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Category Archives: Culture
The T-shirt Debacle (Alcohol law launch: the messy version)
The night before the big public launch of our alcohol law, I biked down Juba road, ticking off tasks in my head, moving past the road-side dusk activity, maize roasting, weaving motorbikes. Official speakers ready to talk, tick. Donation of … Continue reading
Posted in alcohol, community organizing, Culture
8 Comments
Messy meetings
Our big Wakonye Kenwa meetings always make me a bit anxious. The trickiest part comes before the meeting even starts. Unable to kick my western habit, I always arrive on time. After about 20-25 minutes, your early birds arrive. After … Continue reading
Posted in community organizing, Culture, Lifestyle
3 Comments
What’s in a name?
Names are a fascinating part of culture everywhere. Here, kids are traditionally named according to the circumstances of their birth, usually their mother’s circumstances. As you can imagine given that pregnancy and birth is quite tough at the best of … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Language
7 Comments
First Christmas
I’ll admit, I’ve been pretty homesick in the last few weeks. My thoughts have flicked to far-away family and friends, leafy streets in Bryndwr and everyone wonderful who lives there, St Tims, and the Southern Alps a bit too often. … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Interpersonal, Lifestyle, Update
4 Comments
I was a bit stuck for what to do in language class today, until the obvious dawned on me. Why not describe (in Acoli of course) what happens at Christmas in New Zealand, and compare it to what happens in … Continue reading
Give More for the Floor!
The collection counting was complete, and there was only 1150 shillings (60 cents) in the middle ‘construction’ basket. Although the other two ‘general’ collection baskets had more, the lady counting the ‘construction’ basket was extremely disappointed. She took it upon … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Religion
3 Comments
Coke dominates Uganda
Per litre, ‘soda’ is at least as expensive in Uganda as in New Zealand, and coca cola has the soda market locked down. About two New Zealand Dollars for 1.5 litres, and no Pak-n-save specials in sight. That’s about the … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Economics
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Staying alone, together
Nick leaving for his tropical medicine course was a major bonding point with my neighbours. My wonderful neighbours are female, and they all have little babies. Allegedly, there are husbands. I’ve made a couple of sightings of these rare specimens, … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Lifestyle
7 Comments
David Attenborough take a back seat
https://vimeo.com/73240788 Well not really, but here’s a nature clip of the famous ‘white ants’, complete with extremely poor (if mildly amusing) commentary. People go a bit nuts for this local delicacy when a swarm comes. Children are everywhere with lamps … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Lifestyle, Nature
5 Comments
Glimpse at a Worldview
Here’s a fascinating and somewhat chilling article about “demon attack” on school students. Many believe the demons are “spirits of those who were brutally murdered during the brutal two decades of war”. http://www.acholitimes.com/index.php/8-acholi-news/1637-ten-pupils-admitted-to-hospital-as-demons-attack-olya-primary-school-in-atiak-sub-county Whatever you might believe about this personally, … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Religion
2 Comments
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