THE INDEGENOUS FORE FATHERS; BATWA

Bringing you some facts and life of Batwa while still in their original homes. Have you ever heard of the Batwa before?

These are our original forefathers who lived in forests for the rest of their lives. They used to live in harmony with each other and would survive by hunting some wild animals for meat and skins for clothing for example buffalos, antelopes and zebras. They also harvested wild fruits and collect honey from the stingless bees in the forests.
They would exchange wild meat to community members with arrows and they would make strong bows in tree branches. Hunting was after the worship of their small god to bless their hunt and during this, only men were invited since doing this alone would be suicidal especially when meet a dangerous animal.
They used to roast meat on the home made fire. This fire was made from rubbing two sticks against each other and later fire would be made out of the friction. The mostly used sticks were from the well dried hibiscus tree. While on the fire place, old people would start narrating stories to the young people and here, advices were very well encouraged and honoured from the elderly.
The ladies were left at home and given a task of gathering fruits, collecting firewood and preparing the local drink (sorghum got from the community). They would get flour out of this sorghum through using a grinding stone since machines had not came up.
While the mothers and fathers had gone to look for food away from home, kids would be left home playing and were constructed a watch swing where the elder child would sit and watching over all corners of any dangerous animal coming by like the mother buffalos, lions or others. He would immediately alert fellow kids in case of any notice and they would climb and find him. This swing is built on a big and stronger tree with a shade such that no any animal can easily shake or break it down.
These people survived on local medicines from wild plants to cure and treat their diseases and chase family demons and misfortunes. A giant fan root would be used to heal the skin rashes on young kids. The root was to be cleaned, and pounded then boiled in water that is later sipped from a cup by a patient.

Finally, these Batwa were evicted from the forests by the government to protect wildlife since they were looked at as competitors with the primates and other species and also they were hunting and killing for food and exchange of what they did not have. They were chased without any compensation, meaning they were left homeless that forced many to grow into beggars in the communities. By then, they started to struggle to adjust to the new life of farming and producing their own food that was so hard to most of them up to now. The Uganda Wildlife Authority now shares some part of the revenue with them and are always celebrated on the World Gorilla Day that’s annually done. On this day, they are donated with some food, clothes and others from all well-wishers. The Batwa were living very well and friendly with the mountain gorillas.
Currently, a Batwa Heritage Experience is put in place at Mgahinga gorilla national park and Bwindi impenetrable forest to remind the guests about the Batwa life while still in forests. This is a full demonstartions of what they use to do.
Don’t miss out the super experience of the Batwa once you visit one of the parks, it’s a memorable of a lifetime. Let’s keep steem on !