Dancers in red, yellow and white mid step on the open air stage at the Ndere Centre at dusk

Culture

The peoples of Uganda

Uganda is many peoples in one country. The Constitution names sixty five indigenous communities, each with its own language, its own dances, its own food and its own way of marking a life. The largest, the Baganda, are around fifteen in every hundred Ugandans; no one people is a majority. Here are some of them, from the shores of Lake Victoria to the plains of Karamoja.

List of tribes in Uganda Uganda

Who lives where

Each name is placed near a home town of that people, and many live all over the country. Map data: Natural Earth.

Barkcloth garments and beads in a museum case — Barkcloth. Photo: Lneruba, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Baganda

Where: Centre, around Kampala and the shore of Lake Victoria
Language: Luganda
Led by: The Kabaka, king of Buganda
Dance: Bakisimba, born at the king's palace
Food: Matooke, and luwombo steamed in banana leaves
Heritage: Barkcloth making, UNESCO 2008

The people of Buganda, and of the land the apartment stands on. Every Muganda belongs to a clan, traditionally fifty two, each with its own animal or plant totem that its members will not eat or harm.

Women dress in the gomesi, men in the long white kanzu, and the old cloth of the kingdom is barkcloth, beaten from the inner bark of the mutuba tree.

Baganda Gomesi Barkcloth making in Uganda Why we dance the way we do Ugandan cuisine

Ndere Troupe dancers in yellow skirts and patterned shawls performing the Ekitaguriro at night — Ndere Troupe, Ekitaguriro dance. Photo: Kateregga1, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Banyankole

Where: South west, the old kingdom of Ankole
Language: Runyankore
Led by: Their kingdom has not been restored
Dance: Ekitaguriro, a dance of love for the herd
Food: Eshabwe, the white ghee sauce

The people of Ankole are known for keeping cattle, above all the Ankole cattle with their great, curving horns.

Their love of cattle is in their dance and on their table: the Ekitaguriro, arms raised like horns, and eshabwe, ghee beaten with rock salt until it turns from yellow to white, once kept for honoured guests.

Banyankole Ankole Watusi cattle Why we dance the way we do Food that has typified Uganda since independence

The marker for the source of the Nile at Jinja, in the water — Source of the Nile, Jinja. Photo: Daniel Aufgang, CC BY 3.0.

Basoga

Where: East, between Lake Kyoga, the Nile and Lake Victoria
Language: Lusoga (Olusoga)
Led by: The Kyabazinga of Busoga
Music: Bigwala gourd trumpets
Heritage: Bigwala, UNESCO 2012

Busoga is bounded by water on three sides: Lake Kyoga to the north, Lake Victoria to the south, and to the west the Nile, which leaves the lake at Jinja.

Its royal music is Bigwala: five or more gourd trumpets, each sounding a single note, so the tune lives only when they play together. Its songs tell the history of the Basoga and their king.

Basoga Bigwala

And across the country

Young dancers with rattles tied to their legs, dancing before a crowd at an outdoor celebration — Rhythms of the Ebinyege, the leg rattles. Photo: Jameswasswa, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Batooro and Banyoro

Where: West, from the Rwenzori mountains to Lake Albert
Language: Rutooro and Runyoro
Led by: An Omukama in Tooro, and in Bunyoro Kitara
Names: Empaako, twelve names of affection
Dance: Runyege
Heritage: Empaako, UNESCO 2013

Two neighbouring peoples with kingdoms of their own and much in common. Every child is given an Empaako, one of twelve names of affection, besides their own; calling someone by it is a greeting in itself, a sign of warmth and respect that can soften anger.

Their courtship dance is the Runyege, danced by the young.

Empaako tradition of western Uganda Bunyoro Why we dance the way we do

Bagisu

Where: East, on the slopes of Mount Elgon around Mbale
Language: Lumasaba
Led by: Clans
Ceremony: Imbalu, every two years
Food: Malewa, bamboo shoots
Crop: Bugisu Arabica coffee

Every two years, in August, the young men of the Bagisu go through Imbalu, the initiation that marks them as men.

On the mountain's slopes they grow Arabica coffee, and their ancestors' food, malewa, is bamboo shoots from the Elgon forests, dried, smoked and cooked in groundnut sauce.

Bagisu Ugandan cuisine

A Teso homestead seen from above: round thatched houses around a swept yard among green fields — Iteso homestead. Photo: Dixon099, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Iteso

Where: East, the Teso plains
Language: Ateso
Led by: Clans
Drink: Ajon, shared from one pot
Food: Millet and sorghum

One of the country's largest peoples, around seven in every hundred Ugandans. Finger millet and sorghum are their staples.

At ceremonies and gatherings they share ajon, a brew of fermented millet, sipped through long tubes from one pot set in the middle.

Iteso people

Acholi

Where: North, Acholiland
Language: Acholi, a Luo language
Led by: Chiefs, the rwodi
Dance: Larakaraka
Food: Millet and sim sim paste

In Acholiland, chiefdoms were led by a rwot, a ruler, usually from one clan. Women farmed millet, sim sim (sesame), groundnuts and sorghum; men kept goats, sheep and cattle.

Their best known dance is the Larakaraka, a courtship dance of strength and stamina.

Acholi people Why we dance the way we do Ugandan cuisine

A traditional Lango meal on a plate: pasted boyo greens with a sauce and a starch — Lango traditional meal. Photo: Emma Oruk, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Langi

Where: Central north, Lango
Language: Lango
Led by: Clans
Heritage: The male child cleansing ceremony, UNESCO 2014

The Langi keep a healing ceremony for a boy believed to have lost his standing: over three days he is cared for like a newborn, then welcomed back, his place in the community restored. UNESCO lists it among the traditions that need urgent care.

Male child cleansing ceremony of the Lango

Karamojong

Where: North east, the plains of Karamoja
Language: Ngakarimojong
Led by: Elders, by generations
Life: Cattle, and the long walk to pasture
Dance: Leaping dances at weddings

Herders of the dry north east, where cattle are wealth, a bride's price and a young man's standing. In the dry months they walk their herds to far pastures for three or four months at a time.

Their society is ordered by generations: leadership passes from one generation to the next about every fifty years. At weddings they dance with high leaps.

Karamojong people

A Mukiga man in traditional brown dress holding a hoe and a wooden cup of bushera — A Mukiga man. Photo: Rtr PK, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Bakiga

Where: South west, the hills of Kigezi
Language: Rukiga
Led by: Councils of clan elders
Way of life: Elders' councils, no king

The Bakiga never had a king: their clans were led by councils of elders, and disputes were settled in open assembly. Each clan has a totem animal its members will not hunt or eat.

They are known for their hospitality and their hard work on the steep hills of Kigezi.

Bakiga

Ma'di

Where: North west, by the Nile
Language: Ma'di
Led by: Clans
Music: The bowl lyre
Heritage: Ma'di bowl lyre music and dance, UNESCO 2016

The Ma'di play the bowl lyre, made from plant and animal materials, at weddings, harvests, mournings and to settle disputes. Senior players teach the songs and dances to the young, and UNESCO lists it among the traditions that need urgent care.

Ma'di bowl lyre music and dance

Diners at tables around the open air amphitheatre of the Ndere Centre, watching a performance — Sherehe Show, Ndere Centre. Photo: Kateregga1, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Watch these dances live, a short ride away

The Ndere Troupe performs the dances and music of Uganda's peoples at the Ndere Centre on Kira Road, in Ntinda, close to the apartment.

Evenings at Ndere

Ndere's nights of live Ugandan culture

Wherever you go

A few things every people appreciates

Greet before you ask. A Ugandan greeting takes its time: how are you, how did you sleep, how is the family.
Dress modestly at royal sites, places of worship and in villages: shoulders and knees covered.
Ask before photographing people and ceremonies.
Learn one word in the local language. Webale (thank you) in Luganda is a good start, and always noticed.
Not sure of something? Ask Sandra. She is happy to explain.

Photographs

Dancers at the Ndere Centre, Kateregga1, CC BY-SA 4.0
Barkcloth, Lneruba, CC BY-SA 4.0
Ndere Troupe, Ekitaguriro dance, Kateregga1, CC BY-SA 4.0
Source of the Nile, Jinja, Daniel Aufgang, CC BY 3.0
Rhythms of the Ebinyege, the leg rattles, Jameswasswa, CC BY-SA 4.0
Bagisu dancers, Jameswasswa, CC BY-SA 4.0
Iteso homestead, Dixon099, CC BY-SA 4.0
Acholi Bwola dance, PaolaPileri, CC BY-SA 4.0
Lango traditional meal, Emma Oruk, CC BY-SA 4.0
Karamojong dancers, Rod Waddington, CC BY-SA 2.0
A Mukiga man, Rtr PK, CC BY-SA 4.0
Madi bowl lyre, Madi Community Museum, AKibombo, CC BY-SA 4.0
Sherehe Show, Ndere Centre, Kateregga1, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photographs from Wikimedia Commons under the licences shown; crops and resizing are ours. An editorial page by BluBlush Fine Living, written from the sources linked under each people. Uganda has many more peoples than these; this is a first introduction.