| | | | | mouth, in the throat, and I feel satisfied when I |
| People Arriving in Uganda for the first time will be | | | | eat it." Though many foreigners beg to differ |
| struck by the sheer volume of Bananas that dot | | | | regarding these perceptions, the majority of the |
| the side of the road on bicycles, piled high in | | | | people who have perceptions, the majority of the |
| trucks on their way to market, eventually | | | | people who have been eating it for more than a |
| creating the mountains that adorn them. The | | | | thousand years vouch for its quality! |
| banana, Musa accuminata and musa balbisiana, is | | | | The edible part of the banana is used not only as |
| perhaps one of the most important crops grown | | | | food, but also as ceremonial gifts and for making |
| in Uganda .The Grate Lakes region has become | | | | locally distilled alcohol called waragi. The actual plant |
| the second centre worldwide for the world's | | | | and its parts passes unique qualities and traits. |
| largest herb second to India - never mind the fact | | | | Many cultural beliefs are derived from them. The |
| that India 's population is approximately fifty times | | | | banana plant is used in a vast bed of local |
| that of Uganda! Uganda alone produces more than | | | | agro-ecological knowledge including medicinal |
| 11 million tones per year, the majority of it locally | | | | remedies. Ailments for which banana plant and it's |
| consumed. Though hard to measure, it is | | | | various parts is a remedy include, upset |
| estimated that the average Ugandans consumes | | | | stomachs, swelling, ulcers laceration, pain |
| more than 400kilos of Bananas each year! | | | | reduction, burns, for inducing labour, for expelling |
| There are many theories that try to explain the | | | | the placenta when it has failed to come out after |
| origin of the Banana. What is Known is that musa | | | | giving birth, reducing flatulence, curing yellow |
| accuminata originated in Malaysia and musa | | | | fever, and even expelling evil spirits which have |
| balbisiana came from India .At some point, | | | | invaded someone's body. However, don't expect |
| perhaps seven well before Mohammed's followers | | | | to find these remedies at Dr. Stockley's surgery. |
| took refuge in Abyssinia the present Ethiopia | | | | When you stroll through the local market and set |
| during the sixth century, these two species of | | | | your eyes upon another stock of Matooke,(Green |
| banana mixed and created a wide diversity of | | | | Bananas) take a moment to reflect on its cultural |
| different species. The majority consensus is that | | | | and historic significance in the land you have now |
| the banana was brought to East Africa via the | | | | set foot in. Uganda sits on an elevated plateau, |
| Swahili culture's trade routes from the orient to | | | | not one of the most agriculturally rich regions of |
| the East African coast. This also partially fits with | | | | the world. With two natural rain seasons, volcanic |
| the Baganda's belief that their ancestral father, | | | | soils, and many other positive factors agricultural |
| Kinto brought the banana from foreign lands | | | | production should excel. However currently, the |
| trekking towards the Great Lake from the | | | | banana faces overwhelming threats from pests |
| Northeast. Historians clearly acknowledge that the | | | | and diseases. The traditional banana growing areas |
| rise of the Baganda civilization, which endured | | | | of the northern lakeshore are no longer capable |
| centuries of propensity was largely due to the | | | | of producing banana as they once did due to |
| pivotal role the banana played in political, social, | | | | environmental degredation and socio-cultural |
| cultural, spiritual, medicinal and economic element | | | | debilitating constraint, such as the inequitable way |
| of Baganda. Since then, the banana has become a | | | | women are faced with too much work ad few |
| cultural core of many different people throughout | | | | livelihood strategies to provide for their families. |
| Uganda particularly the southwest | | | | HIV takes its toll on the labour force; soil erosion |
| To the untrained eye, there is the Yellow dessert | | | | and genetic mining exacerbate the situation. Pests |
| banana, the big ones, and the small ones. There is | | | | such as nematodes and weevils stunt the growth |
| also matooke, which most people commonly | | | | of the Banana. Fusarium wilt, black and yellow |
| mistake for plantain. In truth, there is more than a | | | | sigatoka disease, and the horrid bacteria wilt |
| hundred different species of banana in Uganda, a | | | | devastate banana plantations across the region, |
| dozen of, which are endemic, therefore, unique to | | | | threatening the existence of countless species of |
| this particular region. The Banyankole people of | | | | banana. |
| Uganda believe that the ownership of a banana | | | | Though the growing areas in the southwest have |
| plantation is a symbol of a man's passage to | | | | not been hit as hard yet, their time is coming .The |
| manhood and thus his capacity to marry .Social | | | | banana plant and its rich genetic diversity are |
| prestige is derived from he 'proper' state which | | | | endangered as never before. Collective action and |
| he keeps his plantation it must be 'smart' . A thick | | | | environmental rehabilitation are required to |
| wad of steamed matooke on a dinner plate | | | | reverse this devastating trend, otherwise, the |
| Signifies that the meal is worthy of being called | | | | globe could lose one of its most unique resources |
| 'food'. | | | | and Uganda may face unprecedented food |
| One Muganda man describes matooke(green | | | | shortages. Such a tragedy must be avoided! |
| bananas) as,"....a special food. When you eat it, it is | | | | As you chow down on a bogoya, throw some |
| soft and hot; it feels nice in the mouth. It makes | | | | sukaali ndiizi(sweet yellow bananas) into your picnic |
| me think that I am eating the best. If there is a | | | | lunch, or much on some Gonja at the Karuma pit |
| special function, and there is no matooke, I would | | | | stop on your way to Arua, remember, you are |
| not go. The taste of matooke is smooth in the | | | | biting into Uganda's history and future. |