Granpa brought our family together
DONANTO Katuramu (RIP), is my hero. When I was two years old, my father abandoned me and my mother could not take care of me, so I was taken to Karambi village in Fort Portal, where my grandfather lived.
Christmas and the New Year is a time to celebrate the family. The New Vision would like to celebrate the readers’ most cherished family heroes. Below, Rose Kababikira writes about her heroine — her grandfather
DONANTO Katuramu (RIP), is my hero. When I was two years old, my father abandoned me and my mother could not take care of me, so I was taken to Karambi village in Fort Portal, where my grandfather lived.
He was a widower, but in addition to his children and grandchildren, he was able to take care of me.
My grandfather ensured that every morning before we started on any activity, we had to pray together for a good life and bright future.
He was good at playing the rat-tooth game. When his grandchildren removed their milk teeth, he left money where the tooth was kept, saying it was donated by a rat.
Whenever a family member returned from work, school, or a journey, Atwooki, like we fondly referred to him, would have something special for them. He kept bananas at home for everyone, including our mean neighbours. Grandfather taught us to love everyone.
Atwooki welcomed everyone into his family. His children married from various tribes, but despite the tribal differences, he united us and taught us to use one language — that of love.
He held family get-togethers so that all his relatives would meet and interact. He usually held the event on May 5, in commemoration of his wife’s death.
My aunts from Kampala and Hoima, as well as my uncles and cousins from Bundibugyo and Kasese would join us on that day. We would feast like there was no tomorrow.
Atwooki was an elder at Karambi Catholic Church. He ensured that when one turned five, they would start attending the Bible study. He also ensured that we attended Holy Communion and Confirmation classes.
We were brought up as Catholics and given Bibles as well as rosaries. Atwooki encouraged us to go to church every Sunday and we had to be in time for the service. We would even take readings from the Bible at a tender age.
Just as God told Prophet Jeremiah that he would touch his lips and give him the words to say, grandfather touched our lips before we took the readings.
Our family is blessed with religious pillars like Sister Florence Kajona who lives in Germany and the Bishop of Rwenzori Diocese, the Right Rev. Benezeri Kisembo.
Atwooki instilled in us moral values and encouraged us to work hard. Before one left home, they had to get permission from Atwooki and when they came back, he had to be the first to know.
We also had to greet everyone in the house when we woke up. He taught to say ‘sorry’.
We had to pray before every meal and it was criminal to talk while eating. We also had to thank the person who prepared the food. No one was allowed to leave the table until everyone had finished eating.
Atwooki would invite other children to his home and he would tell us stories. We had to be attentive because at the end of the story, he would ask questions. He told us never to look down when answering.
Atwooki encouraged us to study and be thankful that we had school fees.
I have fresh memories of 1997 when Atwooki took my brothers, sisters and I to the sub-county to be registered for universal primary education.
He said we were too clever for nursery, so we began from P1. I have been promoted to P6 and I am glad that skipping nursery never affected my performance. The best reward for my success would be a dinner with my family.
But nowadays ,we are not as united as we used to be when Atwooki was still alive. The village elders who used to come home to check on us no longer show up. We now communicate by phone.
The last time we were together as a family was at the wedding of my uncle Adolf Tusiime and his wife Harriet Kimigabo.
The most painful thing is that we no longer have commemoration services.
I now live in Hoima with my paternal aunt, Julian Kemigisa, who works as a nurse at Kikube Health Centre III.
I go to school at Duhaga SSS. I am an information prefect and owe it to Atwooki because he taught me to speak in public.
No one in our family or community is idle because Atwooki left behind a legacy of hardwork. He even gave a portion of his land to an elderly neighbour, Akiiki Mukade.
She grows sugarcane and gives it out for free because she says the land belongs to grandfather.
Atwooki was a hardworking carpenter and was among the people who built Virika Cathedral. In his free time, he made mats and taught us how to make them.
Grandfather developed blood pressure in 1998 when I was in P2.
He died on October 30, 2006. I believe he is neither lost to memory nor love, but gone to our Father’s house.
DONANTO Katuramu (RIP), is my hero. When I was two years old, my father abandoned me and my mother could not take care of me, so I was taken to Karambi village in Fort Portal, where my grandfather lived.
He was a widower, but in addition to his children and grandchildren, he was able to take care of me.
My grandfather ensured that every morning before we started on any activity, we had to pray together for a good life and bright future.
He was good at playing the rat-tooth game. When his grandchildren removed their milk teeth, he left money where the tooth was kept, saying it was donated by a rat.
Whenever a family member returned from work, school, or a journey, Atwooki, like we fondly referred to him, would have something special for them. He kept bananas at home for everyone, including our mean neighbours. Grandfather taught us to love everyone.
Atwooki welcomed everyone into his family. His children married from various tribes, but despite the tribal differences, he united us and taught us to use one language — that of love.
He held family get-togethers so that all his relatives would meet and interact. He usually held the event on May 5, in commemoration of his wife’s death.
My aunts from Kampala and Hoima, as well as my uncles and cousins from Bundibugyo and Kasese would join us on that day. We would feast like there was no tomorrow.
Atwooki was an elder at Karambi Catholic Church. He ensured that when one turned five, they would start attending the Bible study. He also ensured that we attended Holy Communion and Confirmation classes.
We were brought up as Catholics and given Bibles as well as rosaries. Atwooki encouraged us to go to church every Sunday and we had to be in time for the service. We would even take readings from the Bible at a tender age.
Just as God told Prophet Jeremiah that he would touch his lips and give him the words to say, grandfather touched our lips before we took the readings.
Our family is blessed with religious pillars like Sister Florence Kajona who lives in Germany and the Bishop of Rwenzori Diocese, the Right Rev. Benezeri Kisembo.
Atwooki instilled in us moral values and encouraged us to work hard. Before one left home, they had to get permission from Atwooki and when they came back, he had to be the first to know.
We also had to greet everyone in the house when we woke up. He taught to say ‘sorry’.
We had to pray before every meal and it was criminal to talk while eating. We also had to thank the person who prepared the food. No one was allowed to leave the table until everyone had finished eating.
Atwooki would invite other children to his home and he would tell us stories. We had to be attentive because at the end of the story, he would ask questions. He told us never to look down when answering.
Atwooki encouraged us to study and be thankful that we had school fees.
I have fresh memories of 1997 when Atwooki took my brothers, sisters and I to the sub-county to be registered for universal primary education.
He said we were too clever for nursery, so we began from P1. I have been promoted to P6 and I am glad that skipping nursery never affected my performance. The best reward for my success would be a dinner with my family.
But nowadays ,we are not as united as we used to be when Atwooki was still alive. The village elders who used to come home to check on us no longer show up. We now communicate by phone.
The last time we were together as a family was at the wedding of my uncle Adolf Tusiime and his wife Harriet Kimigabo.
The most painful thing is that we no longer have commemoration services.
I now live in Hoima with my paternal aunt, Julian Kemigisa, who works as a nurse at Kikube Health Centre III.
I go to school at Duhaga SSS. I am an information prefect and owe it to Atwooki because he taught me to speak in public.
No one in our family or community is idle because Atwooki left behind a legacy of hardwork. He even gave a portion of his land to an elderly neighbour, Akiiki Mukade.
She grows sugarcane and gives it out for free because she says the land belongs to grandfather.
Atwooki was a hardworking carpenter and was among the people who built Virika Cathedral. In his free time, he made mats and taught us how to make them.
Grandfather developed blood pressure in 1998 when I was in P2.
He died on October 30, 2006. I believe he is neither lost to memory nor love, but gone to our Father’s house.