UgandAshis 13. Batwa

UgandAshis 13. Batwa.

May 15, 2009
Fort Portal, Uganda

Batwa

One day the pygmies near the Congolese-Ugandan border around Lake Albert realized that the others would keep on encroaching on their pristine tropical rainforest. No matter how far they trekked the others were still around. So as to study the others the chief sent out a delegation to learn how to live with these people. This way is a departure of their traditional life style of hunter gathering and slash and burn. Writing and reading, currency, electricity, cars.

Eveline a Congolese-Ugandan-Belgian princess, pastor, humanitarian and a new friend was one of the first to meet them. A very bright and humorous tribe these Batwa are. Their chief on one of the visits took a group of dancers to show their culture to the people of Fort Portal. As he was shown his room and he glanced at the king size bed he asked how many people were supposed to sleep in it as it was so huge. And the next morning as he had slept on the second floor he was sure to have been closer to heaven. When Eveline had presented him a large radio he requested her for a smaller one as because of the size he left the radio when on a stroll and that would make him miss the news. A no-no as he was an avid news follower.

All around the planet we are chasing traditional tribes, hunter gatherers. We chop up their forests, hunt the wild life, encroach with cattle, over graze, exploit mineral deposits, bring in alcohol, prostitution and infectious disease (HIV, measles, swine fever etcetera). For millennia they have carried our history and future and when we continue down the chosen path of destruction tribals, indigenous people, primitives, hunter gatherers will be eradicated and the diversity of people on the planet will reduce.

One day soon I will meet the chief and his tribe. They live close to Fort Portal and are open, friendly and happy to share their life stories. Imagine making the transition from the digital age to the forest as they transverse through cultures. Survival instinct has made them adapt to a more modern culture. And their sense of humor and wisdom makes them pull through.

That day I will share their stories from the first hand. I cannot wait.

Namaskar, Ashis