Culture of Uganda
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Culture of Uganda |
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Culture of Uganda is made up of a diverse range of ethnic groups. Lake Kyoga forms the northern boundary for the Bantu-speaking people, who dominate much of East, Central, and Southern Africa. In Uganda, they include the Baganda and several other tribes[1]
The Baganda are the largest single ethnic group in Uganda. They occupy the central part of Uganda which was formerly the Buganda Province. They are found in the present districts of Kampala, Mpigi, Mukono, Masaka, Kalangala, Kiboga, Rakai, Mubende, Luwero, Wakiso, Ssembabule, and Buikwe. They are a Bantu-speaking people and their language is called Luganda.[2]
In the north, the
Traditional culture
Ugandan traditions include folk music, dances, foods, clothing, and building styles, among others.[8]
In Northern Uganda, particularly the Lango sub-region, a healing ritual called child-cleansing ceremony is conducted to restore the lost manhood of a child. In this ceremony, both the child and mother spend 3 days in a grass thatched house. Traditionally, they are tasked to drink sweetened millet porridge. As the 3 days elapse, both the mother and child sit at the door entrance with a company of paternal brothers.[9] This is believed to restore the lost manhood after the healing ritual is performed. The Acholi people and Lango people have their unique dances, such as Larakaraka and Bwola for Acholi, and Okeme/Abuda for Lango people.[9][10]
In Western Uganda, there is the Empaako naming system where the indigenous communities of Batooro, Banyoro, Batuku, Banyabindi, and Batagwenda identify traditional names that match different seasons, times, and clans, among others. Other traditions include dances, namely Entogoro and Ekitagururo, performed by traditional dancers.[11][12]
Eastern Uganda has traditional practices such as the Imbalu circumcision ceremony from the Gisu people in the Mbale District, and Karamoja herders who traditionally move to many places in search of water and pasture for their animals.[13] Central Uganda is known for traditional dances such as Bakisimba, Nankasa, and Muwogola, which are inspired by their daily life.[14][15]
Religion
Christians make up 85.2 percent of Uganda's population. There were sizeable numbers of Sikhs and Hindus in the country until Asians were expelled in 1972 by Idi Amin, following an alleged dream, although many are now returning following an invitation from President Yoweri Museveni. Muslims make up 12 percent of Uganda's population.[16]
Sport
In
There is also a
Rugby union is also a growing sport in Uganda, and the Uganda national rugby union team has been growing stronger as evidenced by more frequent victories and close games against African powerhouses like Namibia and Morocco.[21]
At
As of April 2021, Uganda has been one of four African members of the rapidly growing
Language
Uganda is ethnologically diverse, with at least 40 languages in usage. Luganda is the most common language. English and Swahili are the official languages of Uganda, even though English is more popular. Swahili, the East African lingua franca, is not widespread as a language though it was made an official national language in September 2005.[24] Luganda, a language widespread in central Uganda, has been the official local language but education is conducted in English.[25]
Media
Clothing
In Uganda, the kanzu[26] is the national dress of men in the country. Women from central and eastern Uganda wear a dress with a sash tied around the waist and large exaggerated shoulders called a gomesi.[27] Women from the west and north-west drape a long cloth around their waists and shoulders called suuka. Women from the south-west wear a long baggy skirt and tie a short matching cloth across their shoulders c known as omushanana. Women also wear a floor-length dress called a busuti, which was introduced by the 19th-century missionaries.
See also
References
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (May 2018) |
- ^ "Culture in Uganda | Culture of Uganda". Prime Uganda Safaris & Tours. 2020-10-20. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
- ISBN 978-9970-25-034-9.
- ^ "Ugandan Culture - Rich and Diverse - Multi-Cultural with History". Kabiza Wilderness Safaris. 2022-02-01. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
- ISBN 978-1-107-41915-5.
- JSTOR 2843964.
- ISBN 978-0-7614-4859-4.
- JSTOR 2790731.
- ^ "Uganda - Culture, Traditions, Cuisine | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
- ^ a b "UNESCO - Male-child cleansing ceremony of the Lango of central northern Uganda". ich.unesco.org. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
- ^ "'Echoes of Lawino' brings two poems to theatre". The East African. 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
- ^ "UNESCO - Empaako tradition of the Batooro, Banyoro, Batuku, Batagwenda and Banyabindi of western Uganda". ich.unesco.org. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
- ^ "About The Culture In The Western Region Of Uganda - Tristar Africa Skimmer Safaris". www.tristarafricaskimmersafaris.com. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
- ^ "Uganda Cultural Tours Safaris | Facts, Culture & Traditions". 2019-09-09. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
- ^ Makanga, Samuel (2018-01-26). "Baganda's Traditional Dances". Prime Uganda Safaris. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
- ^ "Cultural dance: Celebrating unity in diversity". New Vision. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
- ^ David A., Hoekema (2019). Religion and Culture in Uganda. pp. 99–118.
- ^ Huston-Holm, Patty (2020-03-03). "Shorter-than-normal Ugandan basketball player uses 'brain' to excel". Uganda Christian University Partners. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
- ^ "The next generation of Uganda's basketball stars". New Vision. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
- ^ "People's Daily Online -- Uganda to host regional basketball championships". en.people.cn. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
- ^ Kaweru, Franklin, "Uganda’s Silverbacks ranked 89th in latest FIBA rankings" Archived 2015-10-12 at the Wayback Machine, KAWOWO Sports, 9 October 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
- ^ "Rugby union looks back to 2005 with a smile". New Vision. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
- ^ South African Lacrosse Becomes 69th Member Nation of World Lacrosse US Lacrosse Magazine, 15 April 2021. Accessed 20 April 2021.
- ^ Record 23 lacrosse teams to play at Men's Under-21 World Championship Ali Iveson (Inside the Games), 30 May 2021. Accessed 9 June 2021.
- ^ "Uganda", The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 2021-12-28, retrieved 2021-12-30
- ^ IPP (Tanzania)
- ^ Uganda (2017-10-23). "Traditional Ugandan Clothing & Attire". In Uganda. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
- ^ "Gomesi: Uganda's traditional women dress of 'respect' - TRT Afrika". Gomesi: Uganda's traditional women dress of 'respect'. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
Further reading
- Mukama, Ruth G. (1991) 'Recent developments in the language situation and prospects for the future', pp. 334–350 in Changing Uganda, eds. Holger Bernt Hansen & Michael Twaddle, Fountain Publishers, 1991
- Trowell, Margaret; Wachsmann, Klaus (1953) Tribal Crafts of Uganda, Oxford, 1953
External links
Media related to Culture of Uganda at Wikimedia Commons