Introduction-party and rafting Ugandan style !

The weekend is over, and wonderful moments created. During this weekend all the 12 Hald-mzungus where gathered in Kampala, and we have had a lot of fun ! Thursday afternoon we got surprised by Hanna Charlotte and Benedicte hiding in our apartment, and later the same evening we welcomed the two boys from Lira; Eivind and Håkon. Our tiny-winy apartment with tree rooms had no other choice then to enclose 6 persons – Narrow but very, very cozy with visitors !

The main reason all the students was gathered in Kampala this weekend was because of a introduction (engagement-party) some of us should attend this Saturday. For this big happening all of the 6 Norwegian girls had got our own traditional dress; the gomes – A colorful, silky dress from top to toe ! With a skirt to promote enormous buts and pads for wide shoulders we looked “so smart”, as the Ugandans says (Not meaning smart as clever, but smart as goodlooking). After dressing up all the 6 african-mzunguz looked colorful clowns, ready for a engagement-party Ugandan style !

If we knew the couple ? No, not at all, we had met the man once, but it was very exciting to attend such a big traditional happening anyway. We had no idea what this day would bring, but as soon as we got our gomeses on we knew at least that this would be a very HOT day… The introduction found place in a village 1 hour away from Kampala, as the Ugandan said (it was at least 3 hours). In the garden to the lady’s parents, under three party-tents in front of their house all of the 200 guests were gathered and able to see the “stage” in the middle. Sitting beside the speaker this turned out to be an NOICY experience and also a bit challenging for the impatient Helene Jørgensen...

The sermoni was not as we are used to in Norway; lasting for about one hour. No, not at all, this ceremony lasted for 4 hours (!), speaking in luganda ! To the Ugandans big despair it also started to rain during the ceremony - A totaly crisis since the Ugandans are allergic to the rain it seems… So, we could not understand much but from what we could observe it seems to be a play somehow, where the bride’s brothers and sisters/friends played most of the roles; walking to the "stage" with their dancing moves, slowly - in and out of the house into the garden, sitting on a mat and got interviewed by the speaker. The aunties had after all the leading role sice it’s their task to teach the comming bride to be a representative wife and being able to satisfy her husband in every way... It's not combarable but to “hand over” the daughter (as in the western culture is the fathers tasks) is the aunties job here in Uganda.

Pretty much like this for 4 hours, sitting on the mat. The bride is sitting to the right.

During the sermoni we, as the comming husbands' guests was helping to bring all the presents to his father in law; like a present for getting  to marry his daughter. As ladies we had to carry the presents on our heads, and the men brought the animals and the heavy presents. Many tens of baskets with food, bags of rice and flour, soda, beer, chickens, couches and one leg from an cow was a part of the gifts from the grom to his in-laws.

Oh yeah ! The mzungus (white peolpe) have turned african, and we like it !!

As you can see, father in law got many intresting presents. Among them one leg from an cow and two couches.

Toilet Ugandan style - Walls of bamboo.

After about 4 hours the introduction was finally over. Interesting beeing in the audience to this traditional happening, but I don’t think I will participate in many “strangers” engagement-parties from now on. It wasn’t that fun, but very nice to attend one; to observe, feel the the gomes in some hours and also try to go to the toilet with this on, which turned out to be very interesting for us who took the challenge. As earlier mentioned this dress is BIG with a lot of fabric, and the moment sitting behind a bomboo-wall with the view over jungle and mountains was a great moment to remember as the finish of this wedding !

Sporty girls taking the challenge. No privacy - A great moment to reamember !

We have no time to sit still here in Uganda, and we love it that way ! Sunday all the 12 mzungus form Hald went on a rollercoaster down the longest river in the world – rafting down the river Nile ! Pretty awesome surrounded by jungle, baby-crocodiles, major rapids and eating fresh pineapple for lunch. I must have been drinking at least 2 liters of the water, cause in some of the rough areas I got more water in my lunges than oxygen. But anyway; what an wonderful adventure !!

We are more than ready for what this new week will bring of memorable moments !