5. Art, Culture and Reconciliation in Divided Societies in Africa: A Case of Northern Uganda

Whereas culture has played a significant role in fostering reconciliation in divided societies, it has inadvertently obscured the very question of reconciliation, in some instances. This chapter employs the use of the drama Silent Voices by Adong Judith to analyse how Mato Oput, an Acholi cultural peace-making ritual was inadequately employed in Northern Uganda in the aftermath of the conflict of 1987–2006. The play questions the implementation of that ritual in peace-building efforts following that war. The play depicts that in an effort to promote justice, the ritual focused on reconciliation between victims and perpetrators while neglecting the compensation aspect, and the neglect in turn had negative impact on peace. Using an arts lens, the chapter offers lessons learnt from contextual application of culture about conflict resolution and sustainable peace in Northern Uganda. Art as a medium of communication has a way of deconstructing real-life scenarios to show what works and what does not work and how this may affect societies. In regard to this chapter, the play Silent Voices helps to explain the place of Mato Oput in post-conflict Northern Uganda, as well as its negative impact on reconciliation between victims and perpetrators. Besides dealing with the gender aspect, the chapter also engages with decolonization of some concepts like justice, compensation or reparations to highlight the tension between traditional models and modern legal systems as portrayed in Silent Voices.