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Regional Differences

Posted on May 10, 2016. 0 comments

Uganda is double the size of Pennsylvania, meaning there is variety of cultural traditions in the country. There are several types of cultural categories that seems to be the same, but they are carried out in various ways depending on what region of the country you are in. Here is a look at some of those differences.

Language

Over 30 different languages are spoken in Uganda, but the official languages are English and Swahili. Many people speak multiple languages. The Reason for english  being one of the official languages is because of the British rule over the country nearly 68 years. Swahili  is the other national language due to the fact that countries that are surrounding Uganda speak Swahili. The largest ethnic group  in Uganda lives in the Kampala people and they are called Baganda .These people speak the Luganda language .

Other languages that are spoken by the bantu speaking groups are Ankole, Toro, Banyoro and Basoga. To the east and north are groups of Nilotic/Cushitic origin, including the Teso, Karimojong, Acholi and Lango. There are  several commonly used prefixes in Uganda that explain what “people you belong to and what area they live in . These prefixes are Mu,Bu, and Ba even the countries name has an example of this . The letter U in Swahili is used instead of Bu.

Dance

Like in many African countries dancing is an important part of the culture in Uganda. Different regions in the country have different dancing rituals. In the eastern regions of the country the Bosoga people do a dance ritual that celebrates  friendship called Tamenhaibunga . One of the more universally known dances is called Kiganda. This dance takes skill, because it requires dancers to move and rotate their lower . The dance comes in many different styles, and is typically the dance to honor the Baganda King.

Religion

Traditionally, Uganda has had a very strong faith based background but not necessarily  the same faith . The Country is home to Many faiths among the most common are Christianity/ Catholicism, Muslim, and traditional spirit  beliefs of the native people .

 

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