Our Uganda Friday: Pottery & Homegrown Fair Trade Fashion!

Makerere Art Gallery/Institute of Heritage Conservation and Restoration proudly presents FEATS OF UGANDAN POTTERY - A Group Exhibition by Ssekibaala Andrew, Omadi Michael, Bomboka Henry, Bukenya Tony, Balaba Edward, Bukenya Paul, Mpindi Ronald.

Seven outstanding ceramists are displaying their newest works. The artists present creative and innovative designs in ceramics while also focusing on the exploration of traditional Ugandan techniques and designs.



Opening on Friday, 4th November, 2011, at 5 pm

Exhibition dates 4th to 26th November, 2011

Makerere Art Gallery/Institute of Heritage Conservation and Restoration
at Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Arts
Makerere University

Monday – Friday 9 am – 5 pm, Saturday 10 am – 4 pm, Sunday on appointment
Phone 0781561834 | Email makartgallery@yahoo.com | artgallery@sifa.mak.ac.ug makerereartgallery.wordpress.com

And next Wednesday....

XENSON'S "FUTURISTIC PAST" FASHION SHOW at Serena Hotel, Kampala!

Xenson is a Ugandan multi-media artist who has showcased his works in France, Germany, Netherlands, Brazil, Mauritius, Niger, Rwanda, Kenya, the US, etc. and is now gearing up to showcase his latest mind-blowing fair trade, eco-friendly collection right here in Kampala!

Awava loves Xenson's work not only for the fresh and fashion forward design, but also because his ethics behind his work. One philosophy dear to Xenson's work is to help his community. Xenson collaborates with various women's groups, using a fair trade model, to create his eco-fashion collections.

The Wednesday show has promised many surprises and performances, and will also feature Ugandan fashion icons Stela Atal and Latif!

This amazing show will take place Wednesday, 9 November 2011 in Victoria Hall at Kampala Serena Hotel from 7:30pm. Tickets are 30,000 for general admission and 50,000 for VIP (front row) seating and can be purchased in advance at Serena Hotel reception, Alliance Francaise, Sylvia Owori shops and Afriart Gallery!

Hope to see you there!

Awava October Giveaway list of entrants

As you know, we will have two winners for the October giveaway. Below is a list of the people who have entered by mentioning Awava in their Facebook status updates, on their Twitter feeds or on their blogs.

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If your name isn't on the list but you did enter the give-away, please comment on our Facebook page, reply to our Twitter page, comment on this blog or email darlyne@awavamarket.com

See you at the drawing for the winner! 

Our November Giveaway! Daudi Karungi's new book: Extraordinary Women!

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www.awavamarket.com

Our Uganda Friday: Cafe Kawa, Our New Favorite!

Cafe Kawa is our new favorite spot in Kampala! They offer amazing coffee prepared by skilled baristas, excellent customer service, WiFi, delicious sandwiches and salads, fantastic bread from BROOD so you don't have to fight the jam in town, amazing pastries (best croissants in Kampala) also provided by BROOD, in a cozy and artistic environment.

Located on Tank Hill Road in Muyenga, right next to Wine Garage, it is the perfect place to wait out the jam during rush hour, and well worth the trek across town if you're not located in the area (we're not!).

Open Monday through Sunday from 7:30am until 10pm.

The amazing Americano, keeping Awava going!

The perfect Hummus and Veggie Sandwich on whole grain bread

from BROOD. DELICIOUS!

Ethical Holiday Shopping Guide 2011!

Eye See Media and Shop to Stop Slavery's 2011 Ethical Holiday Shopping Guide is HERE! Check out page 33 for Awava!

Our Uganda Friday: Only In Uganda

by Darlyne Komukama

I am in Nairobi for a 10 day trip and have been here for 4 of those 10 days. Obviously being a new environment makes you compare it to what you're used to and being here has been no different for me. So for this installation of the 'Our Uganda Friday' blog post, I am going to tell you all the things I am currently missing the most about Kampala, specifically, and Uganda in general.

Rolex

Not the watch, that's not what you get when you ask for a rolex in Kampala. Rather it's an ingenious recipe in which an omelette is rolled up together with a chapati and the name is believed come from 'rolled eggs'. This buritto like creation can also be filled with, my personal favourite, bacon but more likely with sausage or some type of meat. It is ubiquitous and will be seen on any street corner, outside every market and usually on the side of the road in the more popular hang out areas. If you're in Kampala, and you see someone standing behind a desk with chapatis on display and a tray of eggs next to a charcoal stove with a flat pan on top of it, you are probably in the presence of a rolex guy and you must get yourself one immediately.

Boda Boda

The fastest way to get anywhere on the traffic-jam riddled streets of Kampala is definitely the motorcycle taxis we call boda bodas or bodas for short. A very dividing mode of transport with those who hate them warning everyone one off them and occasionally cussing at them as they weave through traffic while those who love them will not get around town any other way. I am firmly in the 'love them' camp and will only be forced to travel another way if it's raining (and even then I might choose to get wet than sit an hour long traffic for a 10 minute drive) I have become so accustomed to boda rides that I will more often than not be seen reading whatever book I'm reading at the time on the back of the boda.

Hawkers

Outside one of the popular malls in Kampala, the Garden City Mall, are many hawkers whose specialty is cheap knock off sun glasses, many of them Ray Bans. They also make it down the street to the traffic lights on Jinja road so that while you wait for the light to turn green, you can try on a good number of sun glasses and get yourself the perfect pair for about $2 a pair. Nairobi is mostly cold but when it is sunny, it's incredibly bright and I really wish one of those hawkers were around when I needed him.

Warm Nights

Nairobi is much colder than Kampala and anyone who knows is already tired of me moaning about how cold I am especially at night. I go to bed in a socks, tights, a vest and a sweater under my pyjamas even though I have a perfectly normal duvet. Kampala nights are perfectly warm, you could easily go out in a sun dress at 10pm and not get a single goose bump and for covers, I only need a sheet for modesty's sake.

If you were ever looking for any reason to visit Kampala, I've given you 4 pretty good ones.

From Awava, enjoy your weekend.

A Taste of Things to Come!

While we cannot yet tell you exactly what these are and will be (yes, building suspense), you will definitely want at least one of each!