Opportunity knocks on Oakland University’s door, and in walks Haruna Walusimbi, a Ugandan royal musician visiting Michigan to work with the world music program. OU is one of the top universities in the state for working with world music, and much of it stems from repeat guest artists like Walusimbi.
Walusimbi was born in Lwanika village in Uganda and grew up in a family where being a musician was not considered a valuable career path. Still, he engaged with the arts and developed a love for music throughout primary school, where he learned to play the embaire. His first instrument was a literal wooden door that he would beat percussive rhythms on.
When asked to describe who he is, Walusimbi likes to recount stories from his past, one of which takes place at a competition from his primary school years. He, one of his brothers, two step-brothers, one niece and two other girls from his village were chosen to represent their district at the headquarters of their county.
“So our father was in the audience and every time we came on stage, they could see the six or seven of us, that we were quite distinct,” Walusimbi shared. “Everything we were doing was quite unique. The school choir was really hanging on us. We are the ones holding it together.”
“Come to playing instruments, come to singing, come to dancing,” Walusimbi continued. “We are playing the heroes. So then people are making comments in the audience, saying, ‘Ah, the parent of this student should be happy. Oh, wonderful! This year is so gifted. They are so talented. Oh my God, I wish I also had a child like that one.’”
Between performances, the group would head back to rehearse for the next set. At one point, Walusimbi’s father came backstage to greet his family. The same man who believed music was not a worthy path for his children to follow.
“So as he [Walusimbi’s father] came towards us, I thought, ah, now it is a fire! He’s coming to beat us,” Walusimbi recalled. “But to my surprise, he came with a very good intention.”
Walusimbi’s father gathered his attention and praised his son for a job well done. He shared with the group all the kind words he heard echoing throughout the audience.
“Fortunately on that day, we were mighty obviously the winner and we were so happy and it was then that I realized that somehow he appreciated, because we were not tarnishing the image of his name,” Walusimbi beamed at the memory.
Such performances and excellent academics solidified Walusimbi’s entrance into being a professional musician. He earned a full-ride scholarship to study at Makerere University, where he studied sociology and percussion. He would eventually meet Mark Stone at Makerere, who now works as a professor of world music and serves as Walusimbi’s connection to OU.
Walusimbi made the most out of his time in university. He earned a number of awards and was even selected to represent Uganda at the International Curricular Festival in 1994. The festival brought him to a number of countries in Europe, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and Italy.
“I was deeply rooted into Ugandan music because I was exposed to all kinds of instruments, singing and dancing,” Walusimbi said. “Everything was really at my disposal.”
Walusimbi became a global youth day ambassador for Uganda in the Philippines. He founded the Nile Beat Artists and created the Senator National Cultural Festival. He even became a Grammy-winning percussionist, performing with Bela Fleck in the film “Throw Down Your Heart.” He also acted briefly in the Academy Award-winning film, “The Last King of Scotland.”
Walusimbi now works as a royal musician for both the Kabaka [king] of Buganda and the Kyabazinga [king] of Busoga. His father hails from Buganda, which was founded in the 1400’s and is rooted in tradition and ritual. His mother comes from Busoga, which is much newer and serves to combine the people of 11 different chiefdoms.
The job is one filled with challenge and sacrifice, but also great honor. Individuals chosen to be royal musicians must be deeply rooted in their culture and stand to be a good, inspirational role model for the community. He must be trustworthy and responsible above all else and must pass numerous background checks before selection.
“I am a custodian of his [the king’s] drum, the royal drum and even the sticks that he uses to play,” Walusimbi said. “And when he finishes to play the drum, he hands me the sticks and I play the same drum.”
Only the king himself and Walusimbi can play the royal drum. When the sticks are not being used, it is up to Walusimbi to keep them safe within his care and to transport them when events are scheduled.
The job is rooted in tradition and ritual. Walusimbi shared that any time the drum is in play at an event, it needs its own security team to keep people from getting too close. Anyone other than the king or Walusimbi touching the drum is taboo. Even Walusimbi must refrain from sharing a bed with his wife for three days to be considered pure enough to go near the drum.
The drum is so important, so symbolic of the king’s foothold in both the land of the living and the land of the dead, that there would be no throne without it. That paints a clear picture as to how honorable the title of royal musician is.
Walusimbi has now visited Oakland University three times thanks to his friend and colleague, Mark Stone. His residency at Oakland University is sponsored by the Judd Family Endowed Fund.
To see Walusimbi in action and to hear the work put in by OU’s world music program, attend the World Music Concert at 7:30 p.m. on April 17 in Varner Recital Hall. Tickets are $10 for the public or free to Oakland University students with ID at the box office up to an hour before the show.
