Uganda Cultural Practices
Uganda Cultural Practices: Uganda has earned to be called one of the best tourist destination in Africa thus it is referred as to the “PEARL OF AFRICA” because of her amazing beauty blended with good changing climate and weather, extensive wildlife including the “Big Five – Lions, Rhinos, Leopards, Buffaloes and Elephants” and primates including the mountain gorillas and chimpanzees , the landscape – we have the second highest mountain in Africa – Mount Rwenzori with snow at the top, Water bodies – Uganda is the source of River Nile, Lake Victoria and other large water bodies and beautiful and hospitable people from different historical backgrounds,
Today Uganda is divided into 4 regions including the Northern, Eastern, and Western and Central regions. There is about 56 tribes in Uganda make it a destination of diverse cultural heritage and beliefs. These are seen through the way Ugandans organize their ceremonies, rituals, how they carry out traditional practices and their different ways of singing and dancing with unique traditional equipment. The people of Uganda were originally from different tribes and Ethnic cultural background including the Nilotic, the Bantu, and the Hamites who migrated in Uganda with different and unique cultures and tradition practices make them extraordinary and different from one another. Uganda has three main linguistic groups; the Bantu who are the dominant group are found in the central, western and southern parts of the country, the Nilotics and the Central Sudanic in the north, north Eastern and the west Nile regions of Uganda. Uganda’s diversity is boosted in the northeast by the presence of the Karamoja people who have a rich cultural background of cattle keeping while the northwest is occupied by people whose language and culture is similar to that of current Sudan. Tribes under each group speak languages that are closely related but they have different cultures, beliefs and practices. Since there was no national language then Swahili language was introduced as a joint language for all including the litrate and illitrates to have a common language however, with the introduction of colonialism, English became a national language in Uganda. This was agreed upon and confirmed. Below are some of the cultural practices of the different tribes in Uganda
Way of Dressing
Traditionally, the “Gomesi” is a dress that Ugandan women wear for events and ceremonies while the men wear “Kanzu”. All these attires are long up to the feet and they portray decency and respect. These attires are mainly dressed by the people in the central and Eastern region of Uganda. The Karamoja region has its own way of dressing where they dress in “Suuka”. Clothing for the western part of Uganda by the Banyarokole, Batooro and Banyoro is “Mushanana” for the women and “Bussuti”. These attires are mainly dressed during marriage functions and any kind of ceremony and celebrations.
Traditional Marriage
A marriage ceremony in Uganda is one of the most unique cultural experiences to explore. Marriages are treasured where the men acquire their women from their parents’ homes after paying bride price which is a way of respect and appreciation to the lady’s family. There are different items asked as bride wealth from different tribes. In the western and far Eastern and northern Uganda, Cattle is treasure and usually bride price is paid inform of cattle, this is among the Banyankole, Itesots, Acholi, Batooro, Karamojongs to mention a few. Traditional marriage is done in 2 levels; “Kukyala” where the man visits the family of the bride and he is given the cut of bride price to pay and set a date for official exchange. In the western region, it is called “Kuhijira”. A few years back, polygamous marriages defined Uganda marriages whereby a man can have more than one wife with a belief that the more wives a man has, he is considered wealthy along with many children from the different women. This has however changed because of introduction of Christianity which largely dominates in the country. Traditionally, paying bride price is a way of indicating that the man is the head and rules in the house.
Foods and Beverages
Different tribes have specific foods that they have been well known for as the mostly consumed foods well known as “Staple foods”. The Bantu including the Baganda, Banyankole, Basoga, Sabin and Bagisu are mostly known for consuming more of Matooke more than any other foods however, some of them like the Batooro consume millet and the Bakiga consume Irish potatoes. The Nilotics mainly eat mingled millet accompanied with different types of sauce. The consumption of different foods by different tribal groups is one of the reasons why there is a variety of foods produced in Uganda. Other agricultural foods produced and consumed in Uganda include Cassava, sweet potatoes by the Basoga people, Irish potatoes by the Bakiga, Maize, Rice, Yams, vegetables and lots of fruits among others. Uganda in years has gotten national food that have sold her to international level including the Rolex which is a blend of chapatti and eggs, Nsenene (Grasshoppers which is a seasonal food). Uganda also has beverages that make her an outstanding country basing in the tribes. The commonly known alcohol drinks include the Ajono for the Itesots, Munanasi for the Buganda, Ntoto for the western tribes. These local drinks were drunk during the leisure time after work as a way of socialising in the community.
Family and Gender Status
Traditionally, Family decisions were made by the head of the family who is the husband/father without any influence from the wife or children. This still happens in most communities of Uganda until today. However, there are those that have changed due to education and Christianity and woman emancipation in a way that all family members have influence on different family making decisions. Men in the family are providers for the family while women take care of the family so the women highly depended on men in a family with provision of food, school fees for children and construction of the house among other responsibilities. Sons are normally the heirs when their fathers have passed on. The women were inferior to men in that some things that were forbidden for the women do for example; women were not allowed to attend meetings, women were not allowed to eat some dishes such as chicken, basically women were for the kitchen only.
Religious affiliation
Uganda is mainly dominated by Christians. According to the population census conducted in 2014, the largest population are Christians with 82% being Christians whereby the Roman Catholic constitute 39%, followed by Anglicans with 32% population and 11% for the Pentecostal Christians. The Moslem (Islam) religion follows with about 14% of the population. Other religions in the country include Seventh Day Adventist, Baptist and Orthodox. There are also people who still believe in traditional religions as it was before Christianity was spread in the country, some Ugandans until date still visit shrines and worship the small gods locally referred as “Bajajja” especially in the Buganda Kingdom, these gods are believed to provide wealth and revenge on enemies. The Rwenzori foothills are home to the Bakonjo whose hunting shrines are dedicated to a one legged armed eyed pipe smoking people.
Etiquette
Shaking hands is the traditional form of greeting. Casual dress is considered appropriate in the daytime and evening. Etiquette is important at family meals. When a meal is ready, all the members of the household wash their hands and sit on floor mats. Visitors and neighbors who arrive unexpectedly are allowed to join the family at a meal. Normally a short prayer is said before the family starts eating. During the meal, children talk only when asked a question. It is considered impolite to leave the room while others are eating. Leaning on the left hand or stretching one’s legs at a meal is a sign of disrespect. When the meal is finished, everyone in turn gives a compliment to the mother and the cook. Children are supposed to give respect to their parents at all situation and greeting elders is my kneeling on your knees by the girl child.
Cultural and Tradition practices
Each tribe in Uganda has a cultural practice that makes it outstanding from other tribes making Uganda a combined nation for interesting cultures for example the Bagisu people have practice Circumcision for young boys as an initiation to adulthood. It is believed that if a Masaba boy is not circumcised traditionally, he is not considered a man. The process involves celebrations and the boy is expected to be brave enough to go through the process that is to say to be a man of courage. The Sabin people from Kapchorwa on the other hand traditionally do circumcision on the girls however; this has highly been discouraged by the Uganda government because it is a very dangerous practice for it has led to loss of lives among the girls.
In conclusion, Uganda has rich cultural practises that must be explored in all aspects. While on a Uganda Safaris Tours with the interest of exploring the Wildlife Safaris and Uganda primates’ safari, a trip to one of the Uganda tribes will widen your thoughts about Uganda; visit the Uganda Museum, Ssemagulu Royal Museum, Igongo cultural centre, Buganda royal tombs (the Kasubi tombs), Stay homes in different location, and the Karamoja region.
