Uganda Culture in AfricaAll you need to know about Uganda Culture, People and Their Traditions in AfricaDo you want to learn about Uganda Culture in Africa. Do you that Uganda has the most developed and systematic culture in the whole of Africa. Uganda has many tribes and every tribe has its own culture.therefore, on this site you will learn about every Ugandan tribe and its cultural practices.UGANDA CULTURE ON GREETINGS Men greeting Men A handshake is appropriate in most situations. Handshakes tend to be energetic and very often linger a bit. To express extra deference, the hand-shaker may lightly grip his hand-shaking forearm with the opposite hand. Many times men will hold hands with other men, and often the handshake is prolonged into this hand-holding. This does not have any implication on their sexual preferences; it's just a sign of friendship and closeness. Women greeting Women A handshake and/or nod of acknowledgment is appropriate in most situations. If you would like to show great respect you may also place your left hand over your right elbow/forearm when handshaking. Many times women will hold hands with other women, and often the handshake is prolonged into this hand-holding. Meetings between Men and Women Appropriate greetings depend on the nature of the relationship and region. A handshake is usually appropriate but it is best to wait for the woman to extend her hand, otherwise a bow or a nod of acknowledgment will suffice. Note: Always use your right hand when shaking hands. UGANDA CULTURE ON UGANDA COMMUNICATION AND STYLE Ugandans tend to communicate more indirectly than directly. Stories, proverbs, and the like are common means of expressing a point indirectly and require the implicit knowledge of the listener. Greetings and a good amount of small talk almost always occur before talking about business. Feelings tend to not be accurately expressed between adults and sometimes one can get the feeling of being fawned upon with false happiness, or being lectured by a false sternness. Humor plays a big role in communicating and most Ugandans enjoy a good joke. However, it is best to avoid sarcasm as it may not translate well, if at all. UGANDA CULTURE ON PERSONAL SPACE AND TOUCHING Personal space tends to be very minimal in Uganda. People often talk very close to each other and less than an arms length of space is common. On public transportation, personal space is limited to non-existent. It is common to see people crowed into a bus or taxi with no space in between. This tends to be the case more in rural areas vs. urban. When two people of the same sex are talking, touching is acceptable. It is common to touch the hands, arms, and shoulders. When two people of the opposite sex talk there is very little to no touching. The only appropriate touch is usually a handshake. UGANDA CULTURE ON EYE CONTACT Generally, people prefer indirect eye contact. This does not mean you cant look at somebody directly, but continuous eye contact during conversations is not a must. Overly direct eye contact can be considered aggressive by some. Women and children often will look down or away when conversing with men or with elders UGANDA CULTURE ON VIEW OF TIME In most situations, Ugandans are not overly concerned with being punctual. People are expected to arrive within the first hour or two after the appointed time. The higher the status of the person, the more they are excused of lateness. Also, it tends to be that the more prestigious the event the later guests will arriving. This usually applies to both social and business meetings. Punctuality tends to be more valued in business situations. UGANDA CULTURE ON GENDER ISSUES Uganda is going through a transition when it comes to gender roles; however, it is still a male dominant society. In most rural areas women will most likely be housewives. They will be expected to cook, clean, do they laundry and take care of the children, as well as work their land. Once married, the woman is transferred from her original family to the man's and takes on his clan. Marriage can be at a very young (early teens), but seems most common in the late teens. Also there is a transfer of "bride wealth" from the man to the woman's family. Polygamy is generally acceptable as well. In most rural areas, women have to wear clothing that covers the legs. Showing too much leg can result in a woman being called the local word for "whore". In urban settings it is more likely to find women who work and have a career. Although opportunities are becoming more varied, salaries and room for growth tend to be limited. UGANDA CULTURE ON GESTURES When gesturing or beckoning for someone to come, you should face your palm downwards and make a scratching motion with the fingers. It is rude to point at people as pointing is reserved for dogs, so usually the whole hand/arm is used. Holding the palm upwards and then motioning in a small flick downwards (like throwing a yo-yo) has a variety of vague meanings. It could be questioning "what's up?" " What?"; apologizing "Sorry, what can I do?"; filler "You know." Pointing fingers upwards and rubbing the thumb along the fingertips is the sign for money. Special traffic gestures when trying to hail a taxi: Pointing straight upwards (repeatedly for emphasis): I'm going far. Pointing down: I just want to go a little ways (rarely used, because then they don't pick you up. Hand flat, open towards the ground about waist-height: I'm going a medium distance. UGANDA CULTURE ON TABOOS AND TOTEMS Walking over versus around any bowls or pots (especially those containing food) is considered rude. Spending time in silence versus conversation is often times also interpreted as rude. Men almost always wear long pants, even in the hottest weather; shorts are a sign of being a child. UGANDA CULTURE ON LAW AND ORDER The legal drinking age is 18 and is not heavily enforced. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. UGANDA CULTURE ON VIDEOS AND OTHER STUFF Speak slowly and enunciate -- most Ugandans have difficulty understanding fast, strung-together English. Local greetings are a bit difficult to learn but many people in rural areas will greatly appreciate this small effort. If you look like a foreigner you are likely to be overcharged for most things. If you can afford this, it doesn't really matter, just pay. If you can't or would like the right price, try bargaining by at least halving the price they gave you. UGANDA CULTURE ON Business DRESS CORD Dress is highly valued in and people who dress well are respected. For Men- A suit is common for formal business situations. In rural areas, pants and a nice collared shirt are usually acceptable. For Women - A suit is common for formal business situations. Avoid wearing anything to tight or revealing. Keep accessories simple and to a minimum. If the business is done in a rural area it is more appropriate to wear a long skirt (below the knees). Jeans, shorts, and very revealing clothing are generally not appropriate in business situations. Make sure shoes are cleaned and polished. People will look down on you if you have worn looking shoes. UGANDA CULTURE ON TITLE AND BUSINESS CARDS MEETINGS Titles are important and it is best to address people directly by using Mr., Mrs., or Miss, followed by the surname. "Last" names are a bit complicated. Most people have a more traditional tribal name, which they usually say first, then a Christian name, usually said second. Example: Kasozi George. So one might refer to him as Mr. Kasozi, alternatively many people are referred to by their title, e.g. "Mr. Bursar" "Mr. Headmaster", etc. One should always wait to be invited to use first names before doing so yourself. There is no specific protocol surrounding the giving and receiving of business cards. It is always best to treat the card with respect. UGANDA CULTURE AND ITS ORIGINThe introduction of iron changed the people and Uganda culture and was a large step forward in the development of Uganda. Uganda's population is made up of a complex and diverse range of tribes. Lake Kyoga forms the northern boundary for the Bantu-speaking peoples, who dominate much of east, central and southern Uganda. They include the Baganda people and several other tribes. In the north live the Langi and the Acholi, who speak Nilotic languages. To the northeast there are the Iteso and Karimojong, who are related to the Masaai and who also speak Nilotic languages. Pygmies (Batwa and Bambuti) live in the forests of the southwest. Uganda culture and Each tribe has its musical history; songs are passed down from generation to generation. Endigindi (fiddle), endongo (lyre), amadinda (xylophone) and akogo (thumb piano) are commonly played instruments. An Acholi, Okot p'Bitek, is one of Uganda's most famous writers of folklore, satirical poems and songs. Death in most of Uganda culture is sometimes interpreted in the idiom of witchcraft; a disease or any other cause of death may not be seen as the true cause. At a funeral, iIf the relatives suspect someone of having caused the deceased persons death, a spiritual medium will call upon the spirit of the deceased and ask who had really killed him or her. In general, it is a fact that the women were the traditional healers. Magic powers and herbs were used for curing an illness or a disease. There had to be followed strict and rather rigid rules, when the meal was ready to be served. All the members of the household would wash their hands and sit on floor mats. Visitors and neighbours who drop in are expected to join the family at their meal. Normally a short prayer is said before the family starts eating. During the meal, children talk only when elders or parents ask them a question. It is considered impolite to leave the room while the others are still eating. in Uganda Culture, the women were taught to listen and follow the wishes of their fathers, husbands, and brothers, and even of the other men in their community. The male counterparts were more dominating than the women. In the 1980ies the women in the rural areas like Buganda still used to kneel down when speaking to or with a man. The women in Uganda carried the child on their back and balanced loads on their head. They were not respected less than men when working in the fields. By the twentieth century, women had also started their own trade with the cash crop they cultivated. For the most part, Ugandan cuisine consists of a stodge filler with beans or a meat sauce, served with chicken, beef, goat, or mutton, The starch and the stodge, respectively, are produced from millet, maize (ugali), cassava (manioka-root), or bananas (matooke). There is also rice, sorghum (an old type of grain), sweet potatoes, or normal potatoes (Irish potatoes). Ugali (maize) is cooked until it becomes a thick mush and sets hard. It is then served up in flat bricks. There is also served chapatis, a sort of omelette (flour, eggs with water). And there are also samosas, this is, dough bags filled with beans or meat. The Ugandan cuisine also comprises fish such as the madazis (carp) or the tilapia (perch). If that does not sound appealing, the country's tropical climate contributes to a healthy choice of fruits such as pineapples, mangoes, bananas, avocadoes, papayas, oranges, or maracujas. Something you do not come across very often but makes an excellent snack meal is mkate mayai (bread eggs). Originally an Arab dish, this is wheat dough spread into a thin pancake, filled with minced meat and raw egg, and then folded into a neat parcel and fried on a hotplate. Beer is probably the most widely available commodity across Uganda. Pombe is a locally made fermented banana beer; and waragi (spirit) is the local millet-based alcohol. Engulia is a sort of grain spirit. Both can knock you around and give you a mean hangover. Fibers from the banana plant and barkcloth, the inner bark lining of a particular tree, were widely used before Arab traders brought cotton. Today barkcloths and kanzus (a white cotton robe) are associated with "traditional" male dresses. Women wear wraps of patterned textile (usually imported from Kenya and Tanzania) or the gomezi, a western style dress with pointed shoulders. Other natural materials such as gourds are also widely used for a variety of purposes. However, there have been some developments in Uganda culture and the music of Uganda. Music is gradually being intergrated especially in the capital (Kampala) where instruments of different regions are commonly used together in an orchestra or accompany a dance of another region. All instruments that can be tuned to a similar scale (equidistant pentatonic scale) are now used in the same orchestra for example a combination of adungu (harp), amadinda (xylophone), endingidi (fiddle) originate from different cultures but produce beautiful and pleasant music while in succession. The most famous and one of the oldest ensemble (Ndere Troupe) can be cited as an example here at thinking a mile ahead in the maintenance and development of Ugandan traditional music in harmony. Native art was very popular; Africans have adopted from the immigrants only as much as seemed to be in accordance with their way of life. Many defended their tribal traditions against Islamic influences, later on also against the Christian religion. The figured-plastic art Black Africa has become renowned for has not achieved the same level of importance among all peoples. In Uganda culture, Some tribes regarded the decorative painting of their huts or pottery as being more important, others held the carving of masks in great esteem. Among the Bantu people, sculpture was highly developed, its distribution quite clearly demonstrating that women assumed social supremacy. Start your history of culture of Uganda and it's inhabitants by clicking on any of the subjects in the menu below; Stone Age and Earliest Man Creature Uganda is a study in cultural diversity. To talk about one Ugandan culture is therefore wrong. Uganda has diverse cultural groups speaking over thirty different languages. These ones can be classified into the following broad categories, the Bantu, the Nilotics, the Madi-Okoru or the Sudanic speaking and the Pygmoid people. The Bantu Ethinic Background in Uganda:The Uganda culture of Bantu who constitute more than 50% of Uganda's total population occupy the southern part of the country. The Bantu were the earliest group to come to Uganda. They comprise the Baganda, Banyoro, Basoga, Bagishu, Banyankore, Bakiga, Batooro, Bakonjo, Bamba, Batwa, Bagishu, Basamia-Bagwe, Bakenyi, Baruli and the Banyole. They are found in the east, central, western and southern parts of the country. Click here for more about the Bantu in Uganda
The second group are called the Atekerin group. The group is sometimes known as the Nilo-Hamites, Para Nilotes or the Lango. They live in the north, east and northeastern parts of the country. The group constitutes the Langi, Iteso, Kumam, Kakwa and the Karimojong. This group traces its origins to Ethiopia where they are said to have been one people. Migration pressures made them settle in different parts of Uganda, which led to marked differences between them. For instance the Langi lost their Ateker language and took up Luo spoken by their Acholi neighbours. The Sebei constitute the Highland Nilotes. Uganda Tribes and their Traditional Dance The Hamites and Their Culture in Uganda Female Genital Mutilation in Uganda and Africa Uganda Tribes and Their Languages
The Luo constitute the other nilotic group. This group originated from southern Sudan. They live in West Nile, the northern and eastern parts of the country. The Acholi, Alur, Jonam and the Jophadola are part of this group. The Basamia who have sometimes been linked with the Kenya Luo are basically Bantu.Click here for more information about Luo people in Ugnda
The Sudanic speakers of West Nile form another group. The Lugbara, Madi, Okebu, Bari and Metu are counted among this group. They are sometimes referred to as the Madi-Moru group. Their origin can be traced to Sudan. Their language and culture are completely detached from their places of origin. This group is dominated by the Lugbara. This is because Lugbara was used by the colonial administration as the medium of instruction. These are closest surviving relatives of the stone Age Man. They Constitute the Batwa and the Bambuti who live in western Uganda bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo. For more information on the culture of Uganda people, click to any of your choice and the new page will be opened for your full view _________________________________________________________ Baganda People and their Culture Banyankole People and their Culture Bakiga People and their Culture Batooro People and their Culture Acholi People and their Culture The Bachwezi People and their Culture Bafumbira or Banyarwanda People and their Culture Bagishu People and their Culture Bagwere People and their Culture Bakonjo and Bamba People and their Culture Banyole People and their Culture Banyoro People and their Culture Basamia-Bagwe People and their Culture Basoga People and their Culture Batwa or Bambuti People and their Culture Japadhola People and their Culture Kakwa People and their Culture Karimojongo People and their Culture Kumam People and their Culture Langi People and their Culture Lugbara People and their Culture Okebu People and their Culture Sebei People and their Culture
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