by Linda Nabasa a.k.a. Nada
Watch the spectacular performance of Linda Nabasa,
who goes by the stage name Nada. Then get to know a little bit more about this amazing woman
in this Q&A.
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Lawino: How
did you get into spoken word poetry?
did you get into spoken word poetry?
<>
Linda:
Three years ago, I did not know of any events were writers gathered to read or
recite their work. Then I came across of an advert of Open Mic, and decided to
attend. At that time it was held at Open House on Buganda Road, but these days
they hold it at the Uganda Museum. When I heard other writers and poets performing
on stage, it showed me a platform where I could share my work. I no longer had
to write for myself.
Three years ago, I did not know of any events were writers gathered to read or
recite their work. Then I came across of an advert of Open Mic, and decided to
attend. At that time it was held at Open House on Buganda Road, but these days
they hold it at the Uganda Museum. When I heard other writers and poets performing
on stage, it showed me a platform where I could share my work. I no longer had
to write for myself.
<>
Lawino: Tell us about the first time you performed.
<>
Linda:
When I went back for the next session of Open Mic, I had a piece of work ready.
When they invited Linda to come on stage, I was so nervous that I jumped off my
chair and rushed to the mic before anyone could stop me. I recited Ojuku, a
narrative poem about a woman who warns her brother to stop womanizing. I adopted
a Nigerian accent to sound different from other performers, and to spice the
poem with humor. I shocked myself at how much confidence I showed on stage. The
audience surprised me when, upon finishing, I got a standing ovation. The
clapping went on for several minutes. After I had seated, the organizer told me
and that another poet called Linda had signed up before me, and that she was
meant to perform. Not me. It took the glow I was basking in. At least they had
not embarrassed me by pulling me off stage, because I was not meant to perform.
However, the organizers did not mind the mistake, seeing the reaction my performance
had sparked in the audience.
When I went back for the next session of Open Mic, I had a piece of work ready.
When they invited Linda to come on stage, I was so nervous that I jumped off my
chair and rushed to the mic before anyone could stop me. I recited Ojuku, a
narrative poem about a woman who warns her brother to stop womanizing. I adopted
a Nigerian accent to sound different from other performers, and to spice the
poem with humor. I shocked myself at how much confidence I showed on stage. The
audience surprised me when, upon finishing, I got a standing ovation. The
clapping went on for several minutes. After I had seated, the organizer told me
and that another poet called Linda had signed up before me, and that she was
meant to perform. Not me. It took the glow I was basking in. At least they had
not embarrassed me by pulling me off stage, because I was not meant to perform.
However, the organizers did not mind the mistake, seeing the reaction my performance
had sparked in the audience.
<>
That night, I found my calling. I knew I
wanted to be a spoken word artist. To avoid future embarrassments, knowing there
was another poet called Linda, I gave myself a stage name. Nada. It’s
funny now, thinking about how my name came about, because I never saw this
other Linda on any stage again. Maybe my performance scared her away.
wanted to be a spoken word artist. To avoid future embarrassments, knowing there
was another poet called Linda, I gave myself a stage name. Nada. It’s
funny now, thinking about how my name came about, because I never saw this
other Linda on any stage again. Maybe my performance scared her away.
<>
Still, that first performance did not put
me in a comfort zone. I struggled to outdo myself. Until today, I practice a
lot. I make meticulous preparations before a performance. I am very critical of
myself. I often watch clips of my poetry recitals, often about two weeks after
I perform, to watch for mistakes I made and to plan how to never repeat those
mistakes.
me in a comfort zone. I struggled to outdo myself. Until today, I practice a
lot. I make meticulous preparations before a performance. I am very critical of
myself. I often watch clips of my poetry recitals, often about two weeks after
I perform, to watch for mistakes I made and to plan how to never repeat those
mistakes.
<>
Lawino: Tell
us about Muyenga Mansion?
<>
us about Muyenga Mansion?
<>
Linda:
When I was still a little girl at school, all the poems themed on HIV and AIDS were
a torment to listen to. Anyone who has been to school in Uganda will say the
same thing. I wonder why teachers make pupils to recite those terrible lines. I
remember one parent’s day, when I was picked to recite a poem. I do not
remember any of the lines, apart from the opening two. It went, ‘Aids! Aids!
Aids! Oh Aids!’ Every time I think about it, I want to dig a hole and
disappear. They think such poems will teach people AIDS, but it only bores them
to sleep. If they wonder why the epidemic is spreading, it is because they
insist on these boring strategies.
When I was still a little girl at school, all the poems themed on HIV and AIDS were
a torment to listen to. Anyone who has been to school in Uganda will say the
same thing. I wonder why teachers make pupils to recite those terrible lines. I
remember one parent’s day, when I was picked to recite a poem. I do not
remember any of the lines, apart from the opening two. It went, ‘Aids! Aids!
Aids! Oh Aids!’ Every time I think about it, I want to dig a hole and
disappear. They think such poems will teach people AIDS, but it only bores them
to sleep. If they wonder why the epidemic is spreading, it is because they
insist on these boring strategies.
<>
That disease is very close to my heart. A very
close relative suffers from it. Sometimes, when she does not have transport or
energy to go to the hospital to pick her monthly dose of ARV’s, I am the first
person she calls. I may not know how exactly it feels like to suffer from the
virus but I through this relative of mine I have seen the despair of those infected
with it.
close relative suffers from it. Sometimes, when she does not have transport or
energy to go to the hospital to pick her monthly dose of ARV’s, I am the first
person she calls. I may not know how exactly it feels like to suffer from the
virus but I through this relative of mine I have seen the despair of those infected
with it.
<>
The day she told me she was positive, I
cried through the night. I remembered that poem I recited at school, and I
hated my teachers for making me say it. I wanted to remedy the situation, for I
knew that if you want a message to sink into an audience, then you have to give
them a piece of work that is very entertaining, very funny. They will think
they are just enjoying a piece of comedy, and yes they will laugh, and yes, the
punch line will stay with them long after I have stopped performing. And guess what,
the message is in the punch line.
cried through the night. I remembered that poem I recited at school, and I
hated my teachers for making me say it. I wanted to remedy the situation, for I
knew that if you want a message to sink into an audience, then you have to give
them a piece of work that is very entertaining, very funny. They will think
they are just enjoying a piece of comedy, and yes they will laugh, and yes, the
punch line will stay with them long after I have stopped performing. And guess what,
the message is in the punch line.
<>
With Muyenga Mansion, I wanted to tell the
story of a sugar daddy wooing a young girl. In our society, it is generally
perceived that sugar daddies give the virus to women. This is wrong, and I
think this stereotype comes from the message in most anti-Aids campaigns. In
this poem, I dwelt on the most common way of infection, and that is through
unprotected sex. I called it Muyenga Mansion because I did not want people to
immediately associate the poem with HIV and AIDS, but rather to wonder about
the connection between a mansion and the disease.
<>
story of a sugar daddy wooing a young girl. In our society, it is generally
perceived that sugar daddies give the virus to women. This is wrong, and I
think this stereotype comes from the message in most anti-Aids campaigns. In
this poem, I dwelt on the most common way of infection, and that is through
unprotected sex. I called it Muyenga Mansion because I did not want people to
immediately associate the poem with HIV and AIDS, but rather to wonder about
the connection between a mansion and the disease.
<>
Lawino:
Finally, give a short introduction of yourself. Tell us about your personal
life, your professional life, your achievements, anything you want your fans to
know.
Finally, give a short introduction of yourself. Tell us about your personal
life, your professional life, your achievements, anything you want your fans to
know.
<>
Linda:
I hail from Kyamate Ntungamo in Western Uganda. I went to Ndejje
University where I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business
Administration. I am the Business Development Manager at Feed a Million Mouths
Uganda, a social enterprise that specializes in nutritional products for HIV Centers,
Orphanages, and hospices. I’m a member of Rotary Kampala International and the
National Youth Working Group supported by UNICEF
I hail from Kyamate Ntungamo in Western Uganda. I went to Ndejje
University where I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business
Administration. I am the Business Development Manager at Feed a Million Mouths
Uganda, a social enterprise that specializes in nutritional products for HIV Centers,
Orphanages, and hospices. I’m a member of Rotary Kampala International and the
National Youth Working Group supported by UNICEF
<>
I’m a poet, singer, songwriter, and a short
story writer. I use the stage name NADA. I have performed my poetry in many
festivals, including the Umoja International Cultural Camp, the Nuvo Arts
Festival, the Bayimba’s International Music and Arts Festival. I have also performed
at many international workshops and exhibitions, and performed for the anti-tobacco
advocacy campaign event hosted in the Parliament of Uganda. I have been on
stage in collaboration with the Uganda National Contemporary Ballet (UNCB). To
hone my storytelling craft, I have received training in Bayimba’s two week
creative writing workshop chaired by Deborah Asiimwe, a BBC award winning
playwright, and the Writivisim Writing Competition by CACE where I was mentored
by Mr Richard Ugbede Ali, Nigerian Editor in Chief of the literary magazine, Sentinel
Nigeria. As a musician, I recorded an album in November 2013 with Herbert
Kinobe the world ambassador for Harmony Foundation of Canada. The album
advocates for environmental protection, mental peace, and living a life of
fulfillment. It was made possible with the help of Mrs. Anne Emmons in Hawaii,
USA.
story writer. I use the stage name NADA. I have performed my poetry in many
festivals, including the Umoja International Cultural Camp, the Nuvo Arts
Festival, the Bayimba’s International Music and Arts Festival. I have also performed
at many international workshops and exhibitions, and performed for the anti-tobacco
advocacy campaign event hosted in the Parliament of Uganda. I have been on
stage in collaboration with the Uganda National Contemporary Ballet (UNCB). To
hone my storytelling craft, I have received training in Bayimba’s two week
creative writing workshop chaired by Deborah Asiimwe, a BBC award winning
playwright, and the Writivisim Writing Competition by CACE where I was mentored
by Mr Richard Ugbede Ali, Nigerian Editor in Chief of the literary magazine, Sentinel
Nigeria. As a musician, I recorded an album in November 2013 with Herbert
Kinobe the world ambassador for Harmony Foundation of Canada. The album
advocates for environmental protection, mental peace, and living a life of
fulfillment. It was made possible with the help of Mrs. Anne Emmons in Hawaii,
USA.
<>
Lawino:
Anything else you want to say that I have missed
asking?
Anything else you want to say that I have missed
asking?
<>
I am always happy when people tell me they
like my poetry, but I am much more humbled when they quote sentences out of my
poems. It keeps me motivated. My ultimate goal is to us poetry, music, and
acting as a tool to communicate important messages to all kinds of people.
like my poetry, but I am much more humbled when they quote sentences out of my
poems. It keeps me motivated. My ultimate goal is to us poetry, music, and
acting as a tool to communicate important messages to all kinds of people.
≈≈
Linda Nabasa
(Nada) is
a poet, a musician, an actress, and a writer. Her works have featured in many
festivals, workshops and exhibitions, and she has performed in the Parliament
of Uganda. She has received creative writing training from Bayimba (tutored by
Deborah Asiimwe, a BBC award winning playwright) and from Writivisim CACE, where
her mentor was Richard Ugbede Ali, Editor in Chief of Sentinel Nigeria. She has
recorded a music album with Herbert Kinobe, and is currently working on her first
book of poetry, ‘Nipples, Dimples, and Pimples.’
(Nada) is
a poet, a musician, an actress, and a writer. Her works have featured in many
festivals, workshops and exhibitions, and she has performed in the Parliament
of Uganda. She has received creative writing training from Bayimba (tutored by
Deborah Asiimwe, a BBC award winning playwright) and from Writivisim CACE, where
her mentor was Richard Ugbede Ali, Editor in Chief of Sentinel Nigeria. She has
recorded a music album with Herbert Kinobe, and is currently working on her first
book of poetry, ‘Nipples, Dimples, and Pimples.’
≈≈
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