The Baganda are found in the central region of Uganda, in the Interlacustrine region. They are a peaceful people, who enjoy life. And it is with this reason that they are able to welcome visitors with such joy. When welcoming visitors you haven't seen in a long time, there are ululations and dancing for joy. This is followed by a hug and a greeting which is rather unusual; as the girls kneel down with-out stretched arms. The greeting is rather long because after the formal greeting, they ask about very many things concerning your travels.

On reaching the home, you may be treated to a dish of boiled matooke fingers mixed with groundnut sauce and a drink of local brew called "Mubisi" pronouced as Mu-be-ci. And so that crowns the welcoming meal. After this, if the visitor is a relative, you may be taken around the garden and the graveyard where a prayer in honour of the dead is said. It is however noted, that this kind of warm welcome is still common in remote areas and semi-urban areas; not in the towns. So the visitor is advised not to expect such on arrival at the Entebbe international airport, because not everyone there is a Muganda. Further more, the western culture has influenced the people, so the welcome is formal or casual.

Written by:

Nalubwama Jackie Josephine ,

Nansikombi Lydia,

Kinalwa Myra, and

Muraka Grace

The Iteso are people from Kumi and Soroti districts that are found in the Eastern side of Uganda in East Africa. In the Iteso culture, visitsors are welcomed in a special way. At the sight of a visitor, especially one that has been away for a long time or one that has never been seen before, the people of the homestead make ululations accompanied by songs of joy and some people move their bodies in rhythm to the songs sang. The younger visitors are hugged by their counterparts while the elder visitors are treated with more respect and are given seats in the homestead’s resting place. The younger visitors are then expected to go and greet the elder members of the homestead. After that the visitors are given peanuts and black tea or cold water if it is too hot. After the small meal, the visitors are engaged in a tour around the homestead and they are given a lot of information about the weather and the crop yield even if the visitor has not asked them about it. They expect a mutual response from you! All this while, the neighbouring villagers are crowding around the visitors and they stare to their satisfaction. If the visitors are staying for any meal, they are usually treated to the local millet bread and greens (gobe) cooked with ground peanuts. However there are exceptional dishes for visitors who do not eat the dishes presented. When the visitors are leaving, they are greeted by all the homestead members and are accompanied by some of the people till they get onto their vehicles and they are expected to bid farewell to all the people including the onlookers in the surrounding. However this does not apply to all homesteads due to the different standards of life among the people. Some are poor while others are rich and some are arrogant or very uninviting while others may feel inferior towards the visitors and simply shy away. Further more other people may simply offer the visitors seats and then go about their own business. They are indifferent to the visitors, especially foreigner visitors.

Written by: Asio Sarah

Articles written in 1998.