The African Children’s Choir has traveled all over the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. The group performed for the Queen of England during her Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Now, the choir is in Juneau.
Elijah Owoyesiga, 10, has been part of the group for a year. He’s from Kabale in western Uganda where Elijah lives in a mud house with his younger brother and mother. His mother spends a lot of her time in the field growing sweet potatoes, bananas and other vegetables.
Part of Elijah’s daily chores at home includes taking care of the family’s cow and four goats.
“Would go graze cows and goats and go fetch water and firewood, cook, and wash plates and cups,” he says.
Elijah is traveling with 17 other kids from Uganda between ages 9 and 12. On top of dancing and drumming, the choir sings songs in multiple languages, including two Ugandan ones.
“They are in English, Luganda and some of them in Luchiga,” Elijah says.
The choir has been touring since January and has visited states like Nevada, Arizona, Utah as well as Canadian provinces Saskatchewan and Alberta. While touring, the singers take classes in math, English and social studies.
The choir arrived in Alaska three weeks ago where they’ve performed in Anchorage and Fairbanks. Elijah enjoyed the journey traveling to Juneau.
“We went on the ferry and we saw whales,” he says.
The African Children’s Choir began in 1984 after Canadian human rights activist Ray Barnett spent time in Uganda during its civil war. Barnett wanted to shed light on the children’s potential instead of on their impoverishment.
Through donations and sponsorships, the choir has helped build schools in Uganda, South Sudan, Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa.
Upcoming Juneau performances are on Sunday at Auke Bay Bible Church and Chapel by the Lake, and on Wednesday at the Church of the Nazerene. The choir’s next tour stop is Sitka.
