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#NyegeNyege, A Hardcore Parte Guide

#NyegeNyege2019, Gat dayuuum!! This picture was taken at 9 am on Monday morning. The Eternal Disco stage was the last one playing music as the morning kasana rose on Jinja and at this point, they too had shut down their machines. Soon after this, guys started carrying the sound equipment away and taking the setup down, but we were not done.

The drumming crew you see in the back of the picture playing started setting up as the last DJ was winding up their set and continued whooping those instruments for about 2 hours, 1 hour which was just them because the DJ had signed out. Fire!!

My raving engine was running on fumes at this point but my shuffling was still on, but in autopilot mode really, as the drummers performed musical sorcery. The Nyege Nyege spirit (Kenyans, let’s stick with the Uganda definition. OK!?) was strong even though the body was weary. But not as weary as this guy.

Anyone who does more than 2 days of Nyege (Kenyans, behave!) will confess how it turns into an extreme sport after that. And when I say two days, I mean those marathon raves of around 12 hours per day. Guys who went through the night and saw the sun come out know what I’m talking about.

After trying to stay true to this hardcore tradition for the 4 out 5 Nyege’s I’ve attended, you start to identify familiar faces that are just as dedicated to this pakalast cause. The we have to finish our money brigade. The authentic parte after parte after parte subscribers. The I have so much FOMO and I must see as many of the performances on this program crew. The WhatsApp group whose common characteristic is having everyday I’m shuffling as their alarm clock. The either I’ve made some great life decisions to be able to do this or the well hello bad choices demographic… That crowd of kindred spirits in one way or another. .

By the way, Big Trill did well with the Parte song but let’s give Pastor Ssempa a shout out for originating the phrase. Ironically, he said it while berating an LGBQT activist for their lifestyle in an infamous interview clip on NBS that went viral and is part of what shapes how Uganda is viewed out there. For it to now become an anthem for a festival that was almost canceled last year for flimsy LGBQT reasons, mbu, is a poetic turn of events.

Over the Nyege’s, and other similar events, you start to bond with this crowd and compare notes on making it to the long haul parte after parte finish line. And you begin to realize there’s some common techniques. Pacing with commercial breaks (sitting, eating, catching a riverside breeze, spectating a dancefloor…) and/or going hard with on-premise power nap breaks being top ones.

PSsst: Speaking of commercial breaks, The Muwado Launch/6 Years Anniversary Party is happening on 03rd October at Sky Lounge. It’d be nice to see you there as we announce plans for this ambitious African social network.

To be honest, it’s fine to just go to your bed when you are tired and sleep properly, which is what most sensible people do. But this is a hardcore guide. Sensible bes on vacation when you commit to hardcore. The pacing technique requires some sensibility so we shall narrow our focus to the power nap strategy.

The guy in the picture was engaging the power nap protocol. That’s the conscious version. There’s also the riskier black out version. The difference is control. Try and always stay level headed enough to execute a power nap as opposed to shutting down randomly. You must have seen those guys sleeping in bushes. Also, mad love to Nyege citizens that were standing-dancing-sleeping on the dance floor.

A solid power nap should be in a strategic location where you’ll wake up with your self and property intact. Near the fireside at the reggae stage is a great spot, Acaye had a nice chill spot with a bark cloth hut that was relaxing, your tent if you are camping on the grounds, the restaurant area, the ka sandpit in the silent disco spot….such safe spaces.

This guy did his on the dance floor. At the time of taking the picture, the fatigue was kicking in but the Nyege spirit hadn’t yet fully let him go. His lower body was swinging clumsily to the beat while his head seemed decided on powering off. It was very amusing to watch. Eventually, the fatigue won and he threw a leg over the balcony and shut down.

Power naps on the dancefloor are advisable when the sun is out. This is an unresearched assumption but I’d like to think the thieves were not that active during the daylight. And I’m not talking about the police. It was such a relieving sight to see the sun come out and all the shady characters disappear with the night darkness.

This Nyege had a proper thriller movie mood about it because of the thieves. Lurking everywhere waiting to pound if you kusulad step. If only the security forces had focused their attentions on them as opposed to harassing bribes out of guys just trying to have a good time. Mpozi how many of the women kidnap and murder cases have you solved? Mscchheeww.

Our star of this movie was comatose as the rest of the hardcore tribe danced into Monday morning, throwing a middle finger to the rat race. Muahaha, you are not the boss of me, capitalism!! After 40 minutes of slumber, our guy pulled the start taffa move by sitting up suddenly, looking at his surroundings and jumping straight back onto the dancefloor with a shuffle. A perfectly executed power nap!

That’s it. That’s the guide, people. See you on dance floors around around as we practice for Nyege Nyege 2020. As for me, I am ready to accept my age. After going all hardcore, my body has since been aching in places I didn’t know if was capable of aching.

In the meantime, mark 3rd October on your calendars for the launch and 6 year anniversary party of Muwado, a social networking project I’m working on with some brilliant people to change the African creative economy. If you are in Kampala at the time, the venue is Sky Lounge and we shall kick-off at 6 pm. Follow our socials for updates.

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I saw things at #NyegeNyege2019

Sunday evening at Namboole stadium parking…