Eddogo Mu Kika-Makungura Ki?

This is a film in two parts directed by Katongole Henry Joy. 

The story is set in both rural and urban settings and tackles broad themes common to people in dealing with growth and change. It attempts to create a picture what life would be like if we were to resort to the use of the magic arts for our preservations. 

There is a marked difference between what in Swahili is called Miti Shamba (Eddagala Lyeki Nansi) and what can broadly be described as  Urogi (WitchCraft) the former in English would be called Traditional Medicine mainly making use of herbs, roots and leaves or different plants and trees versus the use of both secret herbs and portions mainly accompanied by words and belief as well as the backing of ancestors to effect change in the lives of everyday people. 

The film is thus an attempt to explore the effect of these activities on a family and the way in which those that are affected deal with these challenges. 

The choice of cast was good as well as location. There is a good combination of plot twists that leave you genuinely concerned and expectant. There are several scenes that help put typical rural life in perspective. 

The film is part of a category that was created to make International film more accessible but that has obviously become a 'thing' within itself. It is almost impossible to imagine watching anything local that is not accompanied by voice over (enjogelele). 

A large groups of people that make up our population have strong Christian belief and a fair sharing of traditional practice to contend with these ideas. As such the manner in which local people juggle these two conflicting worlds makes for great entertainment. Almost all of the effective urban church movements devote a good amount of their time tackling traditional belief and the ideas that many hold onto about the possibility of ill will from others and bad luck. 

The 'traditional doctor' or conjurer is therefore often part of the extended family responsible for all sorts of progress and pain. There are battles to revive these traditional beliefs as many begin to deal with late or undelivered packages of change and development that have not been received. This could cause a rift between the Kingdoms and 

Cultural Institutions on one hand and the Faiths which have benefitted on the whole in the post colonial age. 

There is a slight reference to the this in the film with a brief appearance of a bible. The message is clear though in the title which asks the question-Mukungura Ki (loosely translated as what do you gain or harvest).