2020 Sinica Open House Activity

Ugonjwa Hatari (Dangerous Disease): The Music and Drama of Public Health in East Africa during the time of Corona／Derek Sheridan (Assistant Research Fellow)

The COVID-19 Pandemic has also been an unprecedented global "infodemic." Never before have so many diverse publics, in so short a time, been mobilized to change their daily habits in similar ways, in response to a shared threat. At the same time, the sharing of fake news, conspiracy theories, and questionable medical advice has threatened to increase conflicts and undermine global recovery. At a time when the importance of public health messaging has been highlighted, many African countries, despite misconceptions to the contrary in Asia and Europe, have been well-prepared for mass education about the pandemic. In countries like Tanzania, the arts, music, and theater have long been utilized by governments, NGOs, and ordinary people for education and social-political mobilization. This includes public health. Starting in early 2020, the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in popular culture echoed earlier responses to HIV/AIDS. Aided by the democratization of media through YouTube and Facebook, both famous and aspiring musicians have released Coronavirus-themed songs and music videos. Artists and filmmakers have also created short films which both educate and offer interpretations of the effects of the pandemic on social life. In this session, I present a selection of music videos and short dramas from East Africa (Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda), accompanied by a short talk describing what watching these videos tell us about the nexus of public health, cultural production, and politics not just in East Africa, but around the world.