Awesome African Adventure. Day 9-April 17, 2025

Buhoma Village, Bwindi.

I awoke early and did some blog and caught the first light. 

Went for a walk up the street before the others ventured out.

Back to the house to meet the others. Over to dining area for a cuppa before Ride 4 a Woman “shake off.”

Shake off. This is a morning ritual for all the workers here at Ride 4 a Woman. An opportunity for them to come together to shake off their troubles and prepare for the day.

A very emotional experience- the energy and emotion in the room had all the ‘feels.’

It began with drumming as the team gathered in the sewing room with chairs, bibles, two drums and a shaker (tambourine) the women and men were singing, praying, reading from the Bible, with one of the group taking the lead.

There was singing, dancing, clapping, music, sermon like speaking, The Lord’s Prayer all in local Rukiga language. Eve translated a little for us.

Eve also spoke and invited Suzie to say something. She did a great job, along with a few tears, a word or two about Tricia who taught many of these women to sew. Amazing way to start the day.

Then breakfast before our Batwa and Community Experience tour.

Gerald our guide for this morning was fantastic, his knowledge and ability to impart the information meant we learnt heaps.

The area has Two tribes, the Bachiga (Gerald’s tribe) is the bigger group who came here many years ago and the Batwa Pygmies, who were the original indigenous inhabitants native to the area. The Batwa lived within the forest, fruit picking and making honey. The Bachiga people came in and took over from the Batwa.
In 1991 the Govt pulled the Batwa out of the NP and moved them back to an area where there was no longer any forest. They have had to adapt to live alongside and within by the Bachiga. This was not a happy thing years ago, however the two tribes now live happily together.
The Batwa and Community Experience tour took us to a small piece of forest which has been maintained and allows the Batwa to share their culture while maintaining their privacy where they now live.

We are escorted by two armed guards because neighbouring countries are not as peaceful and safe. (Hirare and Joseph.)

Gerald challenged us to not say hello to people but use the local greeting ‘Agandi’ if someone said it first the response is njje (knee-j). If someone said hello first we could respond in English. A good challenge to make us think.

The Bwindi Impenetrable NP became a World heritage site in 1994. It is 332 square km in
Size. It was at this point in time the Batwa were moved out.

We walked a short distance down the road and into a patch of forest. Here Gerald literally called out “Francis” a few times. Francis and his family appeared from the forest. They are our Batwa guides.
Francis (54) and his wife, Estelle and two kids, Vereena and Moses (29) gave us the best tour through the forest to share their culture with us.
I will let the photos tell the tale I think.

At the end the Batwa tribe performed a traditional dance in a display village, then led us through their small market. We left a communal tip.

We then moved on for a walk/hike which toured us through the Village and farms.

We passed women drying coffee beans, walked through banana farms, visited a small pig project where they are breeding the pigs. This man had 6 pigs. There is a lot of work going on to support the community to work and plan for the future eg. To breed a pig means within 3 months you have many pigs, some to eat, some to sell. Rather than killing to eat or sell only once. At the pig project there were three young girls who gave Gerald a big hug and then us. They were home from school for Easter and the older one had her school books out. All schooling is in English.

Gerald explained that the locals pay 200 shillings for one red brick. This is why so many make their own bricks to build their houses.

Some more local language learnt. Karlee karlee – bye bye

Our next stop was to visit ‘Sandy the man who makes magic happen.’ Sandy makes banana gin with a traditional process passed down through the generations. The final product is 42% alcohol.
Gerald explained to us that there are several types of banana.
Banana for food – long sweet yellow.
Lady fingers – eaten ripe.
Red bananas- eaten ripe.
Gin banana – can’t eat it. Lots of liquid sap which is bitter.
40 bunches needed. Some Sandy purchases from neighbours. The gin bananas need to be forced to
ripen quickly in sun for 3-4 hours. Then sandy digs a pit, then creates a room temperature environment using dry leaves put into the pit for fire. The fire heats the soil which is then covered with fresh green banana leaves then the bananas are heaped into the pit. Then more leaves on top to create an oven. Then buried under with soil for 5 days. Check on day 3 by sticking hand in and feeling the bananas. If too hot then need to cool it down so as to let the bananas prepare for the traditional 5 days.
After 5 days Sandy removes the banana and spread them out. Then places them into the bark canoe. Yet more fresh banana leaves shredded on top.
Then clean feet and stomp on the leaves to press the bananas. And collect the banana juice. Boil the juice and let it cool down. After 3 days it starts fermenting with sorghum to assist the fermentation. Leave it for four days which creates the next stage Tonto = banana beer.
The beer then goes down the river for distillation. Drums on cooking stones. A still. Burn the beer. Double distillation createa the banana gin at 40-42% alcohol. No chemicals at all.
We tasted all three products
Banana juice – ok
Banana beer – a little fizzy
banana Gin – damn potent. Rocket fuel.

Some more language
Cheers – mahisha malefu (life long)
Way ber lee manonga – thanks very much

After our banana gin, we headed on through a eucalyptus plantation.

We met several groups of kids returning from boarding school for Easter. They only look 5 or so. They are carrying their mattress, a small trunk and other stuff. Amazing to see.

Then our last stop at Eliza’s cafe to watch the making of coffee from dried bean to a cup to taste. Ugandan coffee style.

On return to Ride 4 a Woman we had some lunch and sat around out of the rain.

Then we took a drive with Ivan for our Sundowners at Mahogany Springs Lodge. We ordered G&Ts all around and sat on their balcony overlooking the Bwindi Impenetrable NP Forest.
Mary and I tried to photograph a range of birds – some turned out ok. Some not at all but it’s fun trying especially in such a special place as Bwindi with drinks in one of the higher end lodges.

Eventually Ivan took us back to Ride 4 a Woman and we had a cuppa before dinner.

After tea it was back home to watch another episode or two of Missing You before retiring to rooms to shower and get to bed.