A deep, rich and beautiful part of Ganda culture.
This past weekend I attended an introduction celebration in Rubaga. It was my first experience of this deep, rich and beautiful part of Ganda culture.
This past weekend I attended an introduction celebration in Rubaga. It was my first experience of this deep, rich and beautiful part of Ganda culture.
The occasion marked the traditional tying of the knot between the beautiful bride Ms. Elizabeth Namugabo, daughter of Hon.
John Ken Lukyamuzi (MP for Rubaga South) and the late Pross Nabwani, and the handsome bridegroom Mr. Deogratius Ivan Kasule-Kasujja, son of Dr. Lawrence Kasujja and Mrs. Rita Christine Nalumansi. I attended the event as a guest of the guest-of-honour, the Rt. Hon. Jacob Oulanya, Deputy Speaker of Parliament.
The setting was perfectly nestled in the hillside of Rubaga. An earlier downpour had left the road to the venue somewhat treacherous, but a late afternoon sunshine warmed things up considerably.
The bridegroom’s side of the family turned out in full force, the men attired in flowing embroidered white kanzu, and the women in colourful form-fitting busuti. Meanwhile, as the hosts, the bride’s side from the tiniest of tots to the oldest in the family, were simply sparkling.
Hon. Lukyamuzi known for his firebrand debate in parliament was for once silent. Instead two eloquent and well-matched spokespersons representing each side of the two families kept a running banter in Luganda, teasing the other side, extolling the beauty, wealth and virtues of their respective families, wisecracking and generally keeping the smooth flow of the event.
Throughout, the bride’s spokesperson referred to his counterpart from the groom’s side as omusaajja wa Kabaka, the king’s loyal servant.
To which the other responded “Wanji tataâ€, “Yes, Elder (father)â€, before resuming the dialogue, exchanging wit for wit, charm for charm, always humorous and respectful of the other side.
One of my biggest lament in life is that I never learned to speak Luganda. I am able to pick up a word here and there, but carrying a conversation is simply impossible.
Luckily for me, Hon. Nabilah Naggeyi Sempala, MP Kampala District, came to the rescue, becoming my cultural guide and interpreter, pointing out the significance of each gesture and action.
The handsomely dressed young man at the front row on the groom’s side was, in fact, not the groom, she confided.
The groom was somewhere deep in the midst of his family, and only an aunt to the bride had an idea of his true identity and what he looked like.
At the appropriate moment, an all-female search party from the bride’s side went into the thick crowd to ferret out the groom and, to great ululation and joyful drumming, escorted him into the front row.
Then the groom’s side brought in a large well-shaped gourd pregnant with frothing mwenge, traditionally brewed beer. Hon. Sempala explained the significance.
“This is the enjogeza, “that which opens the mouthâ€, a prerequisite to serious dialogue regarding the bridesprice and other demands that the bride’s side will put on the table, and to which the groom’s side needed to respond appropriately. The bride’s side tasted the brew and, teasingly, suggested he could not determine whether it met the standards. And so he took another swig from a small calabash, and declared the beer indeed excellent. More ululation.
In there, somewhere among the demands from the bride’s side is the omutwalo, that one thing that the father of the bride will have asked for, and which the future in-laws must make sure is provided.
“It may be the smallest of things, a Bible, a traditional or ceremonial walking stick, or whatever, but the groom’s side will be remised not to bring it along because it may well scuttle the whole ceremonyâ€, explained Hon. Sempala.
After all the preliminaries, the bride was finally presented to the groom’s side. She was accompanied by older aunts who danced into the open, showing their daughter, how well mannered and beautiful she is.
The crowd went wild, clapping, ululating and singing. Two pink-suited young men danced alongside her, adding to the momentous and liveliness of the moment. Bodies moved rhythmically to the beat of the music, heads nodded and all around everyone was beaming as if it was Christmas.
“In Ganda culture, the okwanjula completes all the requirements of matrimony that allows the newly married couple to now live happilyâ€, Hon. Sempala said.
Toward the end, the groom’s entire party left their tent, walking away some distance where scores of vehicles were parked.
Then, led by women, they returned carrying beautifully wrapped gifts on their heads. Men hauled crates of soda, wine, beer, huge sacks of sugar, sacks of rice, a brand new refrigerator still in its box, a HDTV television and so on.
There was even a cock that kept crowing as if to glorify the day, no doubt unaware that it is destined for the soup pot.
Indeed, if there is a single word out there in Luganda that describes joy, it must be okwanjula. “It is a joyous family affair that brings people together, allowing tradition to be kept aliveâ€, said my guide Hon. Sempala. Indeed, it felt good to be a part of the occasion, and to be afforded opportunity to appreciate a part of what makes the Ganda culture a distinct and unique contribution to Uganda. As the guest-of-honour Rt. Hon. Deputy Speaker Oulanya put it in his short speech to the gathering, “This is an occasion we are all very proud of.â€
Amina! Came the thunderous response from the jubilant gathering.
Opiyo.oloya@sympatico.ca
The occasion marked the traditional tying of the knot between the beautiful bride Ms. Elizabeth Namugabo, daughter of Hon.
John Ken Lukyamuzi (MP for Rubaga South) and the late Pross Nabwani, and the handsome bridegroom Mr. Deogratius Ivan Kasule-Kasujja, son of Dr. Lawrence Kasujja and Mrs. Rita Christine Nalumansi. I attended the event as a guest of the guest-of-honour, the Rt. Hon. Jacob Oulanya, Deputy Speaker of Parliament.
The setting was perfectly nestled in the hillside of Rubaga. An earlier downpour had left the road to the venue somewhat treacherous, but a late afternoon sunshine warmed things up considerably.
The bridegroom’s side of the family turned out in full force, the men attired in flowing embroidered white kanzu, and the women in colourful form-fitting busuti. Meanwhile, as the hosts, the bride’s side from the tiniest of tots to the oldest in the family, were simply sparkling.
Hon. Lukyamuzi known for his firebrand debate in parliament was for once silent. Instead two eloquent and well-matched spokespersons representing each side of the two families kept a running banter in Luganda, teasing the other side, extolling the beauty, wealth and virtues of their respective families, wisecracking and generally keeping the smooth flow of the event.
Throughout, the bride’s spokesperson referred to his counterpart from the groom’s side as omusaajja wa Kabaka, the king’s loyal servant.
To which the other responded “Wanji tataâ€, “Yes, Elder (father)â€, before resuming the dialogue, exchanging wit for wit, charm for charm, always humorous and respectful of the other side.
One of my biggest lament in life is that I never learned to speak Luganda. I am able to pick up a word here and there, but carrying a conversation is simply impossible.
Luckily for me, Hon. Nabilah Naggeyi Sempala, MP Kampala District, came to the rescue, becoming my cultural guide and interpreter, pointing out the significance of each gesture and action.
The handsomely dressed young man at the front row on the groom’s side was, in fact, not the groom, she confided.
The groom was somewhere deep in the midst of his family, and only an aunt to the bride had an idea of his true identity and what he looked like.
At the appropriate moment, an all-female search party from the bride’s side went into the thick crowd to ferret out the groom and, to great ululation and joyful drumming, escorted him into the front row.
Then the groom’s side brought in a large well-shaped gourd pregnant with frothing mwenge, traditionally brewed beer. Hon. Sempala explained the significance.
“This is the enjogeza, “that which opens the mouthâ€, a prerequisite to serious dialogue regarding the bridesprice and other demands that the bride’s side will put on the table, and to which the groom’s side needed to respond appropriately. The bride’s side tasted the brew and, teasingly, suggested he could not determine whether it met the standards. And so he took another swig from a small calabash, and declared the beer indeed excellent. More ululation.
In there, somewhere among the demands from the bride’s side is the omutwalo, that one thing that the father of the bride will have asked for, and which the future in-laws must make sure is provided.
“It may be the smallest of things, a Bible, a traditional or ceremonial walking stick, or whatever, but the groom’s side will be remised not to bring it along because it may well scuttle the whole ceremonyâ€, explained Hon. Sempala.
After all the preliminaries, the bride was finally presented to the groom’s side. She was accompanied by older aunts who danced into the open, showing their daughter, how well mannered and beautiful she is.
The crowd went wild, clapping, ululating and singing. Two pink-suited young men danced alongside her, adding to the momentous and liveliness of the moment. Bodies moved rhythmically to the beat of the music, heads nodded and all around everyone was beaming as if it was Christmas.
“In Ganda culture, the okwanjula completes all the requirements of matrimony that allows the newly married couple to now live happilyâ€, Hon. Sempala said.
Toward the end, the groom’s entire party left their tent, walking away some distance where scores of vehicles were parked.
Then, led by women, they returned carrying beautifully wrapped gifts on their heads. Men hauled crates of soda, wine, beer, huge sacks of sugar, sacks of rice, a brand new refrigerator still in its box, a HDTV television and so on.
There was even a cock that kept crowing as if to glorify the day, no doubt unaware that it is destined for the soup pot.
Indeed, if there is a single word out there in Luganda that describes joy, it must be okwanjula. “It is a joyous family affair that brings people together, allowing tradition to be kept aliveâ€, said my guide Hon. Sempala. Indeed, it felt good to be a part of the occasion, and to be afforded opportunity to appreciate a part of what makes the Ganda culture a distinct and unique contribution to Uganda. As the guest-of-honour Rt. Hon. Deputy Speaker Oulanya put it in his short speech to the gathering, “This is an occasion we are all very proud of.â€
Amina! Came the thunderous response from the jubilant gathering.
Opiyo.oloya@sympatico.ca