Manry Family

Buzaaniro, Lusoga for "Place to Play," is our recently finished backyard playworld on which our children and their friends can release their imaginations.  Building Buzaaniro, however, was actually a cultural learning experience for me, from collecting local materials, communicating seemingly bazaar ideas during construction, to continually explaining what Buzaaniro is to my Ugandan friends.

While building Buzaaniro, I developed a newfound sympathy with Noah, the biblical arc-builder.  I constantly wondered how Noah explained his massive boat on dry land to the surrounding community.  A neighbor asked if I was building a house to keep pigs.  A worker suggested (as Buzaaniro was nearing completion) it would be ideal for raising poultry.  More interesting were the inquisitive looks of those who worked with me in its construction.  Robert the Carpenter, Moses the Welder, Charles the Net-maker and Tom the Mason applied their skill in blind faith that some order might emerge in the chaos (and the expectation of receiving payment for their labor).  Like a modern art structure in an American mall, Buzaaniro seemed to be, in the African mind, as pointless as it was impressive.

Perceptions quickly changed as children flooded the completed playset with their creative energy, climbing the platforms and ladders, laughing on the swings, and sneaking out the trap door (Luke's idea).  In moments Buzaaniro transitioned from an individual's architectural achievement to a community's asset, from my project to our playground.  It was another African lesson learned - it is ultimately people that give meaning to a thing or idea.

Comments (5)

TONY said:

-- buzaniro is my favourate i shall always remember the ideas that were put forward

September 08, 2010 | url

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tony said:

... oh!!!! dear mark whenever i read the story of buzaniro village i remember when you used to drive local thustched grass from the villages.it was really a unique idea with devine meaning. it reminds me of noahs ark too.

January 02, 2010

Ricky Kahudu said:

... Hello the Manrys, Happy thanks giving day, we wish you the best of Turkey Day Thank you for the Buzaniro Village, I like those pics. From Ricky, Jackie, Briley and Nancy

November 16, 2007

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