Meals taken in a cultural Ugandan home

Provided with different types of foods,each ethnic group in Uganda has its stable food which its fond of. Forget about the western style of eating, in Uganda ,there are specific attributes regarding to eating and preparing for a meal. Many visitors while on their cultural Safari to Uganda find themselves failing to choose the most appropriate eating behaviour while in Uganda.Therefore,one is required to make a research about the various behaviours of different Ugandans when it comes to meals.

In Uganda,it is customary to wash your hands before and after eating anything.The main reason for this practice is because Ugandans culturally use their hands while eating.Before a meal is served in a local home,the mother always reminds her children to wash their hands to avoid eating germs.It is a sign of indiscipline and unhygienic to eat a meal with dirty hands in Uganda.

Often before serving the meal,a prayer is said as a way of thanking God/Allah for the meal provided.However,some people ignore the prayer in case they are in a rush or if they have forgotten.In many nursery and primary schools in the country,children are taught how to pray before having a meal.

In many local homes in Uganda,always people sit on the floor while eating the food.It should be noted that once you sit on the floor to eat,avoid stretching out your legs.For a first-time visitor,he/she might be surprised to see people sitting on the floor around a dish of food,but this is how a true-cultural home behaves when eating.
However,with the increasing modernity in the country,homes have resorted to siting on chairs in a modest fashion with a knife and fork while eating food.This is mainly done in towns where people sit on chairs and sofas while eating food.In Uganda however,there are few home with dining rooms and its only people of means that can have one.

Self service is not a common practice in Ugandan homes when serving food.Customary,the mother serves the food or any elder but not everyone to serve.

While eating, talking is prohibited unless if there is a special address by another person.According to the cultural beliefs,talking while eating can lead to spitting into another person's food.

It is customary to thank the host for the meal immediately after eating.This is a sign of appreciating the person who prepared the meal.Children in Uganda are always urged to thank the cook after eating.This is as simple as saying "Thank you for cooking".

How strong the Ankole Kindom was in the 15th century - Cultura Safaris in Uganda

 Before making a Cultural safari to Ankole,you may need to know the
various issues concerning the history of the kingdom.Below is what you should know:
In the 15th century,the Chwezi Empire disintegrated and Wamal's son, Ruhinda Rwa Njunaki formed Nkore,currently known as Ankole kingdom.The rulers of Ankole (Bahinda) are said to be descendants of Ruhinda.The ruler was called Ruhinda simply because he had a black mark called "Ekihinda" on his face.The mother of Ruhinda used to work at king Wamala's palace who was the last king of the Chwezi dynasty  and she was called Njunaki.

The Omugabe of Ankole with the president of Uganda

The strong Chwezi also extended to Tanzania and here a new tribe called Bahaya was formed.The Bahaya and Banyankole people have very many things in common and similar dialects. It was around 1520 that Bunyoro's king invaded Ankole and Rwanda, and Ntare VI had to hide in Muzaire-Otaakwa forest which is found in Karagwe.

Just like otherkingdoms in Uganda,Ankole kingdom turned into a system of ranked statuses.In order for the men of Ankole to gain favour and demostrate their loyalty to the Omugabe (King),they offered cows.This was also a way of marking a life cycle change and even as a way over coming cattle raiding.The king could ask for cows from men so as to test their loyalty.
In case a man sohwed loyalty to the king,he was provided with full security from both internal and external enemies.Also his cows would be protected from raiders.

The kingdom had both cultivators and cattle keepers but today,this has changed.However,modernization has changed the trend in this kingdom in that the traditional cultivators now rear cows and cattle keepers grow crops.

According to history, Nkore was strong kingdom but it was affected by the 1901 Ankole agreement.This agreement made Nkole to become Ankole  and the Omugabe was to be largely a ceremonial position-an administrator within the British Colonial Government.
During this colonial period,the Ankole kingdom was compried of Isingiro,Kashari,and Rwampara.The 1901 agreement also led to addition of Buhwezi,Sheem and Mpororo chiefdoms to Ankole.This greatly led to expansion of the kingdom both economically and geographically.
Today,Ankole kingdom is the second largest kingdom in Uganda following Buganda

Catholic Church to reconstruct Namugongo pilgrimage site - Cultura Safaris in Uganda

Namugongo Pilgrimage site was canonised by Pope Paul VI in memory of the 22 Catholic martyrs whore were burnt alive by Kabake Mwanga of Buganda.These martyrs were killed because of their faith to God and yet the Kabaka wanted them to believe in the Kiganda religion (African Traditional Religion).This site is one of the leading cultural destinations in Uganda and it has greatly led to increase in Cultural safaris.

Dr.Cyprian Kizito Lwanga,the Archbishop of Kampala,said that the plans for reconstruction of Namugongo Martyrs pilgrimage site is finalized.An open-air pavilion and hotels will be constructed while the Island altar and a lake trough will be renovated.

People at Namugongo Pilgrimage site

Other facilities like the a new house for visiting clergy and museum are to be setup.The meseum will contain all the relevant  history of each of the Uganda martyrs and their portraits shall be displayed or easy view.This will enable the visitors to have a visual side of the history.


The Archbishop said that all the walkways will be paved and the roads will be tarmacked.This will promote easy movement by the visitors while at the site.Two dorminotories,one for males and the other for females are to be constructed plus washrooms and a restaurant.

The problem of dirty lake water that the park has been facing will be solved by draining the lake and the basin worked on to create a permanent  clean water trough.The water will further be protected by a perimeter wall which will stop people from contaminating it.

Dr.Cyprian Kizito Lwanga said that a new altar shall be erected at the extreme end of the lake,where the new pavilion will be built.This altar will be big enough to give the pilgrims a splendid view from either the terraces or the pavilion.

A police station that accommodates 10 policemen plus their families,will be constructed at the site.This is to boost the security of the visitors and it will be named St.Ponsiano Ngondwe.

The whole project of reconstruction is expected to end by October,just in time for celebrations to mark 50 years since the Uganda martyrs were canonised by Pope Paul VI and declared as saints at St.Peter's Basilica,Rome on 18th October,1964.

Pope Francis is expected to grace the celebration by making a pilgrimage to Namugongo.By the mere fact that Pope is coming to Uganda,the number of visitors will increase and many cultural safaris in Uganda shall be registered.

What you didnt know about the cultural side of Uganda

Uganda is comprised of people belonging to various ethnic groups and speaking over 35 different African Languages.Swahili and English are Uganda's official languages.
Swahili was adopted by Uganda as an official language simply because of its wide coverage and link with the neighboring Kenya and Tanzania.This language enables Ugandans to freely communicate with people from Kenya and Tanzania and its known as a uniting language.For visitors planing a cultural safaris to Africa,Uganda is the best option due to its diverse culture which is as a result of the many tribes.

The largest tribe/group in Uganda is Buganda (Bantu speaking people) taking about a fifth of Uganda's population.These Baganda people mainly occupy the central region including Kampala-the capital city of Uganda.Their large number in Uganda makes Luganda language to dominate in Uganda.
There are also other Bantu-speaking tribes like Basoga, Toro, Banyoro.In the eastern and northern Uganda,there are Nilotics group and this includes the Karimojong,Acholi,Teso and Langi.

Cultural Dances
Just like other African countries,Uganda also takes cultural dances as part of pride and very important.These are done during ceremonies and special occassions.Each tribe in Uganda has its own cultural dances.
For example in the east of Uganda,the Basoga practice the dance called Tamenhaibunga and this dance is used to express the merits of friendship and love.The dance's name means that " good friends drink together and don't fight each other".
Though there are many cultural dances,the widely known dance is the Kiganda dance.While performing this dance,the performers move their lower body following the drum-beats.Its an interesting dance and visitors enjoy learning how to do it.However,the dance is a bit tricky and it requires some skills to keep the upper torso controlled and keeping to the rhythm of the beats from the drums.The dance is widely used in Uganda but its commonly performed in honour of the Baganda king.

In Uganda,there is maximum respect to religion and there are many religions.Most of the Ugandans are Christians (Catholics and Protestants),followed by Muslims and then the traditional believers.

The forgotten cutural side of Kampala - Cultura Safaris in Uganda

Namugongo martyrs shrine

Uganda has got a diverse culture that many visitors are not familiar with.The many existing tribes in Uganda leads to diverse collection of people with different beliefs and norms.However,this culture is not easily identifiable to a first-time visitor because of the absence of buildings or monuments to reflect the country's wide culture.This means that a visitor is forced to read the history books about Uganda and make a personal visit to the grassroots of the culture.

Uganda's historical structures(particularly those in Kampala),have been razed down due to the on-going modernization of the country.However,this is destroying the originality and the true African feel that visitors expect while on their cultural safari in Uganda.The structures that are being destroyed describe the truth about Ugandan culture and people's origin.
Many other countries that have maintained their historical buildings have reaped milllions of dollars through cultural tourism but Uganda hasn't realized the trick.When you talk about Tourism in Uganda,people's minds only think about the Gorillas,animals, and the wildlife,as Kampala's cultural tourism potential are ignored.

One of the existing cultural buildings in Uganda is the Uganda Museum which ha an attractive L-shape.This heritage building was constructed in 1954 and it is well known for its unique appearance.There is no other building in Uganda with such a shape and this is the reason why tourists like making repeated visits to the site.
Another unique building in Kampala is the city mayors house in Luganda called Enyumba y'omukulu.This building has a unique shape and look that truly portrays Africa's architecture.This building is found in Rubaga Division just within Kampala.

There are also other buildings that give a rich history of the people of Uganda including Kasubi Tombs,Namugongo martyrs Shrine,old Indian-designed buildings in the different towns of Uganda and many more others.
There is need for the government of Uganda to protect some of the historical buildings just like other countries tat have decided to preserve their trace of origin like Pyramid of Djoser in Egypt,Amiens Cathedral ( a Roman Catholic cathedral) and many more.If this is emulated by Uganda,there is hope that cultural tourism in the country will improve and probably Uganda could be ranked among the the leading cultural safari destinations in the world.

The truth behind male circumcision practice-Imbalu,among the Bagisu People - Cultura Safaris in Uganda

                              

Commonly known as the Bagisu people,this cultural group of people is not only one of the most known cultural setting in Uganda but also one of those cultures that have stuck to their ancestral beliefs.Many tribes in Uganda today have modernized their customs in a way that they try to mix the western cultures with their beliefs thinking that they ere changing with change,but this is not the same case with the Bagisu.

The Bagisu love to be called the Bamasaba people simply because they are proud of their fertile highlands that surround the region.The word 'Masaba' means a mountain and this explains why these original-Africans are called “BAMASABA”. These people are found in the eastern Uganda  about 150km from Kampala city.

One of the cultural activity that is only identical with the Bamasaba people in Uganda is the male circumcision locally known as the “IMBALU”. According to the cultural beliefs of this tribe, unless a man is circumcised,he is not clean,and so this practice is aimed at grooming boys to become men.The practice is done seasonally and when it comes to the “IMBALU” season,all Bagishu boys that are uncircumcised prepare for it and some go back to their mother-land.According to Wadada Simon,one of the elders of Bagisu Tribe,Men are not allowed to marry before they pass through this holy practice simply because they have not expressed their ability to handle a family by carrying out this ritual.All men that belong to this tribe according to the beliefs must pass through this ritual as the only way to show that they are mature enough and can now start a family.

Another reason why this practice is carried out is to clean the Bagisu men.According to the cultural beliefs,a man is unclean unless he undergoes circumcision.This explains why the “KADODI” tune (the tune that is played when the ritual is taking place),is known allover Uganda and some members of parliament always use it during their campaigns.

      How is the practice  conducted?

Before this holy-dramatic ritual is conducted,the elders must check the candidates for the ritual to see whether they are real Bagisu and identify their clans.Then they have to make sure that the candidates are 18 years and above before continuing with the practice.If all these are met by the candidates,then they proceed to the practice.

The candidates for the ritual are put in the middle of a dancing crowd singing singing the cultural songs.The candidate is provided with a stick which he is supposed to hold tight and look up in the sky.In case the candidate lets the stick fall,he is considered a cowered and no respect is given to him.

In Bugisu,there are specific cultural men that are supposed to carry out the circumcision and these men are well trained.Once the candidate is looking up in the sky,the cultural man appears to carry out the practice appears and in less than 20 seconds,the candidate is circumcised.If the candidate does not scream or make any sound that shows that he is feeling pain,he is considered to be a true-strong man and he is given cows as a start upon his new life.

This cultural practice is still respected and no Mugisu man can escape it.This explains why those that try to run away from the practice are forced to do it.

What you should know about Uganda's cultural wear - Cultura Safaris in Uganda

Uganda has an amazing culture that one shouldn't miss out this year.There are various interesting African objects that a visitor can get and go back with.It is difficult for a visitor to enter into an African shop in Uganda and come out without buying anything.This is because the shops have different unique African things that are eye-catching.Most of the African shops in Uganda contain original-rear clothes,bracelets,wallets,hats,shoes and many more African-designed things.

One of the most popular African wear that visitors fall in love with are the sandal-like "Lugabire" and the back clothe.Made of African materials,these wears are made by the local people and are well designed to offer a different look t the tourists.Some of the African materials used to make these include;rubber from tires and the black clothe made from a tree known as mutuba tree.

Back clothe is mostly produced by Baganda people and it is their cultural clothe.Made from the ever-trekked mutuba tree,black clothe is a cultural significant of Buganda mainly wore during burial ceremonies and during the kabaka's crowning.
Tourists in Uganda like these back clothes just like the Baganda people and this explains why African shops are mostly supported by the tourists.They are relatively cheap and a visitor is assured of quality while using them.

Baganda men and women wearing back clothe

Buying and owning a Lugabire (African made slippers) is one of the best things you can do on your Travel to Uganda.Lugabire is a type of footwear loved by Ugandans and it is one of the things that make them unique.They are wore by Ugandans while at work (for example in the market),during weekends for example,while at the beach.They are made of rubber which makes them strong and can withstand any kind of weather.
The Lugabire are basically for casual wear and can be wore during casual events and meetings where dress code is informal.They are relatively cheap and depending on one's design,a good pair can be sold between Shs.7,000 and  Shs.15,000.They are known for their long lifespan and if well handled,they may take more that 2 years.

Come and have exploit the beauty of the African back clothes and Sandals on your Tour to Uganda.

Rolex-Uganda’s amazing fast food - Cultura Safaris in Uganda

When some tourists hear about a Rolex in Uganda,their minds switch to an expensive watch,not knowing that Ugandans refer to one of the favorite fast foods  in Uganda (chapatti). This delicious  rolled  chapatti contains eggs (a  minimum of 2 eggs),cabbage,tomatoes,onions,green paper and many other ingredients depending on the customer’s choice.Some people prefer adding minced meat and vegetables to make it more tasty and heavy.

This widely known Rolex was first introduced in Uganda in 2003 and it is believed to have originated from Wandegeya-a Kampala suburb,where it gained attention and later spread to different parts of Uganda.Infact, Rolex chapatis are the leading fast foods consumed in Uganda by both Ugandans and visitors.At first,it was the students of Makerere University that used to consume these Rolex,but later,information about the its delicacy spread.Today, Rolex chapatis are mainly sold on Uganda's road sides and modern restaurants.

Forget about the pizza,in Uganda a Rolex is consumed at any time,be it breakfast,lunch or dinner and some Ugandans survive on this special dish.Tourists have found this food so interesting and tasty and you can find them lined up on the streets of Kampala buying to have a taste.

A Rolex is cheap compared to other foods in Uganda and as a way of saving,many tourists have resorted to buying this rare food.A Rolex can go for a minimum of UGX 1500 and depending on the ingredients one wants,it can even be at UGX 2000.

After seeing that this food is a success,many people learnt how to prepare it and today,it can be found in some restaurants in Rwanda.

I the evening,smoke is seen roaming above different Kampala suburbs and one may even think that its from the industries yet its from the road vendors,who make these Rolex.They gather near the road sides so as to attract their customers.

However, a visitor is advised to take caution on where to buy these Rolex chapatis from while Uganda since some sellers are not hygienic.It is also advised to take some water after consumption to ease the digestion.Another important thing to note about these Rolex is that they contain a lot of fats and one has to regulate his/her consumption.

"You just cant leave the pearl of Africa without tasting this delicious dish"

Rapid development of Cultural Tourism In Uganda - Cultura Safaris in Uganda

Uganda is one of the leading African countries with numerous cultures.This is because the country has many ethnic groups each with its own beliefs and customs.Unlike other Travel packages in Uganda like game viewing and birding,Uganda also offers a wonderful adventure in its culture.

The Batwa people of Uganda

Initially,the cultural Tourism in Uganda was less promoted compared to other tourism packages,but due to the increased number of cultural tourists in the country,the Tourism ministry has embarked on the promotion.Many tourists today are enticed to walk around the different villages in Uganda with an aim of meeting and greeting different people from different tribes.A cultural walk in Uganda is one of those adventurous journeys that are hard to forget.

Uganda Wildlife Authority has come up with different measures to promote Cultural tourism in this new year (2014) and Uganda is expected to receive more cultural tourists that the previous years.This innovation is expected to attract more tourists to the country who will be exposed to different cultural sites like;Kanaka's palace,kabaka's lake,the on-construction Kasubi tombs and many more others.These cultural tours are guided by well trained guides well equipped with all the information about Uganda's culture.

One of the most adventurous activity that a visitor is exposed to is the Batwa trails.Meet and greet one of the shortest people in the world found around Mgahinga National Park.There are many African -styled objects that a visitor can buy and take as a souvenir like the African-styled shoes,sandles,clothes,hats,earings and many more.These are sold at fairy low prices and are good

looking.