About Uganda
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Uganda is interestingly known as the “Pearl of Africa”, it is a land-locked country located in Eastern Africa, west of Kenya, south of South Sudan, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and north of Rwanda and Tanzania. It is situated in the heart of the Great Lakes region and is surrounded by three of them; Lake Edward, Lake Albert and Lake Victoria. Kampala is Uganda’s capital city and the she got her independence in 1962. Its wilderness is extra ordinary and Ugandans are welcoming people with amazing cultures.
Uganda is astonishingly a great country with a variety of tourist attractions around the country and these include National Parks, Game Reserves, and Cultural sites, Mountains, Lakes and Rivers.
THE PEOPLE OF UGANDA
Uganda is purely blessed with friendly and welcoming people who have mastered making new people (visitors to the country) feel comfortable and at home by providing a friendly and warm and welcoming environment.
The country has got a large variety of ethnic groups; the ‘Bantu South” and the “Nilotic North” The Bantu speakers form the largest portion of Uganda’s population. Of these, the Ganda remain the largest single ethnic group, almost constituting one-sixth of the total national population. Other Bantu speakers are the Soga, Gwere, Gisu, Nyole, Samia, Toro, Nyoro, Kiga, Nyankole, Amba, and Konjo. A sizable population of Rwanda (Banyarwanda) speakers also form a certain population those who had fled Rwanda in the late 1960s and early ’70s, some lived in Uganda until the mid-1990s while others stayed and intermarried with the Ugandans. The Bantu languages start with letters; “Ru” or “Lu” depending from where someone is coming from for example the Nyankole speak Runyankole while the Ganda speak Luganda, this is because there is a slight difference in pronunciations among Bantu speakers.
The Nilotic languages are also represented by the following; Acholi (Acoli), Lango (Langi), Alur, Padhola, Kumam, Teso, Karamajong, Kakwa, and Sebei; are spoken by more than one-tenth of the population. Central Sudanic peoples including; the Lendu, Lugbara, and Madi are also found in the north.
Apparently, Uganda is divided into four (4) regions; Northern, Eastern, Central and Western regions. There are over Fifty (50) tribes with different and unique backgrounds, cultural and traditional practices evidenced by their day to day lifestyle and how things are done in the community.
English and Kiswahili are the two official languages although urban people can speak fluent English than the rural people.
CULTURAL AND TRADITIONAL PRACTICES IN UGANDA
The people of Uganda are hospitable and come from a diversity of rich cultures and lifestyle where by many regions have kingdoms including Buganda, Busoga, Bunyoro and Toro.
Ugandans have got a variety of unique and interesting cultural and traditional practices to explore since each tribe has a unique cultural practice that makes it outstanding from the other. Some of these include the following;
Cultural and Traditional Dances in Uganda
Pearl of Africa has a strong cultural heritage and each tribe has its own traditional dance. For example the Alur people from the West Nile have the traditional Agwal dance, Bagisu have the Imbalu dance during circumcision ceremonies. The Banyankole perform their Kitagururo dance, Banyoro perform Runyege, Bwora and Otole dances for the Acholi.
Cultural and Traditional Dressing in Uganda
Traditionally, the dress code in Uganda must portray respect and decency, the cultural and traditional attires are therefore long up to the feet. For example Banyankole women’s dress code is “Kwezirika” their brides cover their heads (Kwetwekyerira) during give way (Kuhingira) ceremonies, the Banyoro and Batoro women wear is “Mushanana” and “Bussuti”, Karamajongs wear ”Suuka”, the Baganda women wear “Gomesi” and men put on “Kanzu” these attires are mainly during traditional functions and on other celebrations.
Traditional Marriages in Uganda
Marriage is one of the most treasured tradition in Uganda, it is so unique and outstanding depending on the different tribes hence a great cultural experience to explore. Bride price is a must among several tribes which is a sign of appreciation to the bride’s family, it also proves that a man is traditionally the head of the family. For example in certain tribes such as Banyankole, Karamajongs, Itesots, Acholi, Batooro to mention a few, cattle is highly and traditionally respected and treasured because its great importances dowry inclusive. Traditional marriage is done in Two (2) levels among the Baganda of Central Uganda; “Kukyala” where the groom’s family visits the bride’s family to discuss and agree on the bride price and then the official date to pick the bride is set “Kwanjula” while the Banyankore of Western of Western Uganda have Three (3) levels; Katerarume faces the bride’s family to present the interests of the groom and makes sure that the request is accepted, once accepted, the groom’s family brings Ënkwatarugo” to bride’s family a sign of appreciation and to prove to the community that bride is theirs, at this point bride price discussions are done and once cattle has been brought ”Okureta ente”, they set official date to pick the bride “Kuhingira”.
Traditional Foods and Drinks in Uganda
Uganda’s staple food and popular dish is “Matooke”, Bananas. However, the different tribes in Uganda have special dishes which define them and are prepared on special occasion such as functions and ceremonies or visitors come home. For example Luwombo for the Baganda of Central Uganda.
In Northern Uganda their special dish is Úgali’ Posho and Millet. Millet is also common in East and Western tribes. “Eshabwe” is for Banyankore of Western Uganda and it is a mixture of ghee and rock salt water and “Karo”, a mixiture of mingled millet and cassava floor for Batooro of Western Uganda, the Bagisu of Eastern Uganda have “Malewa” which is made out of Bamboo shoots. While Karamajongo’s staple diet is blood obtained after punctuating a cow’s skin and raw milk.
There are several traditional drinks among the different tribes in Uganda which include some of the following;
Uganda’s most famous drink is “Waragi” which is a locally distilled gin. Other popular traditional drinks include “Omubisi”, it is prepared from fruits for instance yellow banana juice which if fermented turns into a local brew known as Tonto and it is common in Central Uganda. Busheera or Enturire drinks in Western Uganda made from sorghum after it has been fermented. There is also malwa and ajono which is made out of germinated millet and later fermented, this is common among the Itesots in the Eastern region. These drinks are popular at cultural and traditional festivals.
CLIMATE AND WEATHER
Uganda’s climate is largely tropical with two rainy seasons per year, March to May and September to December.
The rest of Uganda apart from the northern region lies within a relatively humid equatorial climate zones, and the topography, prevailing winds, and lakes and rivers cause large differences in rainfall patterns across the country. It’s location in the tropics and across the equator results in the country’s weather and seasonal being determined by the large-scale Indian Monsoon, Congo air mass, Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) systems. The northern region, which forms one quarter of the country lies outside the tropical belt, and hence experiences only one rainy season, March to October.
Uganda also experiences the El Nin Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomena, which are principal driving forces of intra-annual to inter annual rainfall variability. Overall, Uganda experiences moderate temperatures throughout the year, around 22.8°C, with monthly temperatures ranging between 21.7°C (July) and 23.9°C (February). During this period, total annual average precipitation is 1,197 mm, and mean monthly precipitation of the country varies from 39.6 mm in January to 152.7 mm in April.
Uganda’s climate is controlled by the oscillating effects of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), which sees the convergence of the rain bringing Atlantic westerlies and Indian Ocean easterlies and the dry north-east and south-east monsoon winds. Thus, in keeping with much of tropical Africa, Uganda experiences a wet season and a dry season, its precipitation pattern described as bimodal, the main or long rains arriving March – May, the short rains November – start of December.
RELIGIOUS AFFILIATIONS
Uganda has quite a number of religions with Islam and Christianity as the indigenous religions.
Christianity is the most widely practiced religion in the country and around 85% of the population practices one of several Christian denominations.
Christians are primarily divided between Roman Catholics and Protestants – mostly Anglicans but also including Pentecostals, Seventh-day Adventists, Baptists, and Presbyterians.
The Christian population is followed by the Moslems community who began arriving from the east coast of Africa in the 1830’s. Islam was the first of the exogenous religions to arrive, and it became politically significant in the 1970s while Christianity came during the colonial period through spirited missionary activity especially in the south, where Catholics were called Bafaransa (the French) and Protestants Bangerezza (the British).
The British explorers made their way here in the 1860’s. After learning some of the teachings of the Christian religion, the Baganda king requested the Queen of England to send missionaries and in 1877 the first Protestant missionaries arrived. In 1879, the French Catholic missionaries also came. The two denominations soon began a rivalry in the courts which was respected by the local culture and helped to spread the religion.
In the early 1930s, the Balokole (Born again) revival was initiated by a group of Anglican missionaries together with several Ugandans. As time went on, it became a powerful force of Pentecostalism in Uganda and has continually spread throughout Eastern Africa and beyond
FACTS ABOUT UGANDA
Uganda is a landlocked country in East-Central Africa with almost a size of Great Britain whose diverse landscape encompasses the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains and immense Lake Victoria. Its abundant wildlife includes primates in Kibale Forest Nattional Park as well as rare birds. The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is also a renowned mountain gorilla sanctuary. Murchison Falls National Park in the northwest is known for its 43m-tall and powerful waterfall in the world and wildlife such as hippos. Lake Bunyonyi is famously known as the second deepest lake in Africa after Lake Tanganyika of Central Africa on the borders of Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and Burundi.
Uganda is populated by dozens of ethnic groups. The English language and religion help to unite the great numbers of peoples that come together in the cosmopolitan capital of Kampala, a verdant city whose plan includes dozens of small parks and public gardens as well as a scenic promenade along the shore of Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest freshwater lake.
The Swahili language unites the country with its East African neighbors Kenya and Tanzania.
Capital City: Kampala
Official Name: Jamhuri ya Uganda (Swahili); Republic of Uganda (English)
Head of State and Government: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, assisted by Prime Minister: Robinah Nabbanja
Form of Government: Multiparty Republic with one Legislative house (Parliament [4651])
Population: 42,886,000 (2021 est.)
Currency: Ugandan shilling (UGX)
Official Languages: English; Swahili