By Musaazi Hamza
Kmpala, Uganda (RTN)- Culture is regarded as one of the most mesmerizing gifts God has bestowed to humanity. It gives an individual a sense of belonging clearly illustrating a welcoming society.
Uganda is one of the most privileged countries in Africa comprising of a variety of ethnic groups. Over 50 cultures exit within the pearl of Africa and could conveniently be divided into four linguistic categories namely: the Bantu, the Luo, the Atekerin and the Sudanic with each possessing a distinct and fascinating lifestyle.
The Bantu group carries the biggest ethnicity constituting over 50 percent of Uganda’s total population. They include: Baganda ,Banyankole, Basoga, Bafumbira, Bakiga, Batooro, Baggwere, Bafumbira, Basamia, Bamba, Batwa and Basamia. These are said to have originated from Congo region of Central Africa.
The Luo in Uganda include the Alur in West Nile, the Acholi in Northern Uganda, and the Japadhola in eastern Uganda.
The Atekerin people also known as the Nilo-Hamates are mainly found in the North, the East and North Eastern Uganda and these include the Langi, the Kakwa, the Karamajong, the Iteso and the Kumam. These trace their origin to Ethiopia and are said to have been one people.
And the Sudanic include the Madi, the Lugbara, the Okebu, the Metu and the Bari all found in West Nile. These trace their origin to Sudan but their languages indicate that they have completely detached from their places of origin.
With a brief preamble about the various tribes in Uganda, each has its own beliefs, traditions and norms. In each linguistic category there exits the most prominent tribe for example the Baganda among the Bantu, the Iteso and the Karamajong among the Atekerin while the others are praised within their respective regions.
Just by the dance and food embraced by the various tribes, the Ugandan culture is tremendously represented.
DANCES:
These are paramount ceremonies and extra special occasions normally practiced to express happiness. Uganda’s different peoples have their own special dances.
The most widely known dance is the Kiganda/Maganda. Dancers shake their waists to the fullest. This kind of dance has various categories under it i.e. Muwogola, Bakisimba, among others. The historical background about this dance specifically, it was intended to make the Kabaka (King) happy. As of now, due to modernity, it has spread among the Baganda and it is practiced on each and every occasion they hold.
In the Eastern region, the Basoga practice a dance known as Tamenhaibunga which expresses the importance of love and friendship.
The Iteso have a variety of dances such as “Toto Idwe” normally practiced when a mother gives birth to twins, “Akimbo” and this is a get together dance for the boys to spot their future spouses.
The Karamajong are known of their famous “Edonga” dance which entails repeated jumping like the earth beneath one’s feet is a blaze with hot charcoal.
Indeed each tribe has a fascinating lifestyle and it could require one a great century to explore the dance of each and every tribe within Uganda.
FOOD:
Each tribe has its well known dish and traditionally it is the duty of a woman to prepare food for the family. Mainly 3 kinds of meals are prepared a day i.e. breakfast, lunch and supper and cooking was traditionally done through use of firewood.
Baganda have a variety of traditional dishes that are unique to their culture such as katogo a mixture of cassava, sweet potato or yams with beans. Luwombo: being beef, chicken or ground nuts prepared separately in banana leaves. Matooke is and has always been the chief food for Baganda.
The Iteso as well have a variety of dishes such as sorghum, peas, butter and fish with millet being their chief food.
Specifically, the life of a traditional Karamajong rotates around livestock (cattle), raw milk and blood obtained after puncturing the skin of a cow.
Likewise to other tribes, the food story is endless. And the above elaborate the multiplicity of the captivating lifestyles within Uganda.
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