This page has annotations:

1. 1 2020-01-11T17:27:33-05:00 Sarah York-Bertram 79c90f81cbadbcee036c97b91365eec227a9fa16 Grace Acan shares her experience and defines justice Sarah York-Bertram 11 Annotation: After her experience of abduction and captivity, Grace Acan has dedicated her time to researching and understanding what justice means to survivors of war plain 2021-05-25T14:43:38-04:00 Sarah York-Bertram 79c90f81cbadbcee036c97b91365eec227a9fa16
2. 1 2020-11-12T16:24:22-05:00 Sarah York-Bertram 79c90f81cbadbcee036c97b91365eec227a9fa16 Blue Sweater Kris Joseph 7 Annotation: In this 3.5 minute clip, Dr. Kjell Anderson, the director of the Master of Human Rights program at the University of Manitoba asks about the selection of artifacts. Curator Isabelle Masson describes the years-long collaborative process and Grace Acan explains the significance of the blue sweater that is featured in the exhibit. plain 2021-04-13T08:35:14-04:00 Kris Joseph 0d077f99b0f9769f974aa4a1085d24dd68a8f67d
3. 1 2020-01-11T19:01:21-05:00 Sarah York-Bertram 79c90f81cbadbcee036c97b91365eec227a9fa16 Chibok Schoolgirls Sarah York-Bertram 5 Annotation: An audience question by someone from Nigeria who draws links between the 2014 abduction of 276 Chibok schoolgirls and Evelyn and Grace's experiences plain 2021-05-25T14:45:05-04:00 Sarah York-Bertram 79c90f81cbadbcee036c97b91365eec227a9fa16
4. 1 2021-05-25T14:23:41-04:00 Sarah York-Bertram 79c90f81cbadbcee036c97b91365eec227a9fa16 Amnesty Sarah York-Bertram 4 Annotation: An audience member asks how Grace Acan and Evelyn Amony felt about the amnesties offered by the Uganda government. They also ask how Ugandans responded to the amnesties. Grace Acan answers the question. plain 2021-05-25T14:39:31-04:00 Sarah York-Bertram 79c90f81cbadbcee036c97b91365eec227a9fa16
5. 1 2021-05-04T18:11:03-04:00 Sarah York-Bertram 79c90f81cbadbcee036c97b91365eec227a9fa16 Dr. Kjell Anderson on Transitional Justice and the history of the LRA Sarah York-Bertram 3 Annotation: Professor Anderson defines transitional justice and provides context for Grace Acan's and Evelyn Amony's stories as former abductees of the Lord's Resistance Army plain 2021-05-11T15:41:48-04:00 Sarah York-Bertram 79c90f81cbadbcee036c97b91365eec227a9fa16
6. 1 2021-05-25T14:45:55-04:00 Sarah York-Bertram 79c90f81cbadbcee036c97b91365eec227a9fa16 Apologies and Stigma Sarah York-Bertram 3 Annotation: Acan and Amony answer an audience question about the importance of formal apologies and the issue of reintegration and familial acceptance when survivors return from captivity. Amony answers in Acholi and Acan translates in English plain 2021-05-25T15:11:23-04:00 Sarah York-Bertram 79c90f81cbadbcee036c97b91365eec227a9fa16
7. 1 2021-05-26T13:30:55-04:00 Sarah York-Bertram 79c90f81cbadbcee036c97b91365eec227a9fa16 Serving Survivors in Kampala Sarah York-Bertram 3 Annotation: An Ugandan audience member asks about the regions Women's Advocacy Network serves and Grace Acan explains that the Network plans to expand its reach through fundraising. plain 2021-05-26T13:43:32-04:00 Sarah York-Bertram 79c90f81cbadbcee036c97b91365eec227a9fa16
8. 1 2021-05-11T15:44:23-04:00 Sarah York-Bertram 79c90f81cbadbcee036c97b91365eec227a9fa16 Original Short Films Sarah York-Bertram 2 Annotation: exhibit curator Isabelle Masson introduces the original short films featured in the Ododo Wa exhibit. Watch this annotation to see Evelyn Amony's and Grace Acan's films. plain 2021-05-11T16:23:17-04:00 Sarah York-Bertram 79c90f81cbadbcee036c97b91365eec227a9fa16
9. 1 2021-05-26T13:49:56-04:00 Sarah York-Bertram 79c90f81cbadbcee036c97b91365eec227a9fa16 What can we do? Sarah York-Bertram 2 Annotation: An audience member asks Acan and Amony what people can do to support survivors. Amony replies in Acholi and Acan translates to English. plain 2021-05-26T13:55:17-04:00 Sarah York-Bertram 79c90f81cbadbcee036c97b91365eec227a9fa16
10. 1 2021-05-26T14:04:11-04:00 Sarah York-Bertram 79c90f81cbadbcee036c97b91365eec227a9fa16 Why Grace Acan and Evelyn Amony wrote their memoirs. Sarah York-Bertram 2 Annotation: Professor Anderson asks Acan and Amony why they decided to tell their stories through the writing of their memoirs. Acan and Amony explain. Amony answers in Acholi and Grace Acan translates to English plain 2021-05-26T14:40:45-04:00 Sarah York-Bertram 79c90f81cbadbcee036c97b91365eec227a9fa16

This page is referenced by:

• 1 2020-09-15T16:27:13-04:00 Survivor-Centred Approaches 33 Page: The Ododo Wa exhibit has been situated within a survivor-centred approach by several of our news media sources. This page discusses the News Median Analysis theme "Survivor-Centred Approaches" plain 2022-05-01T16:16:49-04:00 Sarah York-Bertram, Andrea González, and Zhi Ming Sim

  The Ododo Wa exhibit is a survivor centred approach to advocacy. YorkU’s yFile places the exhibit within the context of United Nations Security Council’s adoption of Resolution 2467 on 23 April 2019. This resolution “articulates a survivor-centred approach to the prevention and response to conflict-related sexual violence.”

  In this YouTube video annotation on the left, Grace Acan defines survivor-centred justice for war-affected women.
  
  The arts magazine GalleriesWest places the exhibit in relation to the Nobel Peace Prize winners Dr. Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad. Mukwege and Murad are known for their efforts against the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war. The University of Manitoba’s news represents the exhibit in the context of Uganda’s transitional justice policy of June 2019. News media shows the exhibit is timely and the dialogues in inspires as necessary.
  
  The curatorial approach to making the exhibit is also based on a survivor-centred approach. CMHR curator Isabelle Masson acknowledges that for activists organizing around issues of sexual violence in war, it is important to minimize risks of re-traumatization or even further traumatization (Bitu Tshikudi, 2019). For these reasons, the exhibit aims to establish a sustainable and supportive storytelling process. Survivor-centred storytelling necessitates an environment that focuses on their needs, their voices, and honours their leadership in defining justice and reparations. 
  
  Tensions about narrative ownership also emerge in response to the exhibit. As Masson reflects on the Uganda National Museum event in December 2019, one audience member asked “Why do we need Canadians to tell our stories?” (Masson, 2020). Canadian journalists and artists assert that it is difficult to “imagine” what Acan and Amony went through (Alfa, 2019; Ikemiya, 2019). In some cases, Canadian journalists asked, “What can Canadians do to help?” (Bitu Tshikudi, 2019).  
  
  In response, Acan, Amony and those involved with making the exhibit assert that Canadians can help by a) listening to survivors, b) paying attention to survivors’ leadership in regards to their needs, and c) seeing how one can help, as directed by survivors, “at this moment” (Masson in Bitu Tshikudi, 2019). The exhibit functions as an example of survivor's activism that holds opportunities for survivor-centred knowledge mobilization, learning, pedagogy, dialogue, and justice.

• 1 media/Screenshot 2020-11-12 152557.jpg 2020-09-15T16:31:18-04:00 Breaking the Silence Through Storytelling and Artefacts 25 Page: discusses the News Media Analysis theme "Breaking the Silence through Storytelling" plain 2022-05-01T17:22:16-04:00 Sarah York-Bertram, Andrea González, and Zhi Ming Sim

  Voice is an important topic in the media's coverage of the exhibit. Ugandan and Canadian news media represent Grace Acan and Evelyn Amony as “breaking the silence” about their experiences. The Winnipeg Free Press characterize Acan and Amony as "outspoken." This framing falls in line with popular representations of other survivors of sexual violence who are speaking out about their experiences and their needs for justice and reparations.  

  The artefacts featured in the exhibit are evidence supporting Acan's and Amony's stories. Ugandan-based New Vision, which covered the exhibit’s launch at the Uganda National Museum in December 2019, notes the “clothes, books, and other items” featured in the traveling exhibit. The artefacts represent the everyday and material realities of Acan and Amony before, after, and during their time in captivity. The artefacts also memorialize personal, regional, and national histories. By memorializing Acan’s and Amony’s experiences the exhibit helps “send a universal message that the voices of women in war matters” (Acan quoted in The Independent, 2019).
  
  In this YouTube video annotation on the right, CMHR curator Isabelle Masson explains the process of selecting artefacts and Grace Acan explains the significance of the blue sweater featured in the exhibit.
  
  The artefacts also provide a way for Amony and Acan to discuss forced pregnancies, bearing children and giving birth while in captivity. Although “the guns are silent” and the region is considered in a post-conflict period, survivors challenge the notion that the war is over and point to the multi-generational impacts of the war within families and communities (Acan quoted in Bunting, 2019).

  When speaking about her daughter, whom she was separated from during a military ambush, Evelyn Amony shares that, “Other women in the world are still crying for their daughters […] My daughter is still missing […] I still have hope for her.” Evelyn Amony to Carol Sanders, Winnipeg Free Press.

  Journalists picked up on the fact that for Acan and Amony and for many others, the conflict does not end simply because they have returned. Ismaila Alfa states that “It is not over at that point in time [when you return after captivity], because now you have to get used to life back in Uganda as well.” 

• 1 2021-04-22T20:23:45-04:00 Memoirs 18 Page: an annotated YouTube video clip shows Grace Acan and Evelyn Amony discussing why they wrote their books. This page also includes external links to their memoirs. plain 2021-11-02T12:55:15-04:00 Evelyn Amony and Grace Acan have both written memoirs about their experiences. In the YouTube video on this page, Dr. Kjell Anderson asks Acan and Amony why they wrote their memoirs.
  
  
  Evelyn Amony replied that, among the many reasons she wrote her memoir,

  I wanted the world to know that it's very good to talk about what happens to you, what happened to you, after saying it you can feel better than before, you can feel relieved. Before I wrote my book, I was afraid that whenever I was walking I would feel like people are saying, 'oh, she is useless, [...] she has nothing.' But after writing I felt the courage that I can do it, I still have the courage, but yes I have not gone to school I can still change my life, I can still move on. 

  
  
  
  In her response to Anderson's question, Grace Acan states,

  I wrote this book to correct the misconceptions that my community was having and to correct some of the things that they were saying that to me wasn't right and to also give them the right information so that they know exactly what took place. I would also like to let the world know that war has very negative effects on girls and women, so it should be stopped.

  
  
  Their books are available to purchase. Find their books by clicking the links annotating their book covers.
   
• 1 2021-06-06T17:45:26-04:00 Solidarity 13 Page: This is part of The Public's perspectives path. A diverse public audience representing a number of nationalities demonstrated global and diasporic connections and solidarities through language and sharing of experiences. plain 2022-05-02T18:07:27-04:00 Andrea González; Sarah York-Bertram

  "I know that you've been away from the conflict for many years, but I know that the ajiji--flashbacks are there. Are they gone now? Can you leave those behind? And if you can't, what do you do to turn [off] the flashbacks, to put the shadow behind you? What do you do?"  - Audience Member, CMHR Launch, 23 October 2019 

  Language
  Ododo Wa's reception shows how solidarity with survivors is not confined by borders. A member of the audience in Winnipeg asked Acan and Amony how they manage their ajiji, which means “trauma” in Acholi. Acan and Amony took the opportunity to explain what the word ajiji means to the audience. It helped the audience to understand Acan's and Amony's experiences in northern Uganda. The question and language demonstrates the connections between the global, the local, and Black diaspora experience. 
  
  Diverse Audience
  Diverse international audiences expand the dialogues. The audience considers the links between the exhibit's subject matter and their own context and experience. They posed sympathetic questions and showed concern over survivors' hardships and their needs. The exhibit's ability to generate and hold space for discussion about international cooperation and solidarity for survivors' issues is demonstrated by the audience's questions about what they can do to help, or if neighboring countries provided assistance at the time of the war. Mechanisms for justice, such as amnesty laws and transitional justice policies, are areas of focus too. Through the exhibit, audience members learn that survivors are not always served by established mechanisms. Their questions, comments, and interventions reflect the capacity and effects of the exhibit, as well as its ability to resonate in diverse contexts. 

   “[...] when it happened in Nigeria, we had international communities everywhere[.] [...] [T]here was this hashtag, #bringbackourgirls, but right now it's silenced. There is fading advocacy, people are not talking about it[…]”(Audience member 4, University of Manitoba, 2019) 

  Relatable Experiences and Contexts
  Discussions led to sharing relatable experiences and made spaces to foster international solidarities. The line blurs between affected communities and public audiences. The public audience affirms that more efforts are needed towards these issues, whether the help comes from advocates, organizations, or international communities of survivors, to ensure that survivors of war do not share their stories in vain.

• 1 2021-05-28T18:13:27-04:00 Original Short Films 2 Annotation: this is a YouTube clip that shows the original animation drawings and interviews depicting Grace Acan and Evelyn Amony's stories. The animations were developed by Maggie Ikemiya and the short films were developed by the CMHR plain 2021-05-28T18:15:05-04:00
• 1 2021-05-07T20:07:16-04:00 Defining Transitional Justice 1 Annotation: Professor Kjell Anderson explains what Transitional Justice is. plain 2021-05-07T20:07:16-04:00 As Professor Kjell Anderson explained in a panel at the University of Manitoba, transitional justice is used broadly to refer to the set of measures that take place and occur following gross human rights violations, such as the violence and war in Uganda, and the war involving the LRA.
  This exhibition acknowledges that justice means different things to different people. As Grace explains in this panel, for many women survivors, justice can refer to having their immediate needs being addressed, as opposed to achieving legal justice.