I am Stella Wadiru, a fourth-year ethnomusicology doctoral candidate in the Music Department at the University of Pittsburgh. My Immersive Dissertation Research focuses on the “unheard stories” in South Sudanese women and youth’s music and dance in the Adjumani district in northern Uganda. I consider an “unheard story” as either a narrative unattended to or relayed through non-verbal expressions such as sonic metaphors, body expressions, and other meta-linguistics that require ethnographic interpretation. In December 2013 and July 2016, ethno-political conflicts between government forces loyal to President Salva Kiir (a Dinka) and those loyal to Vice President Riek Machar (a Nuer) caused loss of life, destruction of property, and displacement of about 2.2 million people (Pommier 2014; The International Refugee Rights Initiative 2015; Abu-Zaidi 2017; Ensor 2020). An estimated one million South Sudanese live in Uganda, which hosts the most significant number of refugees among African nations (1.4 million) and is the third largest refugee-hosting nation in the world (Komakech and Orach 2022; Berke and Larsen 2022). The Adjumani district hosts the most significant South Sudanese refugees (over 270,000) in nineteen refugee settlements. Eighty-six percent of the refugees comprise women, children, and youth, and eighty percent of the households are female-headed (Vigaud-Walsh 2017). South Sudanese refugee stories in Adjumani revolve around violence, trauma, and changing gender roles. Traditional dances, lullabies, folksongs, and popular music are central to the lives of South Sudanese women and youth in Adjumani. However, little is known about the place of women’s and youth music and dance in the lives of South Sudanese refugees in Adjumani settlements. I, therefore,  refer to the stories South Sudanese refugees share through music and dance as both “untold” and “unheard.”

I seek to understand how music and dance enable South Sudanese women and youth in Adjumani to work through experiences of violence, displacement, and trauma. Further, how might music and dance activities lead toward psycho-social healing, community education, reflecting and redefining traditional gender roles and identities, and peaceful co-existence among refugees and Ugandan citizens? My research engages a triangulation of data collection methods for deeper analysis of South Sudanese refugees’ stories. Apart from workshops, observations, interviews, and focus group discussions with musicians, cultural leaders, and refugee management, I analyze song texts, distinct tones, body expressions, and musical structures to understand how music and dance help refugees express themselves. I am also recording songs and dances, interviews, and focus group discussions to produce documentaries and podcasts to fulfill the innovative components of my dissertation.

The fieldwork commenced in June 2023. I am thrilled to report that my study focus has not deviated from the prospectus. I have already made tremendous strides in data collection and analysis. Findings so far indicate that South Sudanese women and youth’s music and dance in the Adjumani settlements offer a “safe space” to grapple with trauma and everyday stress; sustain refugee cultures in displacement; redefine traditional gender roles, discuss socio-political issues; and demand refugee rights. I hope these findings may help inform future applied ethnomusicological interventions to promote South Sudanese refugees’ post-war recovery, advocacy for lasting peace in South Sudan, community education, cross-cultural relations among different ethnic groups, and development. 

Initially, it was elusive to penetrate the refugee community in Adjumani due to power dynamics and identity controversies. My interlocutors shied from sharing knowledge with me; they considered me highly knowledgeable. Secondly, many thought I was a Ugandan spy sent to learn about their songs for political reasons. I realized these challenges and devised new means to break the power and identity dynamics. Apart from thorough introductions at the beginning of every meeting, I have danced, shared meals, and collaboratively transcribed song texts to make them own the research and freely interact with me. Currently, my interlocutors feel I understand and am part of their situation. For example, one of the women groups, the Jonglie Women United, calls me ‘the short-nosed Dinka.’ Watch this video highlighting how I am relating with my interlocutors.

The most exciting part of my dissertation is transcribing songs about personal experiences. I am sure that the examples and emotive elements of these stories will reveal unique humanistic elements in my dissertation. However, Adjumani’s hot temperature keeps affecting the efficiency of my recording gadgets. So far, I have purchased three audio recorders to sustain the fieldwork. I, therefore, advise future IDRF applicants to be dynamic when planning Immersive Dissertation research to manage unforeseen field challenges.