People & Culture
The different peoples of Uganda...
Belonging to many ethnic groups, Ugandans speak over 30 different African languages. English and Swahili are the country’s official languages.
Children's stories
In this video… As some of the children from the SOS Children’s Village tell a story, one they have made up, you soon discover a reoccurring theme.It's a fact...
The common pre-fixes of ‘Mu-’, ‘Ba-’ and ‘Bu-’ are used for ‘a member of’, ‘a people’ and ‘the land they occupy’. So for example, a Muganda is a member of the Baganda, who live in Buganda. The name of the country comes from the fact that in Swahili, the prefix ‘U-’ is used instead of ‘Bu-’; Europeans had their first contact in the region with Swahili speakers.
Swahili is a useful communication link with the country’s Eastern neighbours of Kenya and Tanzania.
The largest group (around a fifth of the population) are the Baganda, who live in the Kampala region and speak Luganda. Other Bantu-speaking groups include the Ankole, Toro, Banyoro and Basoga. To the east and north are groups of Nilotic/Cushitic origin, including the Teso, Karimojong, Acholi and Lango.
...and their dances
As in many African countries, dance is an important part of ceremonies and special occasions. Uganda’s different peoples have their own special dances.
For example, in the eastern region, the Basoga practice a dance known as Tamenhaibunga which expresses the importance of love and friendship. Its name literally means ‘good friends drink together and don’t fight in case they break the gourd holding the drink’.
Ugandan dance
In this video… Young Ugandans perform traditional dancing. It has a slow calming beat.Probably the most widely recognised Ugandan dance is the Kiganda, where the performers move their lower body to a drum-beat. It’s a tricky dance, requiring great skill to keep the upper torso controlled and rotate to the music from the waist down. The dance has many variations for different occasions, but the version often seen is the one performed in honour of the Baganda king.
Old beliefs remain
Religion plays an important part of daily life in Uganda. Over four-fifths of Ugandans are Christian, either Protestant or Catholic. Around ten percent are Muslims, a legacy of the Arab traders who came here in the 19th century.
However, while Ugandans are strong in their faith, many still hold to some traditional beliefs. In times of trouble, as well as praying to their Christian or Muslim God, people may also consult a traditional oracle or healer. Shrines to the spirits are still in active use.
