View the online exhibition
From Kampala to Leicester:
The Story of Leicester’s Ugandan Asian Community, 1972 – 2012
Leicester Arts & Museums Service, in partnership with Navrang, are marking the 40th anniversary of the expulsion of Ugandan Asians and their subsequent move to Leicester through a series of special events and exhibitions.
The project profiles how Ugandan Asians adapted to life in the UK and how the community has influenced the development of the city over the last four decades.
This project has been supported using public funding by the
National Lottery through Arts Council England and the Heritage
Lottery Fund.
New Permanent exhibition display at Newarke Houses Museum
The Exhibition:
From Kampala to Leicester:
The Story of Leicester’s Ugandan Asian Community, 1972 – 2012
14th July – 7th October 2012 (This exhibition is now closed)
New Walk Museum & Art Gallery
In August 1972, Ugandan dictator Idi Amin gave the Asian community 90 days notice to leave the country. They were forced to leave almost everything in Uganda and seek refuge in other countries such as Britain and Canada.
Using original film, personal testimony and rare artefacts borrowed from Leicester’s Ugandan Asian community, the exhibition tells a powerful and important story of survival, sacrifice and adventure.
The exhibition looks at the background to the Asian community in Uganda, settling in Leicester in the 1970s and their continued social, cultural and economic impact on the city, and is celebrated through a textile installation, ‘Between Three Worlds’, created by artists and local communities.
With thanks to BBC Radio Leicester for their support.
View the exhibition and events flyer online.
Download the exhibition and events flyer here.
Exodus: Kampala to Leicester - An audio trail between New Walk Museum & Art Gallery and Phoenix Square.
14th August – 30th September 2012
This digital commission consists of a trail linking New Walk Museum & Art Gallery and Phoenix Square, a video installation in the Phoenix café multiscreen and a large wall graphic showing the trail and providing access to QR codes, located in the Phoenix café. Visit the empedia website to view and listen to the trail...
For more information please download the Exodus flyer or view the flyer online.
Events
Events free unless otherwise stated, for more details on events at New Walk Museum & Art Gallery, telephone 0116 225 4900.
Sharing Memories: From Uganda to Leicester
Sunday 15th July
11.00am – 6.00pm
Belgrave Mela Festival, City Centre
Join us at the Mela Festival for a free workshop where you can handle Gujarati
textiles and make puppets based on Rajasthani toys. To find out more about the Mela Festival, visit: www.leicester-mela.co.uk
The Development of South Asian Food in Britain: Leicester in a National Context
Thursday 19th July
7.00pm
New Walk Museum & Art Gallery
A talk by Professor P. Payani, Professor of European History, De Montfort University and author of Spicing Up Britain: The Multicultural History of British Food. Refreshments available.
The Ugandan Asian Community: Audio & Visual Record
Monday 23rd July
7.00pm
New Walk Museum & Art Gallery
Join Colin Hyde of the East Midlands Oral History Archive for an evening of archive
footage, profiling the arrival of the Ugandan Asian Community and their settlement in Leicester. Also, take a look into Belgrave’s past with Museum Curator, Philip French.
Who Do You Think You Are? How to Create and Build your own Family Tree
Wednesday 25th July
11.00am – 3.30pm
New Walk Museum & Art Gallery
Join us for a family history day with local historian, Cynthia Brown. Find out how to
create and build your family tree and children’s activities including making your own family tree collage. Please feel free to bring along any photos to use in the family tree.
Ugandan Asians in Leicester: From Refugees to Citizens
Tuesday 7th August
7.00pm
New Walk Museum & Art Gallery
A talk by Dr Pippa Virdee on the expulsion of Asians from Uganda and the experiences of coming to Leicester through first-hand accounts. Explore how the community is depicted within wider literature and how their settlement has become a model for other cities.
Storytelling: African & Asian Tales
Wednesday 8th August
11.00am – 3.30pm
New Walk Museum & Art Gallery
Join storytellers from Leicester Libraries in The Den, our under 5s gallery, to hear tales from Africa and Asia.
Idi Amin: Intergenerational Panel Discussion
Sunday 12th August
1.00pm – 3.30pm
New Walk Museum & Art Gallery
Through a series of archived film extracts, an expert panel discusses the dramatic events surrounding the expulsion of the Asian community from Uganda in 1972. Listen to real life stories of people’s experiences of leaving Uganda to start a new life.
Film: Last King of Scotland
Tuesday 14th August
6.30pm
Phoenix Square
Based on the events of the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin's regime as seen by his personal physician during the 1970s. To book, tel: 0116 242 2800 / www.phoenix.org.uk £7.25 / £5.60 conc. / £5.00 students.
South Asian & African Dance Workshops
Sunday 19th August
11.00am – 12.00pm, 12.30pm – 1.30pm & 2.00pm – 3.00pm
New Walk Museum & Art Gallery
Lead by choreographer Priti Raithatha, these family dance sessions are ideal for beginners of all ages keen to learn some basic but fun steps from traditional Asian and African dance. All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Please wear loose clothing and trainers. Advance booking essential.
Film: General Amin (Due to licensing issues screening cancelled, apologies for any inconvenience caused).
Tuesday 21st August
6.30pm
Phoenix Square
Uganda's dictator, Idi Amin, accepts a foreign crew's request to interview and film him. To book, tel: 0116 242 2800 / www.phoenix.org.uk £7.25 / £5.60 conc. / £5.00 students.
Idi Amin (Event to replace General Amin Screening)
Tuesday 21st August
6.30pm
Phoenix Square
A series of film clips depicting the reign of Idi Ami, interspersed with discussion and debate. This will be led by Ugandan-born BBC presenter, Rupal Rajani, who, after leaving Uganda in 1972, has returned to visit the country on two occasions. Rupal will recount her personal stories and experiences of arriving in the UK as a refugee, as well as discussing her observations and emotions during her recent visits to Uganda. Tel: 0116 242 2800 / www.phoenix.org.uk
1970’s Day
Sunday 2nd September
11.00am – 4.30pm
New Walk Museum & Art Gallery
Dig out your flares, flamboyant 70s outfits and ‘kitenge shirts’ as the museum remembers the Bay City Rollers, tank tops and Angel Delight! A whole day dedicated to the 1970s including memorabilia and fun activities including pompom pet making. Bring along your own bottle to make a fun lava lamp!
Tea & History: The Ugandan Asian Experience
Friday 7th September
1.30pm – 3.30pm
Newarke Houses Museum & Gardens
An informal session to share your memories of 1972 and the expulsion of the Asian community from Uganda. Refreshments available, for more details, tel: 0116 225 4980.
Family Print Workshop
Sunday 9th September
11.00am – 1.00pm & 1.30pm – 3.30pm
New Walk Museum & Art Gallery
Learn printmaking techniques with Leicester Print Workshop and create your own artwork inspired by the exhibition. Due to the printing methods, old clothing / aprons are advised. All under 18s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Limited places, so please book in advance.
African Drumming & Asian Dance Workshop and Demonstration
Sunday 23rd September
12noon – 3.30pm
Newarke Houses Museum & Gardens
Chaines Dance Company brings you a fusion of dance styles from around the world. Enjoy and experience a performance of traditional African drumming and Bollywood dancing. Come along and create your own African style bead jewellery and have your hair braided (small charge applies). Refreshments available and
African & Asian food tasting, for more details, tel: 0116 225 4980.
Event supported by Chaines Dance Company and Mirch Masala.
Supporting Communities in Uganda
Tuesday 25th September
7.00pm
New Walk Museum & Art Gallery
A talk by Oxfam on how they are supporting communities living in Uganda. Oxfam's work in Uganda focuses on the country's poorest people and on the most economically deprived areas. In many cases, this means working with communities that have been affected by conflict, and with people who are now looking to rebuild their lives. This includes a broad range of work - from helping to reduce poverty in rural areas to enabling people to be better prepared for disasters, as well as promoting the rights of women and pastoralist farmers.
Ugandan Asians: From Western India via Eastern Africa to Middle England
Monday 15th October
7.00pm
New Walk Museum & Art Gallery
A talk by Dr Margaret Frenz, Leicester University, tracing the migration and journeys
of Indian labourers who were taken to East Africa to build the railways, how they were expelled from Uganda and settled in the UK.
Visitor Information
Opening Times:
Monday – Saturday: 10.00am – 5.00pm, Sunday: 11.00am – 5.00pm
New Walk Museum & Art Gallery, New Walk, Leicester LE1 7EA
Free admission
T: 0116 225 4900
E: museums@leicester.gov.uk
W: www.leicester.gov.uk/ugandanasianstory
Download the exhibition and events flyer below:
