The Batwa Pygmies are very interesting people to meet. During the Batwa Trail or Experience, you will love them. Everyone appreciates originality, excitement, and authenticity, and Uganda prides itself on possessing all of these. Uganda, a hub of over 56 cultures with different activities, beliefs, and practices, is a wonderful destination worth visiting. This beautiful country is located in Africa, particularly in East Africa. It’s not only known for its nature, wildlife, and mountain gorillas but also for its exhilarating culture.
One of the most outstanding cultures in Uganda is the Batwa people, a culture that recorded a total population of 600 people in the 2002 population census. They are rich in history, fun, and offer many activities for their visitors to enjoy. Though the Batwa, who are from central Africa, remain marginalized and soft-spoken, they have managed to preserve their culture amidst technological advancement. Traditionally, they are hunters as well as fruit gatherers who dwell in the forested areas of Uganda, Eastern DRC, and Rwanda.
The history of the Batwa goes back in time. There lived a man named Kihanga who had three sons: Katutsi, Katwa, and Kahutu. The father gave them a task, and when they had finished it, he blessed them according to their responsibility. Kahutu was blessed with a hoe and seeds, Katutsi was blessed with his father’s cows, and Katwa was given the forest and all that was in it. He was to survive solely on gathering and hunting. Many generations passed, and their descendants greatly multiplied.
Due to the multiplication of the descendants of Katutsi and Kahutu, what they had couldn’t satisfy them, so they encroached on Katwa’s forest. These people mounted pressure on the Katwa descendants, forcing them out to live landless on the fringes of the forest. In 1991, after designating Bwindi Impenetrable Forest as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Batwa were evicted from the forest where they had lived for generations. Now they live as squatters on the outskirts of the forest and were introduced to subsistence farming and commercial farming to enhance their livelihoods.
In history, the original Batwa are those who were staying in the forest as hunters and gatherers, living and practicing their economic and cultural way of life in the mountainous forest areas around Lake Albert, Lake Kivu, and in the Great Lakes region of central Africa. But of late, the Batwa way of life, culture, traditions, and spiritual life are at risk.
These groups of people are widely accepted as the inhabitants of the region, and they have also been joined by farmers and pastoralists. The Batwa community can be found in Bwindi National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Echuya Forest Reserve in Kisoro and Kabale, Ituri Forest of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi.
The Batwa are also known as the ‘’pygmies’’ who are considered uncivilized because of their hunting and gathering practices, which has led to discrimination and marginalization. Traditionally, the Batwa have three types of houses: the Omuririmbo, the caves, and the Ichuro. The Omuririmbo and the caves were the two main houses where the Batwa lived. However, Ichuro was basically meant for resting and storing foods such as meat, honey, sorghum, and beans, among others. Interestingly, these were temporary grass-thatched houses that could accommodate around five people at a time.
Another interesting aspect of the Batwa is their special way of burying the dead. When a Mutwa dies, he or she would be buried in a hut after wrapping the corpse in grass. This burial ceremony would involve cleansing the corpse with local herbs such as Omuhanga and Omufumbi, among others. The elders would lead the burial ceremony and motivate all the family members to drink herbal medicines as a way of preventing death from claiming more people.
According to the Batwa community and people, getting pregnant before marriage was highly prohibited. A Mutwa couldn’t marry a non-Mutwa. The parent of a Mutwa boy would go to the family of a Mutwa girl after admiring her qualities. During this visit, they would negotiate the dowry that should be paid to the girl’s family.
Many tourists who have encountered the Batwa community testify to their pride in who they are. The Batwa are content with their lifestyle and are concerned about land grabbers. However, while with this group of the Batwa people, you will be taken through the Buniga cultural walk and village visit, the Batwa experience at Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, or Nkuringo sectors, the Batwa trail done in Mgahinga National Park, and the Batwa authentic cultural experience. All these are unique and fascinating.
The Batwa people have really proven that being authentic and original is worth it all. It has been an exciting encounter for many visitors who come to Bwindi and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks. These groups of people are really nice to be with and will try as much as possible to make you happy and smile while with them.
