How the Crane emblem was adopted in Uganda
Dec 13, 2004
THE Crested Cranes and human beings can live together as companions. They are known for their ability to scare predators of chicken when they roost on trees near homesteads. This is because their large size scares away the predators, according to Achilles Byaruhanga who heads Nature Uganda, the Bird
By Gerald Tenywa
THE Crested Cranes and human beings can live together as companions. They are known for their ability to scare predators of chicken when they roost on trees near homesteads. This is because their large size scares away the predators, according to Achilles Byaruhanga who heads Nature Uganda, the BirdLife International partner.
Their beauty and grace has swept many people off their feet and this has enhanced co-existence, says Wilber Igulo, an official of the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC).
“It was a taboo to hurt the cranes and young children were taught to respect them,†Igulo says.
William Olupot of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), which is spearheading ‘the Save Crane Initiative’ says widespread beliefs across the country favour the survival of the cranes.
Indeed the Crested Crane was adopted as Uganda’s Crest (national symbol) simply because of its unusual grace typifying so aptly a country and its people.
Sir Frederick Jackson, a former governor and famous ornithologist surrounded himself with the beautiful Cranes at the Government house in Entebbe.
“They could feed from his own hands,†Byaruhanga says.
Sir Harry Johnstone, the Deputy Commissioner in the Uganda Government at the turn of the century, more than likely influenced Sir Frederick in his choice of the Crested Crane emblem. As a token of his great admiration for the birds of Uganda, Sir Harry left at least one delightful painting in his collection of a group of Crested Cranes.
Byaruhanga says from independence the grey Crested Crane has graced Uganda’s national flag as the national symbol, but there are official documents showing how the crane became an emblem.
However, Byaruhanga while quoting The Crane of January 1960, a publication of then Uganda Development Cooperation Ltd attempts to trace how the Crane became the emblem.
In the dispatch from the Secretary of state of British Empire to the Governor of the Uganda Protectorate there appears the sentence: ‘His Majesty (George V) has approved of the golden Crested Crane being likewise adopted as the badge to be inserted on the flags flown by the Governor of Uganda and all vessels belonging to the Government of the Protectorate’.
The Crested Crane is an object of great beauty. It is a tall bird standing well over three feet on long, slender, black legs. Its neck is almost as long as its legs and towards the base pointed pearl-grey feathers are elongated to form an ornamental fringe. The conspicuous velvety black fore head, yellowish crest and the vivid bright red wattles.
There are 16 different species of Cranes in the world, four of which are found in Africa, including the ‘great’ Grey Crested Crane, the Uganda national symbol.
But all these willowy creatures are in one way or another facing unfavourable conditions, says Byaruhanga.
Crested Cranes generally inhabit dry and wet open areas including marshes, damp fields, and open margins of lakes and rivers, but rarely associated with open waters. In Uganda, the Crested Cranes prefer freshly ploughed fields to grasslands and short to tall grass.
Their food consists of plant and animal matter including grass and sedge seeds, millet, rice, peas, corn, molluscs, crustaceans, insects (grasshoppers and flies), fish, amphibians and reptiles. They feed by rapidly pecking at food but they sometimes uproot plants and rarely dig. They prefer seed heads of grasses and sedges.
They are monogamous and probably pair for life. They perform a series of courtship displays and dances. They excel in dancing, displaying their grace and beauty to the fullest. They pirouette, bob and bow to one another, with their wings wide open and held high above their backs.
In this strange position, with the bill pointed skywards, the male gives out a deep, booming love-call delivered from a fully inflated throat.
To many different tribes of Africa, the call of the Crested Crane suggests many word variations and the sounds are varied and full.
Thus to a muganda the call is Ng’aali; to a Mswahili it is M’waari; to an Acholi, it is O’welo; to Zulu of South Africa, the sound is Maahem and the same sound is Muraaho to a munyarwanda.
Different tribes and people have learnt how to interact with the Cranes. In most areas, the Cranes help to tell people the time of the day through their calls which are made at specific times of the day.
They are regarded as the birds of joy and relaxation in most parts of the country. For instance, when people clap and sing a particular song, the Cranes dance by bobbing their heads up and down.
This happens in all places where Cranes exist. I personally engaged the Cranes in a dance when I was young.
For example:
In Rukiga (south western Uganda) the song goes:
Nzinira Rutuhe Omugusha kuguryeera Ndyakwengera amarwa.
(Crane, dance for me
When sorghum is harvested I will make you beer (booze).
Lunyole:
Wawalu nalina ogengula esule. Sha wawalu wawalu mwine Wawalu nahina agengulu esule Sha wawalu. (When the Crane dances She shakes her crest like a Crane).
Luganda:
Ng’aali sabasaliza Ng’aali sabasaliza abaana mwelolere Ng'aali sabasaliza Ng’aali sabasaliza abaana mwelolere''
(The Crane is enviable (attractive) Children come and see. The Crane is attractive children come and see).
THE Crested Cranes and human beings can live together as companions. They are known for their ability to scare predators of chicken when they roost on trees near homesteads. This is because their large size scares away the predators, according to Achilles Byaruhanga who heads Nature Uganda, the BirdLife International partner.
Their beauty and grace has swept many people off their feet and this has enhanced co-existence, says Wilber Igulo, an official of the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC).
“It was a taboo to hurt the cranes and young children were taught to respect them,†Igulo says.
William Olupot of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), which is spearheading ‘the Save Crane Initiative’ says widespread beliefs across the country favour the survival of the cranes.
Indeed the Crested Crane was adopted as Uganda’s Crest (national symbol) simply because of its unusual grace typifying so aptly a country and its people.
Sir Frederick Jackson, a former governor and famous ornithologist surrounded himself with the beautiful Cranes at the Government house in Entebbe.
“They could feed from his own hands,†Byaruhanga says.
Sir Harry Johnstone, the Deputy Commissioner in the Uganda Government at the turn of the century, more than likely influenced Sir Frederick in his choice of the Crested Crane emblem. As a token of his great admiration for the birds of Uganda, Sir Harry left at least one delightful painting in his collection of a group of Crested Cranes.
Byaruhanga says from independence the grey Crested Crane has graced Uganda’s national flag as the national symbol, but there are official documents showing how the crane became an emblem.
However, Byaruhanga while quoting The Crane of January 1960, a publication of then Uganda Development Cooperation Ltd attempts to trace how the Crane became the emblem.
In the dispatch from the Secretary of state of British Empire to the Governor of the Uganda Protectorate there appears the sentence: ‘His Majesty (George V) has approved of the golden Crested Crane being likewise adopted as the badge to be inserted on the flags flown by the Governor of Uganda and all vessels belonging to the Government of the Protectorate’.
The Crested Crane is an object of great beauty. It is a tall bird standing well over three feet on long, slender, black legs. Its neck is almost as long as its legs and towards the base pointed pearl-grey feathers are elongated to form an ornamental fringe. The conspicuous velvety black fore head, yellowish crest and the vivid bright red wattles.
There are 16 different species of Cranes in the world, four of which are found in Africa, including the ‘great’ Grey Crested Crane, the Uganda national symbol.
But all these willowy creatures are in one way or another facing unfavourable conditions, says Byaruhanga.
Crested Cranes generally inhabit dry and wet open areas including marshes, damp fields, and open margins of lakes and rivers, but rarely associated with open waters. In Uganda, the Crested Cranes prefer freshly ploughed fields to grasslands and short to tall grass.
Their food consists of plant and animal matter including grass and sedge seeds, millet, rice, peas, corn, molluscs, crustaceans, insects (grasshoppers and flies), fish, amphibians and reptiles. They feed by rapidly pecking at food but they sometimes uproot plants and rarely dig. They prefer seed heads of grasses and sedges.
They are monogamous and probably pair for life. They perform a series of courtship displays and dances. They excel in dancing, displaying their grace and beauty to the fullest. They pirouette, bob and bow to one another, with their wings wide open and held high above their backs.
In this strange position, with the bill pointed skywards, the male gives out a deep, booming love-call delivered from a fully inflated throat.
To many different tribes of Africa, the call of the Crested Crane suggests many word variations and the sounds are varied and full.
Thus to a muganda the call is Ng’aali; to a Mswahili it is M’waari; to an Acholi, it is O’welo; to Zulu of South Africa, the sound is Maahem and the same sound is Muraaho to a munyarwanda.
Different tribes and people have learnt how to interact with the Cranes. In most areas, the Cranes help to tell people the time of the day through their calls which are made at specific times of the day.
They are regarded as the birds of joy and relaxation in most parts of the country. For instance, when people clap and sing a particular song, the Cranes dance by bobbing their heads up and down.
This happens in all places where Cranes exist. I personally engaged the Cranes in a dance when I was young.
For example:
In Rukiga (south western Uganda) the song goes:
Nzinira Rutuhe Omugusha kuguryeera Ndyakwengera amarwa.
(Crane, dance for me
When sorghum is harvested I will make you beer (booze).
Lunyole:
Wawalu nalina ogengula esule. Sha wawalu wawalu mwine Wawalu nahina agengulu esule Sha wawalu. (When the Crane dances She shakes her crest like a Crane).
Luganda:
Ng’aali sabasaliza Ng’aali sabasaliza abaana mwelolere Ng'aali sabasaliza Ng’aali sabasaliza abaana mwelolere''
(The Crane is enviable (attractive) Children come and see. The Crane is attractive children come and see).