Betrothal Ceremony

Yesterday we were at a betrothal ceremony,[where these two pictures were taken] they really are great fun, even if you only understand a small part, although in this case we had a friend beside us who told us what was happening at each stage. It is the moment when the respective families meet for the first time and the girl introduces her intended to her family. In a way it must be quite intimidating as the heads of the two families bargain and negotiate over the arrangements, how much booze, how many cows, what trousseau etc will be given and exchanged. There is a lot of banter and point scoring, and fining if things are not exactly as they should be, for example the boy's family arrived a bit late, not by Ugandan standards but enough for a fine, I think it has all been agreed before hand because the fines all seemed to be in neat and labeled envelopes and then a dance and music show, all decently suggestive for the occasion, meal and the rain, needed to bless the occasion.
We arrived decently late at 10.30 for 10.00 but it really started at sometime before 12, which gave us time to do quite a bit of work with contacts, I have to have a brief proposal for the Italian Ambassador next Sunday. He is coming up for the day to finalise arrangements for a re-enactment of the first climbing of the Rwenzori by the Duke of Abruzzi 100 years ago on 10th June. I hope they get equally good weather this time. It was crystal clear 100 yrs ago and they came back with the most wonderful photographs of the snow fields and peaks. It will be quite a change as the snow is rapidly disappearing with global warming. I hope the Italians agree to help set up the Department of Environmental Management. No-one, amazingly is doing work and teaching management of fragile environments related to National Parks which for us here in FP is vital. There is just so much to do that is exciting and worthwhile.
Here are a couple of photographs from the Betrothal ceremony. The bride to be and her party were all very demure so it was not easy to get good pictures, This one is not the bride, I call her the Distractor for the the reason that part of the ceremony is to bring in various groups of girls and the husband to be must recognise his intended bride, all went well!! The other is of one of the dancers with leg rattles, They use these to produce the most wonderful rhythm's while dancing.

May Day

May Day is a public Holiday and a chance for politicians to have their say as well as people to have fun. These pictures are just portraits of people listening to political speeches playing music and enjoying themselves.

Weather control

At times it is easy to forget that things are seen so differently here. We are in the middle of what could be a very nasty drought, It is supposed to be the wet season but so far we are about 30% down on what we had last year which is serious as the needed food crops are not producing and getting sun burned. In some of the villages food prices are already going up.
A couple of days ago Mary who looks after the house came in saying that some people were saying that the Bakonjo, a tribe who live in the mountains are able to control the weather and stop it raining in the valley so that the price of food will go up and they will make more money. We were told this not as a joke but as a serious matter which was affecting peoples lives.
the following is a quote from one of the Sunday papers and again is not a joke piece:
Benjamin Binagwa of Kinyamasike, Munkunyu, in Kasese District [50km down the road] says "I appeal to officials in the meteorology Department, and the Ministry of Agriculture to help people in Kasese. Some are being beaten and evicted from their places of 'aboard' [sic.] for allegedly being responsible for the dry spell in some parts of Kasese District! This is rife in Munkunyu, Bwera and Katwe Sub-Counties. There are claims in the said areas that individuals can control rainfall and determine where and when it should come down! Can the Meteorology department explain to us the current dry spell in this part of the country when we actually expected rainfall. We are worried about our crops. If it is true that individuals can manage rainfall, then we shall determine the next course of action with their participation, if they are known".