That was very unexpected turn of events and has kept me both busy and entertained all weekend!
So to summarise, I've been to a lovely spa hotel, attended a Wales / Uganda school partnership presentation evening, been to (and clapped a lot during ) church, played a variety of new drinking games, watched a local rugby game, been taught how to eat sugar cane 'like one of the boys', been to the Wales Beauty and Health Hair Clinic, attended a graduation party, been roped into talking at a school assembly, gone for two curries and made some wonderful new friends as well as catching up with old ones.
It's been a brilliant weekend which I'll write about again, but in the meantime, I thought this little anecdote may amuse you...
Boys / men,
Even if you claim aren't the type to cry at the end of Marley and Me (Bet you all had a lump in your throat though, how could you not?), I bet this will make your eyes water.
If you look up Mbale in any travel book, you will, without a shadow of doubt, find about about the Bagisu ceremony that happens during every even year.
I was content with the knowledge I had gained from Bradt's Guide to Uganda on the subject. I certainly wasn't expecting to have a conversation about it over lunch.
It went like this.
(Polite chit chat whilst radio plays in background)
Him : do you like this music?
Me : um, I'm not sure I'd pay to download it from iTunes but yeah. It's alright I suppose.
Him : (looks confused) it's traditional local music from this area.
Me : yeah? Is it a famous local band?
Him : yes. It's from the traditional ceremony when boys become men in front of their friends and families by having their penis circumcised.
Me : (stops eating)
Him : it's a shame you aren't here in August. You could see then for yourself what happens. It's good fun. Anyone can turn up and watch. Anyone.
Me : (having regained composure, pushes lunch to side) Oh. Right. Um. That really still goes on then?
Him : (with enthusiasm) Oh yes! I had my ceremony when I was 18. It was a great privilege.
Me : (crossing my legs and wincing on behalf of all the men I know) But. Didn't it? You know? Hurt? Like, loads?
Him : oh no, it din't hurt. It made me very happy. I was a man then.
I need to tell you what the ceremony entails now.
* Boys march to circumcision ground with whistling and cheering crowd, wearing only ash on their face.
* Boys line up holding their arms rigid in front of them, clasping a stick.
* Boys MUST stand motionless and expressionless throughout.
* Circumsiser (now there's a job title you don't see very often), "makes three bold cuts around the foreskin to remove it from the penis.
* When the operation is complete, a whistle is blown and the initiate raises his hand triumphantly on the air, proudly displaying his bloodied member to an ululating crowd. Any initiate who cries out during the procedure is branded a coward".
(Explanation courtesy of Bradt)
So girls, next time any men in your life complain about man flu, tell them to man up.
It could be worse.
They could be Ugandan.
(Or English next Saturday)
X
Photos
Lesson on how to eat sugar cane
Mbale Elephants playing rugby. Have a look at the posts!
Sue, Alex and me at the rugby ( how brave am I - a photo of me with no make up on. Maybe I am turning into a hippy after all!)
The PONT Welshies leaving.
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