Ugandan families stick together, they don’t fly far from the nest

in Uganda

Over time, Ugandan families tend to stick together as they don’t fly far from the nest like the western families do.

This is partly due to culture and tradition, also partly due to financial constraints. Women marry into the husbands family and move to his family’s homestead.

The father will divide his land between his wives (2 was common practice for the grandfather generation) and additional homes will be added to the homestead to accommodate the growing families.

The fathers family pay a dowry for the woman, and she moves from her home into the husbands home on his family’s homestead.

On my way home one day from Lake Bunyoni, I witnessed “The day after” a wedding, as the bride walked to her new home with her husband.

The husbands family was with her, carrying the beer to the new house, and one of the children were carrying her handbag for her.

All of the family rallied around her, as she made her significant journey from her natural born family home to that of her new husband.

I get a wonderful sense of comradery from the way the family units operate and connect together. They believe family is important and tend prioritize the families quite high.

This feels good to me.

The culture feels like a hybrid.

The marriages aren’t arranged per say, however families that have friendships can often conspire to have their children become friends or meet, and then encourage them to foster a romantic relationship. 

7 Rukiga words to up your street cred while travelling Uganda

in Uganda

Knowing just a few words, particularly greetings in the local Rukiga language will make you feel like a pro and will get you a lot of surprised laughs.

Here are a few essentials for your stay.

Agandi – How are you?

There are an endless amount of Ugandan greetings and this particular phrase is just one of many. It might actually cause further confusion because it will result in one of a variety of responses which are hard to predict, definitely expect a smile though. 

Webare, Munonga – Thank you

An essential word in every language. Munonga means ‘very’ so add it on the end as many times as you like to show the extent of your thanks.

Tashonga – No worries

No worries: for the rest of your days!

Ya benozire – It was delicious

It’s always nice to be able to fully show your appreciation for a good meal.

Turebane mukasheshe – See you tomorrow

A great sounding word as well as a bit of a lesser known phrase to really impress people with!

Tindakyega – I don’t understand

Helpful for when your language knowledge runs out!

Muzungu – Foreigner

You probably already know this one, but it is pretty essential and you will hear it everywhere in East Africa not just Uganda. It is generally used to refer to white people or foreigners in general but literally translated supposedly means “someone who roams around aimlessly”.

10 Ugandan delicacies you must try!

in Uganda

Katogo

Start your day off right with this Ugandan breakfast. Traditionally it is made with offal but if that’s not up your street then you can always ask for it “without insides”. It is made with a thick sauce and normally plenty of Matoke. A good start to the day if you have had a heavy night on the Waragi (a local gin).

Rolex

The king of Ugandan food! You can find Rolex in every corner of Uganda and for good reason. It is the perfect salty snack street food made by rolling (hence the name) cabbage, onion and tomato in an omelette in a Chappati. The number of eggs in your omelette and the number of chapattis in your Rolex are optional so feel free to build the perfect Rolex for you.

African Tea

Quite like a Chai tea, African tea is a rich and spiced drink. Best made with fresh milk and plenty of sugar- having a sweet tooth is very important in Uganda.

Matoke

Matoke is a particular type of banana which is harvested when green and used in everything. It has the consistency of potatoes and can be boiled in the same way, added into stews or cooked in its skins and eaten as a roadside snack. 

Mandazi

These sweet treats are like little Ugandan donuts. Deep fried dough with plenty of sugar in the batter- remember what I said about having a sweet tooth! You can buy these in packets but the best ones will be fresh, hot and home made.

Groundnuts

Peanuts by any other name but I swear they do have a slightly different flavour- perhaps a bit more earthy. Best when roasted and coated in salt. If you’re self-driving round Uganda these make the perfect driving snack and can also be purchased from street sellers. 

Chapati

The humble chapati has already made an appearance on this list for its key role in the famed Rolex. But a good Ugandan chapatti on its own is a delightful experience. Again best when purchased hot from the road side. These were introduced by Indian settlers but are now an essential part of East African cuisine and slightly crispier than their original version. Have one by itself or add local honey or an avocado (they grow beautifully in Uganda and are delicious and prolific!)

Eggfruit

These are not actually native to Uganda and are known as eggfruit in the region around Bwindi but elsewhere are known as tamarillo. They have a bit of a sour but refreshing taste when fresh and make a particularly fantastic jam 

Muchomo

This is the official name for meat stick! Meat sticks are sold by vendors in the bars come night fall and are a fantastic salty snack- the perfect accompaniment to an Eagle or a Nile! Alternatively purchase a goat or a sheep at the local market, grab some mates, build a fire and make your own. Again be wary of offal, but if you like liver this is a good way to have it. 

Irish

The colloquial name for potato (as opposed to sweet potatoes) These are an essential part of Ugandan stews in particular and grow really well in the hilly regions around Bwindi. Not solely Ugandan but the name is worth knowing to understand the lingo. 

Rubuguri, a quirky, stunning Ugandan Village

in Village Life

Rubuguri, pronounced more like “roo-boo-gally” is a little town nestled in a long valley between the stately peaks that exemplify the landscape of this region.

Climb the steep slopes to the top of the ridges and you will be rewarded with views and horizons which will take your already panting breath away.

On one side you can see into the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, the borders highlighted by the three distinctive volcanoes.

On a particularly clear night you can even see the glow of Nyiragongo’s burning summit. Look to the other side and stretching off into the distance in the immense, dense, dark green blanket of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Visiting here is a marked contrast to the city-scape of London which I call home, and so it stuns me that anyone can get anything done in such a beautiful part of the word. Down in the town however, life continues as it does anywhere else in the world, but with a few Ugandan quirks.

The town is composed of one main L shaped road whose two stretches define two distinct zones of the town, Rubuguri A, and Rubuguri B.

At the corner where these two meet is a playing field where you will see regular games of football, and one of the plentiful number of pubs to be found in this small town. This is a similar characteristic of rural English villages I find!

This particular one is called “Far West” and has a spacious interior, but my favourite is the “Akaanya” at the other end of the street leading to Rubuguri B.

It has a pool table and a man there who makes delicious Rolex and Katogo.

A Rolex (not to be confused with the watch variety) is a popular food item in Uganda combining an egg omelette and vegetables wrapped in a chapati, and Katogo is a traditional Ugandan breakfast.

At midnight the police come round to all the pubs to tell them to close, but this normally doesn’t result in people leaving, often it will just turn into a lock-in as the doors close and those already inside continue a convivial drink or party. Akaanya plays music videos on the TV and is also a great spot to watch the football if you are that way inclined.

Rubuguri B is at the tourist end of the town and it is where you will find a small handful of lodges, pubs, the boda boda stand (a boda boda is a small motorbike taxi), and a number of little restaurants including Evelyn’s Place & Geoffrey’s pork joint.

A new honey shop has popped up on the main road supporting the Rubuguri Bee Keeper’s Association.

Tucked back behind the main road is the medical centre, and behind that are two open pieces of land which is where the market is held every Friday. Here you can pick up clothes, fruit and vegetables, and livestock.

The road through the town is dotted with pedestrians, with the occasional bike or truck that can come hurtling down the slight hill and then off in a cloud of dust at break neck speeds.

Rubuguri A is home to a bakery where you can get delicious Mandazi (Mandazi are like little Ugandan donuts) and a dairy whose generator can be often be heard in the morning signalling the start of the day. Here there are also lots of little corner shops and spots where you can get cars and bikes fixed.

A little bit further along the road which leads out of town and towards Kisoro there is a tiny petrol station with a hand pump, and off to your side a flat valley filled with crops. If you spend a little bit of time in the town and walk down the street you will almost certainly run into someone you know or spot them whizzing past on a boda.

Even if you are just passing through Rubuguri you will still feel welcome, especially if you are around when school finishes. At the end of the school day, Ugandan children in uniform spill out onto the road and will cheerily call out “Hello Mzunguuuu!”