Culture of Uganda

Culture of Uganda

Discover the heritage and culture of Uganda with tips from our experts.

A highlight on your Uganda tour is meeting the friendly and open-minded people.

The Ugandan culture is a fusion of its many ethnic peoples – from the Bantu speaking people around Lake Kyoga to the Lango and Acholi people in the north and the Iteso and Karamojong in the east. You will also find pygmy communities in the same rainforests where you might enjoy gorilla trekking in Uganda.

The official languages are English and Swahili but many Ugandans speak Luganda or one of thirty other native languages. The majority of Uganda are Christian and there are few returning Asian people with their Sikh and Hindu faiths after Idi Amin’s expulsion of them four decades ago. Even with conventional faith, many Ugandans practice traditional belief systems simultaneously.

The elderly are revered in Uganda and are given a special title, mzee. Men wear the national dress of the kanzu, whilst women wear gomesi, a sash-tied dress with exaggerated shoulders or a busuti, a floor-length dress, introduced by the European missionaries.

Ugandan people are conservative when it comes to public affection and are non-confrontational, even during dancing, an important part of the culture. The Basoga people have a lovely dance called Tamenhaibunga that literally translates as ‘good friends drink together and don’t fight in case they break the gourd holding the drink’! Football is popular in Uganda and is also the national sport.

Top Uganda Travel Tips – Culture

• Ensure you wash your hands before eating a meal if you are invited home during one of our Uganda tours.
• Witness Kiganda, a renowned dance where performers swoop low to a drum beat is a skilled dance. There are different versions based on the occasion.

The Enchanting Travels team look forward to welcoming you on a private and tailor-made Uganda vacation.