Ugandan Shellac Recordings c. 1953

Created:	2024-10-30 15:06
Institution:	Centre of African Studies
Description:	“A collection of recordings of hymns and scripture readings in East African Languages given to the African Studies Centre by Rev. Mark Bishop, C.M.S. missionary in Uganda 1948-1956. The Rev. Mark Bishop and his wife Anne were C.M.S. missionaries at Buwalasi in the Upper Nile Anglican Diocese. They were stationed at a college which trained ordinands for the Anglican ministry and also primary school teachers to teach standards 5 and 6. Anne eventually became the Principal of the teachers training part of the college and Mark was tutor and Chaplain in the theological part of the college. The teachers in training came from all over Uganda, the ordinands came from Upper Nile Diocese since Mukono College near Kampala served the other Diocese, the Uganda Diocese. (The two diocese were split and reorganised in 1961). Buwalasi college had been founded in 1926 with financial help from Ridley Hall an Anglican theological college in Cambridge. Ridley Hall paid for Buwalasi's Chapel. The records in the collection were made at the college in 1953. They were made by an American charity called 'Gospel Recordings'. They were a missionary group who went around Africa recording songs and readings on Biblical themes in local languages. Records were made from the recordings which were then distributed free in Africa. Two women came to Buwalasi to make the recordings, and they stayed a week with the Bishop’s. They recorded choruses and hymns in the local languages which were sung by groups of students, and they provided scripts on Biblical topics which were read by native speakers in their tribal languages. In all recordings were made in fifteen languages [it appears upon the 2024 review that the number is actually 14 languages - one of the records contains both Luganda and Lunyule which may have caused confusion]. Archbishop Luwum, who was murdered during the time of Amin in Uganda was one of the participants as was Archbishop Okoth, the present Archbishop of Uganda. A list was kept of the participants which is of some historical significance. This list is included here after the contents list of the records. The prepared tapes were sent back to America for processing. As a gift the Bishop's were sent a complete set of the records, which is the set which he presented to the [Centre of African Studies] Library in April 1985.” Description written by Cantab Janet Seeley (PhD 1985). The collection is ordered alphabetically by language name and comprises Acholi, Ateso, English, Lango, Lucigga, Ludama, Luganda, Lugbara, Lugisu (Northern), Lugisu (Southern), Lugwere, Lunyoro, Lunyule, Lusoga. This collection was digitised by Cantab Medomfo Owusu (BA, 2024) in the summer of 2024, and is being uploaded to Cambridge’s Streaming Media Service (SMS) from October 30th of this same year. You will soon be able to read Medomfo’s blog about the process, and access the collection finding aid at the links that will be posted here once they're ready. The SMS website is being decomissioned and deactivated in December 2025. We are working to find a new home for the recordings and will post this here when that is finalised. Copyright © Global Recordings Network. Used by permission. Contact the African Studies Library for more information.