the Asian writers and artists, including the dramatists and poets, the greatest contribution may have come from Rajat Neogy, the Bengali editor and founder of the Uganda literary journal Transition.
