About Me
BIOGRAPHY.SSUUNA: Is a dancer, percussionist, singer, songwriter, storyteller and recording artist from Uganda with a wide range of performing experience. Raised in a small village by grandparents, He found comfort in the Ugandan traditional music that was played at school. As a result, his musical influence was born, thus encouraged, natured and reinforced by his elders through proverbs, stories, songs, dances and instrumentation. This bestowed a priceless cultural entertainment which proved to be educational as well as alleviating of the poverty, hunger, hopelessness and suffering that SSUUNA among millions of Ugandans experienced as a result of civil wars and political turmoil.
In 1988, he embraced the opportunity to further his education in the United States. He has since continued to spread the teachings of his elders through his performances, sharing with the audience his vast experience from Uganda thus promoting authentic East African art and literature. SSUUNA’s solo shows are not only full of energy and command undivided attention, they also captivate the audience into participation. With plenty of opportunities to try several traditional dances and instruments, the participants learn the origin of the instruments, meaning of the dances, and different drum rhythms.
SSUUNA’s recent audiences have included Organizations such the Smithisonian musuem, The world bank, American red cross, National geographic Society, The Wolf trap Foundation, Baltimore county(MD), Haford county(MD), Fairfax county (VA) public libraries and over 800 public and private schools in NJ, MD, VA, NC, and CA (San Francisico Bay area). He has also performed at George Mason University, Howard Universty, Marymount university, Mount Holyoke College and Thomas Nelson Community College, to name a few. After years of recording for and with other entertainers, SSUUNA released his solo debut album titled “ABAKAZI MAYINJA (Women are Rocks)†in April, 2005. He proudly explains; “It is a project that honors and celebrates the strength and resilience of women—the mothers of the world. Now—that is the Spirit of Africa!†Inspired by his childhood memories of wars, and the critical roll that music played in his life during that time, SSUUNA will release his sophomore offer to the world in December, 2006 titled VOICES OF WAR.
Through an exotic fusion of traditional and contemporary East African music, dance and storytelling accompanied by traditional instruments, SSUUNA will take the audience on a crucial but delightful cultural extravaganza with a promise to experience our cultural similarities and to walk away respecting the differences. SSUUNA; The Spirit of Africa is here to keep love in action.
