Culture

Language, religion, food, music, traditions, kingdoms, etc.

Regarding Uganda, it is impossible to talk about one culture as there are many different cultures in this country. Uganda's population is made up of over 40 ethnic groups, all of which have their own cultures, including food, music, dress, religion and so on. Culture is seen as behaviour that is inherent in human beings, including the use of material objects that serve as an integral part of that behaviour. Thus, culture encompasses language, ideas, beliefs, customs, codes, institutions, tools, techniques, artworks, rituals and ceremonies, etc. that are used to collectively define people. Despite all these different cultures in Uganda, people have managed to live together respectfully and peacefully.

The tradition of kingdoms is still very important in Uganda's history and the former rulers and kings have a firm place in it. The kingdoms of Uganda are deeply rooted in the history of Uganda and play a crucial role in shaping the Uganda of today. It is worth mentioning that Uganda is one of the few countries in Africa where these monarchies still exist. Not all ethnic groups in Uganda have active kingdoms. The kingdoms that are still active are the Kingdom of Buganda, the Kingdom of Tooro, the Kingdom of Bunyoro, the Kingdom of Busoga and the Kingdom of Rwenzururu.

Photo: ENS e.V.

Languages

Uganda is an East African country where over 40 languages are spoken. These 40 native languages can be categorised into three main language families: Bantu, Central Sudanese and Nilotic. However, there are two other languages that come from the Kuliak language family. The question is often: How can people in Uganda, who do not speak a common language, speak to each other? In Uganda, English was introduced as an official language and adopted during the British colonial rule in Uganda. As there was no consensus on which local mother tongue should be chosen as the official language, English has retained its official status to this day. English as an official language is spoken in the elite class, in government chambers and in schools, but is often influenced by various local languages. It is therefore often referred to as UGLISH or Ugandan English. Due to the country's geographical location and its membership of the East African Community, a community dominated by Swahili-speaking countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Swahili has been adopted as the second official language in the country.

Religion

Uganda guarantees freedom of religion and this is enshrined in the 1995 Constitution. When we talk about religion in Uganda, it is easy to characterise Uganda's religious heritage as a trinity consisting of Christianity, traditional indigenous religions and Islam. About four-fifths of the population are Christians, mainly between Catholics and Protestants (mainly Anglicans, Pentecostals, Seventh-day Adventists, Baptists and Presbyterians). About one-eighth of the population are Muslims.

Most of the others practise traditional religions. Islam was the first of the exogenous religions and gained political importance in the 1970s. Christianity emerged during the colonial period through missionary activities, which have often led to conflicts to this day. The traditional indigenous religion remains more of a background religion that is strongly rooted in the societies, but is less publicised.