Wise African Living

Naming could be used to pass information(by Atim Jenny)

2006-11-24T13:21:00.000-08:00

Acholi as a group of people have a way of passing massage and information through naming of children in a cultural way that signify situations, relationship and possibly inherit from forefathers. Naming to help memorial situation of war! For example Olweny, Omony and in situation of famine, names like okech, is used and when death occurs Otto, Odongkara, and Onen are the names used. These that begins with Letter ‘O’ are applied to boys and the difference in naming of girls in this situation is that instead of beginning with’O’, it begins with ‘A’.

Relationship between parents and among the extended family generally are remembered for example ‘Ociti’ implies that mother and father were most likely to divorce the time when mother was pregnant but due to intervention from relatives, they did not divorce so such babies when the mother gives birth, they are named ‘Opoka’ for boys and for girls ‘Apoka’. Whereas ‘Omara’ are given to baby born whose parents have too much love for the other and also if the mother is loved by the extended family.

Children could also be named in memory of forefathers who were of great importance in the society. They do name like that so that may be the baby can take the same dignity of that person. That is why even when some important person visits a mother who has just given birth, they name that person. Naming also signify to remember important days. Like when Clinton former president of America visited Uganda, mothers who gave birth on that day named their children Clinton.

The Baganda Introduction Ceremony.(musisi Moreen)

2006-11-24T12:57:00.000-08:00

In Buganda when two people meet and fall in love, a man has to organize an introduction ceremony, which requires him to go to the woman’s parents to pay a bride price. With him, friends and relatives help in meeting the financial costs of the ceremony, which are worth the bride price. Among the things that are bought with the money include sugar, salt, green vegetables, rice, goats, cows, and also inclusive are the brides outfits, unties, uncles, and the rest of the family, depending on their financial status.

On this day fifty men are chosen from the man’s side and fifty from the woman’s side, these putting on kazoos, which is the men’s attire of the ceremony, and women putting on Gomes’s for the women, they attack the woman’s parents smartly dressed. On this ceremony they talk about number of issues through which also a dission is made about the dates of the marriage. From the side of the man people come carrying baskets on their heads to the master of the ceremony. There after the woman’s side prepares and serves food to the visitors, the husband to be selects some close relatives to share the meal with in the main house, while the rest are left in the courtyard.

Wise African Living: Marriage

2006-11-11T02:19:00.000-08:00

This is how the Acholi people get their marriage partners. A boy can organise himself plus a friend with whom he goes to the home of the girl he is intersted in (for marriage), after reaching the girl's home, the family of the girl can welcome them whether or not they know them. The girl would take them to her mothers house and the mother would leave the house for them to discuss with her daughter and after the discussion, the girl will escort them on their way back.

In the evening the girls mother would ask her who the visitors were and she will tell the mother what is on the ground that "these people are interested in marrying me" the mother will then ask her daughters opinion as regards the matter and when she says yes then the mother proceeds to ask the caln of the boy in a way of verifying if they are not related.

And back on the boy's side, he will also discuss with his family members that he has found a friend (lover) whom he needs to marry. He will be asked of the clan of the lady to know if she is from a good home. It is upon the consent of the boy's family members that the boy is given power to get the girl and tell her parents that her visitors are comming on such and such a day in the procees of marriage.

The mother of the girl will call on the members of the girls family informing them that her daughter will be having visitors comming on a such a day to bring the report about marrying the girl.

The boy will prepare himself along side his father and brothers to go to the lady's home as indicated on prior arrangements and on their arrival, they will be welcomed in to the house prepared for them (the house of mother in-law), the house would be smired using cow dung and they will sit on animal skins (hides).

Then the father in-law will ask the visitors who they are. The father of the boy would answer that they have brought a report to marry her daughter and the father in-law ask her daughters if she know the people who have come.

The father in-law will give them the total of the items to be brought to marry her daughter. They will then agree on the day to bring those things to the family of the girl and on the day agreed upon the boy's family will bring what they have prepared, it does not neccessarily mean every thing should be brought at once.

The Acholi Homestead: By Adong Nighty

2006-11-11T01:45:00.001-08:00

One of the most adored culture of the Acholi which has amost disappeared with the war and which am sure people will not stop mourning over is the homestead setup.

The Acholi homesteads were planned in such a way that all the sons in the home would build their huts surrounding that of their parents, the parent's huts were in the middle of the homestead symbolising the fact that they are the pillars on which the family stands.

The family structures were mostly extended families, but the huge family sizes did not soil up the spirit of togetherness in that all the family members would eat together when food was prepared, even in the polygamous homes the same spirit of generosity was in abundance without even the list tendency of a wife segregating agaist a child of a co-wife.

The members of the family also did alot in together, Ladies would go fetching water together, collecting fire wood together and the boys in the same way also went hunting and looking after cattle together.. Individualism was minnimal as people did most of their thing together to an extent that when one wanted to dig or weed his garden, he could invite his brothers and neighbours to come and help him, and the next time he is also invited and the trend continued.

2006-11-11T01:45:00.000-08:00

Naming in Africa cultures by Balex Omwony

2006-10-25T13:34:00.000-07:00

Naming to African cultures and particularly to the Acholi has some important meaning, showing situation like war, famine, poverty, poor relation, extended family and clan. Names like Omwony are given to a baby boy during war times so that to remind people of “mony” which means war and for girls is Amwony.

Aname like Okech is a boy born during a period of famine or Akech for Girls, and Ocan is named to a boy born in poor family. 0poka is a name given to remind people where family would not forget a period of poverty, bad relation within extended family Omara is named to mean to love not forgetting Kony to mean help

Ankole marriage by Besigye John

2006-10-25T08:58:00.000-07:00

For many years Ankole marriage was so difficult compared to nowa days because parents were the ones to look for their sons and daughters whom they were to marry. A son or a daughter could be told a day before that he/she was to recieve a visitor. And always happened in the evenings. Parents looked for rich families for their daughters and so sons for beautyful girls. It does not matter how handsome a boy is because they always say a" handsome boy is a rich one"

The bad thing with this culture that I belong to is that those days your father is the first to have sexual intercourse with the son's wife that to teach her what to do and find out if the girl is virgin and also for the bride wealth he was to pay for his son! In Lunyankore its " Okuleba Eyente Zigyire" which means to see where his cows have goen because parents of the girls always took very many heads of cattle in exchange with their daughters it used to be 20 heads of cattle or even 100 depending on the wealth of the family. This tradition is fading though some are still doing.

Acholi traditional dance "Apiti" by Ataro Margret

2006-10-24T13:30:00.000-07:00

Acholi traditional dance "Apiti"

This is an Acholi traditional dance whish is normally performed during peace full situation when harvest is finished, plenty of food, people are peaceful and relax. It expresses jot and sigh of freedom.

It normally composes of men and women. Men are clad uniformly with short and bear chest, holding spear and shield in their hands, play the drums. Women on the other hand are clad with kikoy, which runs from waist to nearly ankle join with the upper body respectively honored with a full petty kind of women dress.

They tie jungle bell round their legs normally right leg, and holding a kind of designed stick in their right hand and dance moving round in a single line while men dance from the out side showing care and protection of the women who are mothers to all. This is a wonderful dance and is well entertaining.

Bakiga Proverb by Becky Mbabazi

2006-05-18T12:04:00.001-07:00

My name is Becky Mbabazi a mukiga by tribe from Kabale district in western part of Uganda. In my culture proverbs are commonly used to instill sense in children and also act as guide lines for the people not togo astray in their actions. Proverbs are also used instead of direct rebukes to one who has defaulted. They are words of wisdom and so it is wise to use them.

I will share two common proverbs that I learnt from my Father and also grandfather respectively “Akatii karainikwa kakyari kabisi “meaning that a stick can only be bent when it is still fresh, if you try to bend it when it is already dry it will definitely break. This is used often times to alert the proverbs to discipline their children when they are still young and can hid advise. It is close to impossible for an adolescent to hid advice if it hadn’t been given earlier. This proverb relates to the English one that says spare the rod and spoils the child. This proverb also alerts the parents that charity begins at home.

“Nyantahurira akarya erisho rye” meaning that he who failed to listen ate his own eye. This proverb has a story following it that there was famine in the land and when people came together, they decided to pluck out their eyes and one person was chosen to cook the eyes while others kept away to discuss the next step after the eye issue. Instructions followed that the cook should not dare to taste, but in the process of cooking he had to taste one to see if they were ready for eating so he called others back together. These members had come to a conclusion that they cannot do without their eyes so each one had to get back his pair of eyes, but the cook was supposed to be the last one to get back his pair, so he ended up with one eye because he had eaten his own eye earlier.

This proverb is important that it alerts people to take advice and instructions seriously. One is responsible for their mistakes always when they fail to take advice.

With the above proverb, I call for comment s and also would like to some views on how other cultures look at proverbs.

The Acholi traditional leadership (By Pamela)

2006-05-15T12:47:00.000-07:00

In Acholi traditional understanding leaders are elected by the commuinty depending on how one behaves in the commuinty. if one is so cooperative in the society and also intellegence basing on the culture of the commuinty such a person is elected a leader. For example a person who knows the origin or the meaning of some thing like why some body or certain place is called so is considered to be a leader because incase of any trouble with other tribe, such a person can defend the community and its culture.

Even in the families parents always like the children who are clever to over take their belonging when they die. though some parents tend to give powers to the first born sons but it is always wise for the Acholi people to see among the children who is able to lead others and able to unit others. When I was still young my grand used to tell me that I would be a leader because I was so much attentive to his sayings.

However oginally, Acholi people like to be led by the elders because they are believed to have known alot. but I wonder wheather this also happens in other parts of the world!

Acholi Traditional Marriage (By Okidi Bosco)

2006-04-01T01:31:00.000-08:00

In Acholi traditions, every body has to get married at the age of 18years and above. This concerns those who have either droped out of school, or did not attend school. Marriage can be organised by the parents without the concert of the couples. A parent of the boy may after seeing or appreciating the duaghter of his friend of different clan then sits and comes to an agreement that his son should marry the friends' duaghter which later the father tells his son that so and so's duaghter is the right person for me to pay for you daworry if you are to marry.

Likewise it is the mother to tell her duaghter the boy she is to get married with. However this system is disappearing but any how parents are concerned in far as marriage is concerned. Any body who fails to marry is considered as curse or unbonormality and in most cases the eleders are called upon to moniter the matter. For those who gets married, children are the fullfilment of marriage and failure to produce children may also lead to breakages of marriage.

In shoosing marriage, girls have to look for the boys who are well off interms of cattle becuase this is what the parents of the girls expect and always force thier children to get married. Traditionaly the parents of the boy has to pay five heads of cattle, six goats, and house holds right from the needle to the clothes of the parents. But the bad thing with paying the bride price, if a woman divoces, the parent of the girl have to return the Heads of the cattle and the goats as the agreement is made during the ceremony.

"Lakotokoto" Simsim sauce (By Akwero Evalyn)

2006-03-23T10:12:00.000-08:00

Akwero Evalyn says that in Acholi simsim (sesame seeds) sauce for meat is called lakotokoto and this is how it is prepared:

Ingredients:
- 1/2kg of simsim
- 1/2kg of smoked meat
- two tomatoes

Methods:

- Wash simsim
- Dry simsim in the sun
- Pound
- Drip some water in the pounded simsim
- Squeezing is done to get the oil
- Boil the meat
- Drop the pounded simsim in while the meat is boiling
- Cut your two tomatoes then add on mixed meat and simsim and enjoy either with smoked or millet bread and you will discover the secret.

The whole process takes one hour.

Adhola proverbs (by Ocola Julius)

2006-03-12T01:20:00.000-08:00

Proverbs: In African traditonal society, allmost all the African tribes, like speaking in proverbs and more so among the luo speakers like the Japadholas. These proverbs are only used by the elders, clan leaders and adults so that to defferreciate between the elders and the young ones. The reasons for the use of proverbs by the elders are to show macurity and also to avoid certain words beeng spoken openly for the children to know what is beyond their age and also these are short forms of talking among the elders.

A proverb like '' Berigaperin'' means that better to have your own! In this case one may go to beg some thing and fails to be given may be the owner is using or merely refuses to give or gives you but before you finish using, the owner has come for it! Another common proverb is ‘‘Mupothoiburiangeni’’ means that one bird in the hand is worthy two in the bush. To a Luo speaker like Japadhola, it is very important to take care of what you have got than thinking of many that you may not get.

I learnt these proverbs from my grandfather but today proverbs are so much used even among the youths because of education as they get from the books like Bibles, students compahnion and politics. I my self like speaking in proverbs because it is a very interesting way of talking and makes the listner feels and thinks what the person is meaning. It is cultural for the clan leaders when adressing the community or comphaining for any leadership to speak in proverbs to show that he is wise to be leader.

Smoked Fish Stew (by Zarina Abdulghani)

2006-03-08T17:55:00.000-08:00

Served over rice or pasta, Zarina's recipe for smoked fish stew has become a favorite in the expat home where she works as a cook. She makes it with smoked tilapia from Lake Victoria, but any smoked white fish should work.

Ingredients:

2 cloves crushed garlic
1 finely chopped onion
a bit of cooking oil
2-3 ripe tomatoes, diced
3 T. tomato paste
water
1 tsp. curry powder
a pinch of dill
1 medium sized smoked fish (without bones - shreddedor cut into cubes)

Directions:

Cook the onions and garlic in oil until translucent. Add the diced tomatoes, and cook until soft.

Stir in tomato paste, curry powder and dill. Allowthe mixture to simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add a bit ofwater if it becomes too thick.

Add the smoked fish at the last minute, just cooking it long enough to warm.
Garnish with a sprinkle of dill.

Serve over rice (or pasta), and enjoy!

Zarina Abdulghani has been a LiA member since the beginning, in 1999. Many of her recipes and stories about her life as a young widowed mother were featured at LifeInAfrica.com 1999-2001.

Naming in the Acholi Tribe (from Grace Ayaa)

2006-03-02T06:31:00.000-08:00

Grace Ayaa says: The Acholi people gives names according to the situations at that particular time. At certain occassions though it may be an old relatives' name, but this is not very common these days. The daily happenings have taken over. This is how how children were and are named to the culture. A baby boy stays inside the house for three days whereas baby girls stay for four days with the mother with a believe that there is some bad wind which blows and very dangerious to babies. On the third day the mother is taken to the well for prification.

She brings her own water for bathing and also this is the day she makes her own fire meanwhile simsim paste sauce is made and she sits right at the door way of the hut while grandparents shout out names inside the house untill the mother says to a particular name as many names would be mentioned for the gods to also accept.

All this was the work of my grandfather who was considered the head of the family at the family fireplace, mainly during the simsim harvest period and he would tell us all the endless stories, legends, proverbs and many others...This was however meant to keep us unbored as we split, the simsim pods. It is a very tiresome work because the normal way is by first drying the pods. But the spliting system was used so that atleast there is some thing as we wait for the rest to dry.

These orignated from the Luo speaking peoplewho believe that every function had its own god, so by making that sauce, they aer believed to have come and eat of it and blessing of that baby who is being named. There is also common belief that if the gods dont like that particular name, they cause sickness to the baby until the baby is given another name. If this is among the Acholi people in Uganda then I would like also to learn from other tribes/cultures