Music Dance and Drama

Objectives
By the end of this unit, I will be able to:
⦿ Know the structure of a sketch.
⦿ Know how to differentiate a sketch from a story.
⦿ Convert a story into a sketch.
⦿ Imitate the characters according to the story.
⦿ Compose a sketch.
⦿ Act out a sketch before an audience.

Introduction
As noted in Senior One, drama is a product of a story. Probably you
cannot compose a sketch without a story. A story is a narration of
events or happenings. These events are always full of exaggerated or
interesting actions and feelings exposed through the words used by the
characters in the stories. It is from these aspects that we are able to
compose and act out sketches and eventually get drama pieces.

Writing sketch and acting them out
Since you already know that a sketch has got a structure which has
a beginning event, middle and ending event. You also need to know
that a story also has the same structure. In addition a story also has
characters and place and time settings which should also be considered
in a sketch. However some parts of stories such as descriptions are
not needed when you are creating a sketch out of a story instead you
have to bring out these descriptions through the behaviours that the
characters portray as they act.

Structure of a sketch
You should realise that from the activities you have done, you have
can now develop a longer sketch with three major parts. That is the
introduction part 1 the middle part or climax part 2 and 3 and part 4
the conclusion which has provided the end. This is called the structure
of a sketch.

Lesson 1: Composition of sketch in English
Theme 1: Love
Activity 1
One of the themes for our drama sketch is love
1. As you read the story list the domestic chores that Steven did
to show love to his mother; explain what love means.
2. What is the opposite of love?

Instruction:
Read the story below about Steven and do the activities that follow in
order to learn how to compose and act out sketches in English.

Part 1
Every morning, after helping his mother in the garden, Steven could
milk gaju, their spotted cow, and take it to the pastures with Lando
the playful calf. He would then fill some jerrycans with water and take
them home in a wheelbarrow that he had made out of short poles and
ball bearings.

One day he walked slowly towards the big umuvumu tree at the edge
of Ngarama Primary School and sat down. He leaned against its brown
truck, dropped his face in his hands and cried like a baby.

“God, why have you forgotten me? My father is sick with AIDS, and
my poor mother cannot get enough money for fees. God, why did you
make me pass my Primary Leaving Examinations, yet you knew that I
am a poor woman’s child?” he cried until his shoulders shook.

Teacher Niyonzima, his former class teacher and teacher of the drama
club, saw Steven seated against the tree in hot sun and walked over
to him. He called, “Steven! I have been observing you for the last one
week. You come here, then you sit and cry. Is it your father’s sickness
that is worrying you?”

“My father has been feeling a little better of late,” he responded.
“Thank God!”

“But that is not what is worrying me. I want to go to school, Teacher
Niyonzima, but I have failed to get fees.”

“The last time we talked, you said you had written to your uncle in
Kigali about your problem, hasn’t he replied yet?”

“Uncle John wrote back. I have his letter here,” he said, pulling a
khaki envelope out of the back pocket of his faded blue jeans. Teacher
Niyonzima read the letter. In the letter, Uncle John said he could only
provide accommodation for Steven as a day scholar because he was
paying a loan he borrowed for his wife’s funeral expenses. He did not
have money to help with fees. Teacher Niyonzima gave him back the
letter, scratched his head and looked up at the sky.

“What can I do to help this young man?” the teacher thought. Then
something came to his mind. “Steven, we are preparing to go to Kigali
to represent Rubavu District in the schools National Music, Dance and
Drama Festival. What do you think about joining us?”

Steven’s face lit up like the morning sky and he replied, “That is good
Teacher. I have never been to Kigali before. But…” he hesitated. “What
can I do? I am no longer a pupil of Ngarama School!”

Pulling him up by the hand, the teacher assured him, “Do not worry.
You have always been a very well behaved boy. Come along with me
to the headmaster’s office. I will talk to him. You can repeat P.6 and if
you perform very well, you might win a scholarship. You can register
with us and re-sit Primary 6.”

Activity 2
Developing a sketch on the theme of love
You already know what love is. Read part two of the story and do
the following
1. Use the knowledge of setting from Senior One and identify it
from the story.
2. Identify the two characters in Part two of the story.
3. Pick out their speech/dialogue, learn it.
4. Act out the conversation which the two hard using interesting
actions, voice changes and facial expressions.
5. Suggest the costumes and props which you could use to make
the sketch more interesting
6. Use the costumes and act out your skit/sketch to your friends,
then after wards allow them to comment on what you did best
and where to improve.

Part 2
Teacher Niyonzima knew that Steven was very gifted in the performing
arts. He could act just about any role. Once he acted the part of an old
man, then that of a baby, another time that of Ninja and then that of a
talking cow. His acting was excellent.

Activity 3
Developing Acting skills
1. Just like Steven try to imitate an old man who is annoyed with
children who have stolen his mangoes.

He got many certificates which he hung on the wall of his grassthatched
hut. So when Teacher Niyonzima introduced the matter to
the headmaster, he asked if there was a role he could take.
“Yes, Teacher Niyonzima,” Mugabo replied. “Kamali, a Primary Six
boy who was taking the lead part, lost his mother yesterday. We have
only a few days left.
When he was given his role, Steven mastered it within two days.
Teacher Niyonzima was very happy with him.

Ngaboyisonga was happy for his son too, and Ineza, Steven’s mother,
danced when Steven told her that he was back in school and that they
would be going to Kigali the next day.

“My son, be very careful when you go to Kigali. Make sure you look
careful before crossing the road. You are all I have. This money,”
she added, giving him 2,500 francs from her bra, “keep it in your
socks. Keep it away from thieves (pick pockets). It will help you in
emergencies.”

Activity 4
Composing own sketches
1. In small groups create a sketch out of the part of the story
above.
2. Choose a role in the sketch and create the words for the
character.
3. Rehearse your sketch and act it out before the audience.
4. Allow the audience to correct you so that you can improve.

Part 3
After a day’s long journey, Steven and the school mates arrived in Kigali
city and they were taken to Kanombe school where accommodation
had been prepared for them.

Kanombe was a stone’s throw from the national theatre. They walked
in single file. Soon they were ready and waiting backstage when
teacher Rukundo John, the master of ceremonies, announced, “And
now ladies and gentlemen, lets welcome the wise men and women
from the Ngarama Primary School, with the traditional Intore dance.”

Steven at once developed stage fright. His heart was beating like a
drum. “I have to do it. How can I come all the way from Ngarama to
make a fool of myself in the capital city of my country? I have to do it!
He breathed in and out and smiled to himself.

Then he saw giant curtains, tall as a tree and wider than a hut, parting
in the middle. One part went to the left, and the other to the right, and
yet he could not see anybody moving them. He wondered whether it
was a ghost moving the curtains.

“Look in front of you Steven,” teacher’s quiet voice came in from one
side. After overcoming the stage fright, the boys and girls of Ngarama
were soon shaking their bodies like they had no bones. They moved
their heads, shook their shoulders, twisted their waists, bent their
knees and pushed back their buttocks like the wasps in the swamps.

During the climax, while shaking only his shoulders and keeping his
buttocks raised like a lonely wingless white ant. Steven danced around
the drummers at first. Then he started moving backwards towards
the audience, shaking his shoulders rhythmically. When he reached
the edge of the stage, the audience screamed because they feared he
would fall off. Steven thought they were cheering his good dancing. So
he started dancing backwards like a night dancer, enjoying his own
act. Within seconds, he had slipped off the stage and landed on the
top of the orchestra pit. The whole audience went still.

For some time, Steven did not know what had happened to him and
his dance or even how he had ended up sitting among the audience.
Then he realised that he had fallen down but he did not want to show
that he had made a mistake. So he started shaking his shoulders while
still seated, as he had been doing before he fell. He got onto his feet
and continued dancing upstage, and the Intore drum resumed. The
audience went wild. They yelled for more. And the boys of Ngarama
drummed and danced wildly as they went offstage. Steven and his
team were rewarded with prolonged clapping. He did it really well.
Teacher Niyonzima was so happy that he brought him a big bottle of
soda.

Activity 5
Acting out feelings
1. A good actor/actress should be able to act out feelings outwardly.
Try out to act how Steven felt when they were called upon to
get on the stage.
2. Present to your friends so that you see how different their
gestures/body use and facial expressions are different.
3. Act out the event of the dance which took place on the stage
4. Did the teacher love Steven? Yes or No. Why do you say so?

“And the best overall performer at this year’s Music, Dance and Drama
festival is a humble boy from Ngarama Primary School called Steven.”
That did it. There was deafening clapping as Steven stood up.
“That is the one I told you about,” a voice shouted.
“He deserves it,” another responded.

“That boy is a dance wizard. I have never seen anything shake itself
like he did,” another one added.

“Order, ladies and gentlemen! Steven, step forward and take your
prize and certificate,” said the masters of ceremonies. The moment
he got on the stage, cameras flashed like a thousand fireflies. Teacher
Niyonzima screamed, running onto the stage: “Yes my boy! And it is
me who trained him.” He lifted Steven’s shoulders high, and danced
with him backstage, then outside.

The children of Ngarama followed their teacher, screaming their
lungs out. When they reached outside, Steven jumped down from the
teacher’s shoulders and started running in excitement. Some of the
boys and girls screamed, others running after him.

“Children you have been good ambassadors. Although you will not
come first, second or even tenth, you have represented our school and
our district well,” teacher Niyonzima shouted as he continued dancing.

“Thank you Teacher for training us and for bringing us to Kigali,” one
child said.

“And thank you also for behaving well. I have already talked to the
headmaster on his mobile phone. They are waiting for us at the District
Education Officer’s office in Nyagatare. So let’s return to Kanombe
ready to take home the good news.

There was maddening noise.

“We should make you the headmaster,” one shouted

“No we make him the Member of Parliament,” another said

“Bring us back next year!” another said.

Steven somersaulted three times before landing on his feet.

There was a great deal of noise. The children were like weaver birds.
A crowd was formed. The teacher had to shout in order to have them
move to Kanombe. He and Steven caught up with them latter because
the reporters from leading radio stations, news papers, and television
needed to interview them. They asked about the school, about Steven,
about who his parents were and about, what they did for a living. They
asked many questions. Teacher Niyonzima tried to answer them as
best as he could. When they finished they found a group waiting for
them.

In Ngarama, they were met by the headmaster and the District
Education Officer (DEO) the following day, who congratulated them.
Then the District Education Officer turned to Steven. “And young man,
congratulations for the scholarship you have won yourself,” he said,
stretching out his hand to Steven.

“Sir, it was a dictionary and a certificate of merit that I got,” he tried
to clarify.

“Come on young man, are you behind the news? It is all there!” he
said, showing him The New times newspaper.

“Even the New Vision has it as the lead article,” the headmaster added
with the smile that touched both his ears. It read: GOOD ACTING
WINS STEVEN A SCHOLARSHIP. There were wild cheers from his
group mates. People from neighbouring offices came to have a look at
and shake hands with Steven, the wonder boy.

Lesson 2: Juvenile delinquency

Bad behaviour by young people is what is called juvenile delinquency.
Activity 6
Sharing experiences
1. Mention some bad behaviours that young people do both at
school and home.
2. Have you ever been involved in any of them? What happened
after? Do you feel bad or good about it. Yes or No. Why?
3. How can these behaviours be prevented?

Instruction:
Read the story below about Steven and do the activities that follow in
order to create a sketch and act out it.

After the Music, dance and drama competitions in Kigali, Steven got
a scholar ship and joined secondary school. On his first day at The
Lord is Able Secondary school, Steven was warmly welcomed by the
Deputy Headmaster. After that, Steven and Monica his cousin went to
the dormitory allocated to him.

As soon as they arrived in his dormitory a thin boy with narrow eyes
and baggy trousers jumped to the verandah and shouted. “Halt! This
is the quarter guard for suicide Base 599. Show me your gate pass!”
Steven was confused. “We have to search your things. You might be a
terrorist.” Then he turned and said, “Military police, advance!” a group
of boys sprang from inside the dorm and pulled his belongings into the
dormitory.

“And next time do not come along with your wife to the barracks,”
another boy yelled, pointing a finger in the face.

“But she is my cousin!” Steven protested.

“That is even better,” the thin boy said, moving towards Monica. “This
is a barracks, so I will have to drill you. Are you single or married? I
want nothing but the whole truth,”
Monica took cover behind Steven. “Do I look like I have AIDS?” he said,
reaching out to pull her.

The other boys shouted, “Commander Advance!”

Some of the boys were already eating the grub from Steven’s box. They
ate most of the grub but did not finish it. The ‘commander’ attempted
to pull Monica into the dorm and she screamed. Steven pushed the
‘commander’ off. The other boys, all of them in Senior Two, fell silent
because they knew that the thin boy was going to fight Steven.

“Hey, watch out! A police dog!” said a student, pointing to his left.
There was a prefect coming. They all dived into the dormitory and
acted innocent. Steven explained everything to the prefect and the
prefect apologised.

“Bullying is not allowed in this school. Those who attempt to bully and
are caught are severely punished.” He then asked Steven to point them
out; he touched one head after another. The perfect wrote down their
names and told them to see him after prep. Monica bid Steven farewell
and ran back home.

That evening, when Steven returned from a ‘short call,’ he found his
bed sheets missing and someone had urinated in his mug. “Who has
taken my bed sheets?” he asked.

“I have borrowed them,” the thin boy boasted. “In fact, you will be
lending me the sheets every evening and every morning remember
to pick them up for washing. So from today onwards you will be the
commander’s official wife,” the dormitory roared with laughter.

“And as for your blanket,” another shouted, “it will be my pillow!” and
they laughed again. Steven cried like a baby. He regretted coming to
school. He wished he were at home with his mother. Steven covered
himself with a shirt and tried to sleep.

As he went for breakfast the following morning a boy stopped and

asked him: “What is your name?”

“Steven Karangwa,” he answered politely.

“What?” he asked.
Steven repeated, “Steven!”

Okay, said the boy. So in case someone annoys you, just walk away and
inform me.” When Steven tried to walk away, the bullies surrounded
him.

‘Commander’ asked “why did you report us yesterday? Now as
punishment, take these fifty Rwandan francs and go to the canteen;
and bring me a loaf of bread, two sodas, three sausages, four eggs
and queen cake. And do not forget to bring back my change,” the boy
concluded.

“Eeeh…, how can I buy the whole canteen with just fifty Rwandan
francs ?” Steven asked, feeling confused, as the thin boy tried to push
Steven. Another boy, one with a ring in his ear walked in, grabbed
‘commander’, by the collar and flung him two meters away. The others

scattered. These two in Senior Two were always fighting. Jimmy for
that was his name, warned, “Next time you touch my friend I will flush
you down the toilet.”

Steve had never met this Jimmy before. How can he call me his
friend? He wondered. But because he had saved him, he accepted his
friendship, and soon Jimmy had eaten the rest of the grub that Steven
had brought, in return, he gave Steven protection.

Activity 7
Developing a sketch on the theme juvenile delinquency
1. What does the story say about the boys?
2. What is the right thing they should have done?
3. Identify the bad behaviour revealed in this text.
3. Identify the beginning, middle and ending event.
4. Identify the characters and choose a role you will act out.
5. Rehearse your sketch with a speech/dialogue and act it out
before an audience.
6. Allow the audience to correct you so that you can improve.
7. Which type of sketch is this you came up with?

Project work
Find another story of your own choice about Juvenile Delinquency
and develop a sketch from it. Give out character roles, rehearse
and act out to the audience.

Lesson 3: Drug abuse and Alcoholism
Introduction
Drugs used as medicine are useful to help us be cured from diseases.
However if it is used for consumption for fun to get drunk it becomes
poisonous to our bodies.

Activity 8
1. Name some drugs and alcohol types that you know.
2. What are the symptoms and characteristics of people who
abuse drugs and take much alcohol?

Instruction:
Read the following part of the story about how Jimmy taught Steven to
become a drug abuser and alcoholic

School was quite interesting to Steven, bright and excelling in both
performing arts and class work. One day his friend Jimmy persuaded
him to escape out of school to go to town to meet his friends

“Who are these friends of yours? What do they do?” Steven would ask
Jimmy.
“They have color, real money. They go to Dubai every week. They
like young people. Let us go and meet them tonight! Let us go for
adventure man,” he insisted.

“I do not have permission,” Steven declined. The following morning
Jimmy brought some cakes, which he gave to Steven. After taking the
first bite, he realised the cake tasted funny, and he threw it away. He
started feeling dizzy. He felt the world slopping and his feet felt light.
He was confused.

“Come on! It is made out of a special wine,” Jimmy lied and took
Steven behind the school toilet. He gave him a magazine. It was full of
obscene pictures, it had naked men and women, some having sex. It
was pornographic magazine!

Steven was curious. “Who gave you this magazine?” he asked.
“Mamie and her friends. They said I should give it to you.”

During the term Steven would sell his grub and exercise books and use
all his pocket money to buy alcohol and cigarettes. He did not want to
go to the village during the holidays to help his mother in the gardens.
He wanted to be with Jimmy.

In class, Steven could not concentrate. He was always thinking of films
and cigarettes and alcohol. Even as he walked alone, he would stop
along the road, jump in the air and say, “yaaa chup, chup chup chup,
yaaah chup!” then he would somersault before landing Ninja style.

One day when his mother called him Karangwa. He shouted at her
“That is not a name for Generation X. Call me Stevo” he said to his
mother. His mother could not understand what had happened to her
son. She complained but he did not care.

“Stevo, you are so fashioned!” Jimmy praised him.

Among his peers he was called Stevo the Rhombus because of walking
on his toes when drunk. At school he became quite popular but for the
bad things he did. He was also proud. Girls started giggling at him and
some jealous boys threatened him: “Do you think that because you
are Stevo the Rhombus you will take away our girls.” Although Steven
did not have a girl friend, they felt threatened. But Jimmy was always
there for him. He would drag such boys behind the school toilet and
punch them into silence.

Steven no longer read. Soon his academic performance started declining.
One day the class teacher called him and asked him, “Steven, why is
your performance becoming poor?”

Steven claimed that being an orphan, he had no pocket money and
this was affecting him and the teacher gave him five thousand Rwanda
francs, Steven used this money to by opium, cigarettes and alcohol

When he came to the end of the second year, the headmaster called
him and warned him: how can you fail from the first position in class
to the second last? Do you realise that you were number 105 out of
106 students and with 50 out 1,200 marks? My friend, if you do not
get serious, I will consider withdrawing the scholarship.”

The head master openly warned him at the end-of-year assembly. Many
of the teachers and students wondered what could have happened to
Steven.

(Adapted from Fountain Junior Living Youth Series, “The Great Temptation”, by Patrick Mangani)

Activity 9
1. Create a sketch from any event in the above story.
2. Identify the characters and choose a role you will act out
3. Identify the setting and create it.
4. Rehearse your sketch with your own words.
5. Identify the costumes and props that will make your acting
interesting.
6. Allow the audience to correct you so that you can improve.
7. Which type of sketch is this you came up with?

Lesson 4: Fidelity
Have you ever heard of the word fidelity?
This is being kind, faithful, trustworthy, good to your friends and
every other person.
Read the following story and study how to compose sketches and
acting them out on the theme of fidelity. However, before you can read
choose from these statements which one means fidelity.

Activity 10
1. Choose one answer that is correct to mean fidelity.
a) Having one wife.
b) To love and hate.
c) To be good, faithful, loving, trust worthy to your friends or
wife or husband.
d) To be holy.
2. Discuss your answer with friends.

While she was still talking to George, she saw Kwezi. Kwezi was
covering her eyes and Mrs Rukondo walked straight to her desk. “You
do not seem to be fine. Are you? Why are you crying?”

There was silence in class. The pupils who had seen her cry all wanted
to know why she was crying.

Before Kwezi could answer, Mrs Rukondo saw the notes that she had
scribbled and asked more questions. “What is this you are writing?
Why are you not using your Maths book?”

Kwezi did not answer but cried even more. Her eyelids were growing
big like those of a tadpole. Her eyes were very red because of crying.

While Mrs Rukondo rushed to the blackboard, Kayitesi, one of Kwezi’s
friends, passed over a note to Kwezi asking for pardon in case she was
the one who had made her unhappy. “I am sorry Kwezi, if I disturbed
you while we were having breakfast,” the note read. Kwezi read the
note and quickly dropped it in her school bag. She never answered it
but only gazed politely at Kayitesi.

Mrs Rukondo gave the pupils a sudden revision test. “I want you to
follow the instructions written on the board,” she said. “After one hour,
you will hand in your work to the class monitor, who will take it to the
staffroom. You are free to go after that.”

She stood by the door and watched the pupils pull out their pencils,
pens and papers as they got ready for the test. Kwezi was moving
about the class asking friends to help her with paper and a pencil yet
she had them already on her desk.

Kwezi was unable to do the test. She looked very weak and confused.
Mrs Rukondo walked out of class with Kwezi and asked her what the
matter was. Kwezi was very frightened and said nothing. The teacher
took her to the school canteen and asked her what she wished to eat.

Kwezi first kept quiet for a while and then said, “Fanta.” “And what?”
Mrs Rukondo asked. “And biscuits,” Kwezi said. “Kwezi, tell me,” Mrs
Rukondo insisted. “I am your teacher. I love you so much, do not
be afraid to tell me. Look here Kwezi, I am here to help. I will not
hurt you. Whatever the matter is, I am sure you will get over it,” Mrs
Rukondo said while Kwezi ate her ice cream.

“Ju-ju-just after we had bu-bu-buried my mother,” Kwezi burst out and
started crying loudly. She stood up and sat down again. Mrs Rukondo
put Kwezi on her lap saying, “Take heart my daughter and stop crying.
All will be well.” Both of them were quiet for some time before Mrs
Rukondo spoke again. “So, what happened?” she asked.

“It was just after we had buried my mother in the banana plantation in
the village,” Kwezi began the story afresh. “I was in the house alone,
resting on grandmama’s bed when Daddy’s friend, Mr Nzozi, tiptoed
into my room. And everyone on the hill knows he has AIDS.”

“Eeee! What time was it?” Mrs Rukondo asked.

“I do not remember. All I know is that it was in the evening but it was
not yet dark outside.”

“So, what happened, did he do anything?”

“Yes, he told me not to scream and said that if I made any noise, I
would not be his friend any more or he would even kill me. I was so,
so scared that I felt dizzy. Mr Nzozi held me down with his strong
arms and brought his body close to mine while spreading my legs
apart.” Kwezi held on to Mrs Rukondo’s shoulder and said, “I was in
terrible pain, I screamed so Mr Nzozi closed my mouth with his hand.
I thought that I was dying. I could not easily move so I stayed on the
bed for some time. When I got up, Mr Nzozi had disappeared from the
room.”

“I am sorry my daughter,” Mrs Rukondo said in a tearful voice. “Did
anyone come to help?” she asked.

“No, no one was at home,” Kwezi answered.

“So what did you do?” asked Mrs Rukondo.

“It was after I had seen my skirt all stained with blood that I ran to my
mother’s grave to tell her. But Mama was silent,” Kwezi began to shed
more tears.

“Shooo! Do not cry, I’m sure your mother heard. Did you also go to the
police?” Mrs Rukondo asked.

“You know it’s one of the government’s regulations that such cases be
reported to the police or even to the local area leaders.

“No, I did not,” Kwezi replied.

“Did you ever go to the doctor?”

“Not at all. Mummy is the one who always took me but this time as I
told you she was silent.”

Mrs Rukondo and Kwezi agreed to go to the doctor for a check-up and
she was told to come back after four days for her results. Kwezi did not
tell anyone about the results.

(Adapted from Fountain Junior Living Youth Series, How Kwezi
Got Into Trouble, by Loice Busingye)

Activity 11
In small groups
1. What is the story about?
2. What shows that
(i) Mrs. Rukondo was full of fidelity.
(ii) Mr. Nzozi was not with fidelity.
(iii) Who do you admire of the two. Mrs Rukondo or Nzozi?
(iv) What lessons do you learn from?

Using our first theme of love you learnt that a sketch has got a structure
which has a beginning event, middle and ending event. Read Kwezi’s
story again and do the following activity

Activity 12
1. Compose a sketch out of Kwezi’s story.
2. Identify the characters and choose a role you will act out.
3. Rehearse your sketch with a speech/dialogue in English or
French and act it out before the audience.
4. Allow the audience to correct you so that you can improve.
5 Which type of sketch is this you came up with?

Lesson 5: Peace Building
Every person has a responsibility to contribute to bringing peace to our
homes, villages, regions or provinces and the entire country. Everybody
must ensure that there are no conflicts and wars among the people
living together. This is known as peace building. In Rwanda, every
Rwandan has a duty to bring peace to their villages and the entire
country.

Activity 13
1. Name some crimes and punishments given to the criminals.
2. Do you know anyone who has contributed to peace building in
either your family, village, region or country?
3. What did they do to build peace?
4. What can we learn from them and also do towards peace
building?

We can create a drama by imitating real situations. Use this activity
to do so.

Activity 14
Imagine you have caught a cow thief in your village:
1. Organise an Abunzi (Mediation committee)
2. Divide yourselves and share roles such as;
a) a thief                                              b) judge
c) villagers in attendance                     d) owner of cow
3. Act out a court session.
Note: Bring out the voice tone, facial and body expression, the
appropriate movements expected in a court scene.
4. Perform to the class and allow them to tell you where you need
to improve.

Lesson 6: Gahigi The great hunter
Instruction:
Read the following folk story and do the activities that will follow to
enable you to write sketches to short play

Once upon a time, there lived a man called Gahigi. Gahigi was a very
famous hunter. He had a big family of ten wives, one hundred and
twenty children and one hundred and eighty grandchildren. This big
family lived in one big homestead. Each wife had her own round big
hut and the family lived a happy life. Because of his hunting, Gahigi
was a very rich man. Since he was the most successful hunter in so
many villages, he used to bring home a lot of meat. Those who wanted
to buy the meat would give him cows, goats, sheep and cowries in
exchange for the meat. That is how he became very rich.

In all the surrounding villages, everybody knew what a brave hunter
Gahigi was. Stories were told of how he had been attacked by ferocious
lions not once, not twice but many times and how he had killed them
all.

One day he had a big kill. His heartbeat quickening with worry, he doubled
his pace and soon reached his homestead. He was struck by the silence
there. There was no one in sight, no boy or girl, no woman or man.

He quickly, called out the names of his wives but nobody answered
him. He threw the carcass down and quickly moved to the hut of his
first wife. He was struck by the skin which she usually wore. It was

bloodstained and lay in a heap near the entrance. Alarmed, he ran to
each of the other huts and was met with the same picture. He was now
like a mad man frantically moving around the homestead. His three
dogs, sensing calamity, closely followed on the heels of their master,
anxious. There was not a single soul in the homestead.

Gahigi dashed to the kraal – not a single cow could be seen. Madly, he
rashed to the sheep pen. Nothing – No goat, no chicken. The whole
village had been eaten up by the orgre.

He then stood in the middle of the homestead, threw off the skin that
covered his chest, tore at his hair and let out a fearsome wail.

“The ogre! It has eaten all my children, wives, grandchildren, my cattle,
goats, sheep and every living creature in my homestead.” He beat his
chest and wailed louder. His dogs, sensing what had happened, lifted
up their heads and howled. The animals in the thick grassland and
jungle heard the combined cry and hid.

“But I will get you, cruel ogre. I am Gahigi the brave hunter,” he roared.
The dogs barked ferociously, promising revenge against the ogre.
Gahigi picked his spear. He whistled to the dogs and, with determination,
walked towards the tall grass and the jungle.

“For the first time in my life, I am not going to hunt for food but to kill
and bury,” he shouted to the unseen listeners.

For many days, Gahigi and his dogs walked through the tall grass and
thick jungle, hunting for the ogre. They climbed hills and mountains.
They crossed rivers and lakes. They looked for the ogre in the forests
and thickets but could not see it. They walked until they were so tired
that moving even just one step was almost impossible. The tongues of
the dogs hung out of their mouths. They were thirsty and tired. Gahigi
grew thin, and his eyes could not see properly. Many times when he
was about to give up the hunt, he would think of his family and get
renewed strength to look for the ogre and kill it. On and on Gahigi and
his dogs went. Finally, when they reached the barren land of the great
rocks, the dogs smelt the ogre. Gahigi also felt something strange in
the air and knew he was about to get the ogre. The dogs’ ears went
up, and their noses dipped to the ground. They hurried towards the big
rock, Gahigi closely following.

There was an opening in the rock, and the dogs entered. Gahigi
followed: it was a cave. Slowly, carefully, Gahigi and his dogs walked
over the stones in the cave. It was long and dark and they felt their
way carefully along. Suddenly the dogs stopped barking and started
growling in low, dangerous tones. Across a streak of light that streamed
in through a crack in the cave, Gahigi saw the huge, dark form of the
ogre. His blood boiled with revenge. He rose to his full height and
roared.

“Ogre. It is me Gahigi the brave hunter. I have found you at last.”

And before the ogre could get up, Gahigi speared it over and over again
while the dogs bit at each and every part of it. The ogre tried to fight
back, to devour Gahigi, but Gahigi had taken it unawares and had the
best advantage.

Slowly, blood oozed out of the ogre and Gahigi knew it was about to
die. The ogre too realised it was about to die. In a hoarse whisper, it
told Gahigi: “Before I die, cut my smallest toe and all your family and
animals that I ate will come out, but…”

“But what?” interrupted Gahigi who was about to cut its smallest toe.

“Even though I am dying, I will resurrect in another form and I will eat
you.”
Then the ogre started chanting:
I will be a beautiful walking stick,
You will buy me in the market and I will eat you.
I will be a beautiful pipe,
You will smoke me and I will eat you.
I will be a beautiful woman,
You will marry me and I will eat you.
I will be a beautiful cow,
You will buy me and I will eat you.
I will be a beautiful skin,
You will buy me and I will eat you.
I will be a strong spear,
You will take me and I will eat you.
I will be a beautiful milk pot,
You will buy me and I will…

                    Figure 10: Gahigi saw the huge dark ogre

Gahigi was no longer listening. He cut the ogre’s smallest toe and
all the things it had eaten came out – the children, grandchildren,
the wives and all the animals. Gahigi and his family and all his cows
moved back to his homestead and feasted for many months.

(Adapted from Fountain Step by Step reading Series by Mary
Karooro Okurut)

Activity 15
1. Identify the beginning, middle and ending event in the story
above.
2. Identify the characters and choose a role you will act out.
3. Identify the setting and create it.
4. Rehearse your sketch with a speech/dialogue and imitate the
animals and ogre in English or French and act it out before the
audience.
5. Identify the costumes and props that will make your acting
interesting.
6. Allow the audience to correct you so that you can improve.
7. Which type of sketch is this you came up with?

b. Project work
1. Find another story about peace building of your own choice and
develop a sketch from it, give out character roles.
Rehearse and act out to an audience.

Activity 16
Composing resolutions/ending events
A good sketch should have a concluding part to show that the play
has ended.
1. Read the last part of this story and come up with a sketch.
Consider the major events such as reading of the results and
the school choir meeting the DEO and the Headmaster, Steven’s
journey home with a bodaboda cyclist.
2. Choose a role in the sketch and create the words for the
character.
3. Rehearse your sketch and act it out before an audience.
4. Allow the audience to correct you so that you can improve.

Activity 17
1. Write all your sketches above together as one.
3. Rehearse your sketch again as one play and act it out before
the audience.
4. Allow the audience to correct you so that you can improve.
5. In Senior One you studied about the three major types of
drama such as tragedy, comedy and tragicomedy. Which type
of sketch is this you came up with?

Chiefdom of Gahinga
Act one: Scene 1
The time setting is in the morning and the place is a remote village
at the chief’s courtyard.
(Servant enters and finds the chief seated on a stool brushing his
teeth with a stick brush)

Servant: My lord, (terrified), It is my fault to interrupt your morning
Chief: (with pride.) Can you get straight to the point or else..........
Servant: My lord the elders are waiting with your people outside
Chief: Why so early, (a bit worried) let them in

(A chant of mob justice is heard as the elder leads them in)
Elder: My lord, this woman is before you because she is a witch.
           The whole village is suffering of an unknown disease
           because of her. (Approval by the masses to banish the old
           woman is heard)
People: Yeees, yeees..............
Chief: (thinks in shock) How can you prove this? This woman has
            always treated you from various diseases.
Elder: My lord, the spirits of our ancestors possessed one of the
          children who is sick.
Chief: And so?
Elder: Our ancestors (He pauses as the masses cheer him to
           speak) said it all.
Chief: Is that the reason why you bring her here to accuse her
           without clear evidence yet she has always helped us?
           Woman do you know anything about what these people
           are talking about?
Woman: My great chief, I only know that the disease is strange, so
               we have to be patient
Elder: Chief, we are all to die of famine if this drought is to
           continue and disease
Masses: (chanting) Disease, disease!
Elder: Almost in every home!
Chief: All right (meditatively), if it is your wish to banish this
           woman, I hand her over to you. Guards take her, but make
           sure she is not hurt
Woman: (looks at him for mercy) My great chief, I am only a woman
              protect me against these men.
Chief: Sorry, I cannot do much.
Drunkard: We go, we go and burn her hut, never to see her again in
                   our village (others chant, we go, we go)

They all move out
Act one: Scene 2
At the poor old woman’s hut, awaits a medical officer to rescue the
woman
The scenery setting is of two old houses, with some animal skins
hanging as a curtain for the small room which is a shrine.

Masses: We go, we go enough is enough
Police officer: Stop. Why are you here?
Elder: Who are you to stop us when the chief has allowed?
Medical officer: Allowed, allowed what?
Masses: To send her away.
Police officer: The law cannot allow you.
Elder: The law is not above our chief.
Police officer: No one is above the law.
Medical officer: Besides the medicine has been found out. Here it is.
                            (shows them)
Police officer: Just take your patients to hospitals and leave the
                         poor woman alone.
Elder: I suppose you are not fooling us
           (Elder and the masses walk away in shame)
Medical officer: Old woman get up and go to your house
Police office: You are free mama (they walk away)
                                         End
                                                                                            (By Oyire Deogratius)


1. What is the conflict in the play about?
2. Who are the major characters in the play?
3. Name the characters who contribute to peace building in the play
above?
4. Who of the characters in the play portrays the theme of fidelity?
5. What other themes are developed in the above play?
6. In small groups ,distribute the character roles to yourselves, study
the dialogue carefully in order to reflect the tone, facial expressions
and body movements as you act.
7. Identify some costumes and props that will support your acting in
order to bring out the meaning of the play.
8. Rehearse the play.
9. Organise the stage and present your drama to the classmates.
10. After the performance allow the other class members to comment
on your drama by telling you where you did well and where you
should improve. Do the same to them.

End unit assessment
1. Compose a sketch from your own story on the following themes:
love, juvenile delinquency, drug abuse and alcoholism, fidelity and
peace building.
2. Identify the characters and choose a role you will act out.
3. Rehearse your sketch with a speech/dialogue in English and act it
out before the audience.
4. Allow the audience to correct you so that you can improve.


Glossary
Character role: a part that an actor/actress takes and is
supposed to bring out in a play/sketch
Deafening clapping: clapping too loud in excitement by a big
group of people
Dialogue: speech between two or more people in
a play
Disrupt: stop something from continuing normally
Ogre: a creature that is just imagined that
looks ugly , scary and dangerous
Scene: one place setting where one major
event takes place
Schoolmates: people you study with
Script: a written play
Stage freight: fear that comes when you are to sing,
dance or act in front of people/an
audience
Stage: acting area

Musical instruments

References
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Burton, B. (1987). How to Teach Primary Drama (2nd Edition)
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Swanson, B.R. (1969). Music in the Education of Children. 3rd Ed.
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