Kayendeke Zoey Patricia

Zoey the Storyteller, a.k.a. Kayendeke Zoey Patricia, is a female Ugandan folklore storyteller and poet who uses voice, movement, music, puppetry, and theatre to tell ancient and present stories, painting pictures through words. Her vibrant performance weaves traditional boldness with modern times: reviving heritage culture -- songs, tales, and proverbs from Uganda -- through the contemporary lens of a young, curious, and quirky artist representing the youth of her generation. Zoey incorporates Lugwere Language and traditional stage props like lesu and woven baskets to highlight her Eastern Uganda heritage. Addressing cross-generational audiences (including children), Zoey has performed on many local and international stages, including Kenya, South Africa, and Angola, among others. Back home in Uganda, she is a Janzi Awards nominee under the category of 'Cultural preservation'. In 2021, she collaborated on an international project called 'Ekyalo Kyange' (My Village) with Mzilanthaka, a South African artist based in Durban. Her recent project is a one-woman theatre play called 'The Snake Around Baba's Waist,' which premiered at the Kampala International Theatre Festival in 2023. She has recently performed at the Bayimba International Festival 2024 as Zoey & the Band, fusing her storytelling with live music and dance.