The Pearl of Africa

Did you know that a natural pearl begins its life as a foreign object, which accidentally gets stuck in an oyster’s soft inner body? To ease the pain the oyster creates a smooth, hard crystalline substance around the foreign intruder. This will eventually create the beautiful gem called a pearl. Miraculous how something so lovely and beautiful can be the result of pain. Another thing about pearls is the fact that they are hidden. They are not so easily discovered where they are deep into the ocean, concealed in an oysters shell. Unlike gemstones which must be cut and polished to bring out their beauty, the pearls need no such treatment to reveal their magnificence. They are natural beauties!                                                                                               

Why all this blabbing about pearls? Well I’ve been thinking that every name has its meaning. When you give a name to someone or something you give it according to your impression of it. This means that a name often describes some characteristics reflecting its owner. After being 7 months in Uganda I have gotten many experiences helping me understand why the country is called the pearl of Africa. Let me share some of them with you.

Like I said a pearl is born out of pain. Now the history of Uganda reveals tremendous suffering and trials. It has taken a long journey to become what the country is today. Its people have endured colonization, the independence war, unstable governments, the terror rule of Idi Amin, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, poverty, debt, the 20 year old civil war between LRA (Lord Ressistance Army) and the government resulting in 30 000 child soldiers traumatized for life, corruption…the list is long. One would think that all of this would be unbearable, that the people and the culture would simply fade away. But that is not the case. The Ugandans have endured, they have kept their cultures alive and moved on to become the inspiring people they are today. In other words a painful history has eventually created a beautiful pearl of a country. Now what is so beautiful about it?

One thing which has fascinated me about Uganda is that despite the small size of the country it is so rich on culture. I have lived in the south and travelled to the west, east and north. Every place you go is different and unique from the previous one you’ve been. There is Kampala which is always busy, the streets are never empty. You can actually tell the time at night without a watch, just by listening to the noises outside. Disco music means somewhere between ten and three, stray dogs barking means the time is between three and four, cries from the mosques means it’s five and the rooster crowing means it’s 6 and the Ugandans start roaming the streets again! Then there is the west which is coated in beautiful green hills and lakes. You can see volcanoes, go for boat trips, go gorilla tracking in the mountains and the night is so dark and clear you can see the Milky Way. It is so peaceful. Then you have the north, which is hotter than the other places. This is where you find the national parks with elephants and all sorts of animals, including beautiful waterfalls. The people of the north have been through a lot. The LRA ravaged the north and most of the child soldiers were kidnapped from the northern districts. Many therefore struggle with traumas. Yet the history has not managed to remove the smiles of their faces. At last the east which is also hot and has many mountains you can climb. The point is that every place is different which makes the country extremely interesting. There are so many tribes and languages I don’t know in how many ways I’ve been taught how to greet during our travels. Every tribe has its own dances and traditions. Even the food varies from district to district.

      

Another thing, which I consider the true beauty of Uganda, is the hospitality of its people. I came as a stranger yet they never hesitated to welcome me into their lives. They meet you with open hearts and take care of you as if you were one of them. They are always concerned with your well being. It is difficult to explain and definitely something which needs to be experienced in order to fully understand. Let me just say that despite the fact I was far away from home and the well known, they made me feel at home and made me feel loved. It has made me think about how we welcome newcomers in our own culture. It is not easy to be “the new one” here. We are sceptical and keep to our own business. My impression is that we still have a lot to learn when it comes to hospitality.

     

It is true that pearls are not easily discovered. At first Uganda may seem somehow chaotic. People everywhere at all times, the shouting of Mzungu every time you go out, crazy traffic…things may seem out of control at first. But if you give it time you discover the beauty of the country and of the people. You discover that people don’t keep to themselves inside but enjoy the fellowship with each other on the streets. Yes they do call you Mzungu, but after a while you become their Mzungu, and if you give it even more time they will call you by your name or even give you a local name (my names were Birungi and Nalubega, from two different tribes).  The traffic is crazy, but it gets you where you want, and you can have many interesting conversations in the crammed taxis! My experience is that beauty takes time to discover. But once you have discovered it you will find things charming rather than annoying!

In Latin pearl means unique. It is exactly what I’ve found Uganda to be: unique. An experience unlike any other.