Dominic Makwa

Dominic Makwa is a Senior Lecturer of Music (Ethnomusicology) in the Department of Performing Arts and Film (PAF) at Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, where he teaches courses in ethnomusicology. He received his PhD (Music) from Stellenbosch University (South Africa), M.A. (Music) through a sandwich programme between Makerere University (Uganda) and the University of Bergen (Norway), B.A. (Music) from Makerere University, and a Diploma (Music Education) from Kyambogo University (Uganda). His research interests include music archiving, where he deals with the repatriation of archival recordings to the communities from which they were collected, and indigenous archival practices. Dr. Makwa’s research has also dealt extensively with Imbalu circumcision rituals among the Bagisu (also known as Bamasaaba) of eastern Uganda, specifically investigating the integration of music, dance, and imbalu, how the ritual provides popular musicians with space to perform their music, and the secularisation of its music and dance practices through school Music, Dance, and Drama (MDD) festivals, popular music performances, and political rallies. Furthermore, in addition to his interests in musical communication in contexts of displacement, Dr. Makwa’s new area is the decolonisation of music education in Uganda where he advocates for teaching and learning approaches that call for taking the university to communities and bringing community members such as community musicians into university spaces. He has worked on projects with colleagues across Africa, Europe, and the USA. In addition to book chapters, his research has been published in Critical African Studies, African Music, Journal of the Indian Ocean Region, and the Yearbook for Traditional Music.