The thrill of hunting omusu
Dec 06, 2002
It is ridiculous for people who enjoy the meat of an edible rat (omusu) to regard that of an ordinary rat (emese) as bad because there is virtually no difference.<br>The edible rat is omnivorous and wild but unlike the ordinary rats that we see from time
By Ssenabulya Baagalayina
It is ridiculous for people who enjoy the meat of an edible rat (omusu) to regard that of an ordinary rat (emese) as bad because there is virtually no difference.
The edible rat is omnivorous and wild but unlike the ordinary rats that we see from time to time, it is extremely rare. But farmers are interested in it’s meat because as Kinyata Lwanga, a prominent hunter in Lwabenge, Masaka District argues, “it’s meat is not only appetising but too good to miss.â€
But even Kinyata contends that if one is not so knowledgeable about hunting, they will find the idea of hunting an edible rat laughable or even detestable because of the striking resemblance the animal has with the ordinary rat which is not part of the conventional human food chain.
But hunters who would otherwise feel guilty about hunting down edible rats often console themselves with the difference in size between the edible rat and the ordinary rat. The latter is much bigger. this, they argue makes the edible rat an entirely different species from the ordinary small rodents.
This is especially so in Lwabenge village. if you attempt to ridicule the edible rat here, people will just boo and heckle you. Here, most people here are natural born hunters and believe that hunting is not only a norm but is inherited.
As a rule in Lwabenge, he who hunts and kills a wild animal, particularly the edible rat, is considered a great man.
The hunting exercise starts like a game. someone out of sheer luck or call it God’s will, identifies the animal in the bush. He then hurriedly goes home, picks his holed hone and start hooting in a bid to alert his colleagues about this fortune. It is from here that the hunting game starts.
Every hunter in the village keeps about a dozen dogs at his home, and a net made out of very hard materials. They all gather in one place armed with this gear and in the direction of the musu.
As custom dictates, if the first person the hunters come across as they head for the hunt happens to be a woman, they may decide to abandon the exercise because a woman, they believe, is a sign of misfortune and a bad omen. If they insist on continuing, the possibility that they will miss the animal is very high.
But Kinyata says that often the hunters call off the hunt. On the other hand, a man is a good indicator that chances of ending up with a bountiful hunt are high.
In cases where the hunters meet a woman, they will often hurl plenty of verbal abuse at her.
In fact, it is widely believed among the hunting community in Lwabenge that by insulting the women in this situation, they appease the spirits, which might in turn avert the impending misfortune.
However, the irony Lwanga says, is that animals first spotted by women, a process locally refered to by okuziga still must be hunted down and killed by the village hunters. He does not explain further. But insists that this just happens miraculously!
The omuzizi (the term used for the one who first spots the animal) leads the way and in no minute the area where the animal was identified is surrounded.
It is a highly regarded practice among the hunters. At that moment everyone is expected to observe vigilance. The exercise is normally accompanied by local songs aimed at appeasing the gods of hunting.
Hunters have set rules and regulations that govern their activities. For instance, the omuzizi takes the lion’s share of the hunt. He is also esteemed a great man and bestowed upon the honour of ‘hunter of the day.’ He is given the hind leg up and the whole backside, the head and the skin.
The owner of the net used to trap the animal ranks second. This one shares the other hind leg and the front limb. The one who spears the animal first takes the neck.
These rules must be observed no matter how big or small the kill is. The same rules apply in the case of omusu whose size is small compared to other game.
Whoever participates in the exercise must have a share of the kill however small it may be. This is the spirit under which hunters operate.
He who complains about how small his portion is, is cursed because his actions could jeopardise the next kill by casting a curse upon it.
The late Dr. Samson Kisekka the then Prime Minister of Uganda scornfully attacked the hunters particularly those who regularly chase the edible rat for food, saying these people are hypocrites because that animal has no difference with an ordinary rat.
“They run the whole day chasing the rat and at the end of the day share a small piece of meat. I get amused,†Kisekka told his listeners. He reportedly added: “Why don’t these young people take on digging and talk big instead of indulging in this small gimmick!â€
But old men in Lwabenge argue that hunting is not only interesting but a part of Baganda tradition. They argue that some hunters are anointed by the gods of hunting.
They argue that one need not be interested in hunting. But if the spirits choose upon them, they will find themselves naturally drawn into it.
“Resist this force of the spirits and you will be doomed!†cautions one of the hunters.
It is ridiculous for people who enjoy the meat of an edible rat (omusu) to regard that of an ordinary rat (emese) as bad because there is virtually no difference.
The edible rat is omnivorous and wild but unlike the ordinary rats that we see from time to time, it is extremely rare. But farmers are interested in it’s meat because as Kinyata Lwanga, a prominent hunter in Lwabenge, Masaka District argues, “it’s meat is not only appetising but too good to miss.â€
But even Kinyata contends that if one is not so knowledgeable about hunting, they will find the idea of hunting an edible rat laughable or even detestable because of the striking resemblance the animal has with the ordinary rat which is not part of the conventional human food chain.
But hunters who would otherwise feel guilty about hunting down edible rats often console themselves with the difference in size between the edible rat and the ordinary rat. The latter is much bigger. this, they argue makes the edible rat an entirely different species from the ordinary small rodents.
This is especially so in Lwabenge village. if you attempt to ridicule the edible rat here, people will just boo and heckle you. Here, most people here are natural born hunters and believe that hunting is not only a norm but is inherited.
As a rule in Lwabenge, he who hunts and kills a wild animal, particularly the edible rat, is considered a great man.
The hunting exercise starts like a game. someone out of sheer luck or call it God’s will, identifies the animal in the bush. He then hurriedly goes home, picks his holed hone and start hooting in a bid to alert his colleagues about this fortune. It is from here that the hunting game starts.
Every hunter in the village keeps about a dozen dogs at his home, and a net made out of very hard materials. They all gather in one place armed with this gear and in the direction of the musu.
As custom dictates, if the first person the hunters come across as they head for the hunt happens to be a woman, they may decide to abandon the exercise because a woman, they believe, is a sign of misfortune and a bad omen. If they insist on continuing, the possibility that they will miss the animal is very high.
But Kinyata says that often the hunters call off the hunt. On the other hand, a man is a good indicator that chances of ending up with a bountiful hunt are high.
In cases where the hunters meet a woman, they will often hurl plenty of verbal abuse at her.
In fact, it is widely believed among the hunting community in Lwabenge that by insulting the women in this situation, they appease the spirits, which might in turn avert the impending misfortune.
However, the irony Lwanga says, is that animals first spotted by women, a process locally refered to by okuziga still must be hunted down and killed by the village hunters. He does not explain further. But insists that this just happens miraculously!
The omuzizi (the term used for the one who first spots the animal) leads the way and in no minute the area where the animal was identified is surrounded.
It is a highly regarded practice among the hunters. At that moment everyone is expected to observe vigilance. The exercise is normally accompanied by local songs aimed at appeasing the gods of hunting.
Hunters have set rules and regulations that govern their activities. For instance, the omuzizi takes the lion’s share of the hunt. He is also esteemed a great man and bestowed upon the honour of ‘hunter of the day.’ He is given the hind leg up and the whole backside, the head and the skin.
The owner of the net used to trap the animal ranks second. This one shares the other hind leg and the front limb. The one who spears the animal first takes the neck.
These rules must be observed no matter how big or small the kill is. The same rules apply in the case of omusu whose size is small compared to other game.
Whoever participates in the exercise must have a share of the kill however small it may be. This is the spirit under which hunters operate.
He who complains about how small his portion is, is cursed because his actions could jeopardise the next kill by casting a curse upon it.
The late Dr. Samson Kisekka the then Prime Minister of Uganda scornfully attacked the hunters particularly those who regularly chase the edible rat for food, saying these people are hypocrites because that animal has no difference with an ordinary rat.
“They run the whole day chasing the rat and at the end of the day share a small piece of meat. I get amused,†Kisekka told his listeners. He reportedly added: “Why don’t these young people take on digging and talk big instead of indulging in this small gimmick!â€
But old men in Lwabenge argue that hunting is not only interesting but a part of Baganda tradition. They argue that some hunters are anointed by the gods of hunting.
They argue that one need not be interested in hunting. But if the spirits choose upon them, they will find themselves naturally drawn into it.
“Resist this force of the spirits and you will be doomed!†cautions one of the hunters.