overview

Uganda has 56 tribes and about nine other indigenous communities that were formally recognized in the 1995 constitution, amended in 2005. English is the official language of Uganda, though Luganda is the most widely spoken in most parts of the country. Racially, like most parts of Africa, Uganda’s population is increasingly becoming more diverse, especially considering the increasing Asian population, and several European immigrants. Several non-African languages are spoken which include Hindi, French, Arabic, and German, mainly in institutions where they are taught and at embassies.

In America, culture and diversity means many things including race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, politics, religious affiliation, denominational affiliations, geographical area, zip-codes, music tastes, individuality and a multiplicity of other things. However, in Uganda culture and diversity seems to be organized around community and the role one has in a particular community. It is shaped by one’s tribe, language, gender, norms, clans, customs, religion, traditional politics, and academic and economic achievements.

As in most countries, a volunteer’s behavior, lifestyle, background, and beliefs are judged in a cultural context very different from their own. In Uganda, certain personal perspectives or characteristics commonly accepted in the United States may be quite uncommon, unacceptable, or even repressed. Outside of Uganda’s capital, residents of rural communities have had relatively little direct exposure to other cultures, races, religions, and lifestyles.

There are many cultural misconceptions or misrepresentations in the media and on the internet about Africa, as there are many ideas about non-Africans in rural communities. One thing to always keep in mind is that what is often presented as culture in the media may not be the case on the ground, especially concerning the people you will meet or the community you will visit. The best rule when you are in a new culture and do not know what to do, “Do what is considered polite and respectful in your own culture.”

Often, what people view as typical American behavior or norms may be misconceptions, such as the belief that all Americans are rich and have blond hair and blue eyes. It is the same with Uganda. The people of Uganda are justly known for their generous hospitality to foreigners; however, members of the community, in which you will live, may display a range of reactions to cultural differences that you present. To ease the transition and adapt to life in Uganda, you may need to make some temporary, yet fundamental, compromises in how you present yourself as an American and as an individual.

For example, while in America holding hands may signify ‘a romantic’ interest in someone, in Uganda holding hands is a gesture of friendship. It is true in Uganda most people are warm and very friendly and will treat you like you are family. This is more common when you visit a church, a house, working at the school, or riding with our host team. In some cases, total strangers will relate with you as if you have been best friends since high school.

In Uganda, as in most African cultures, people and communities organize around their roles in the family and community. There is a big difference between urban and rural communities. In Uganda tradition, norms, and customs are more evident in rural communities, whereas in the cities everyone seems to be in a hurry and tends to mind their own business just like in most large US cities. This is common in Kampala especially among educated, middle and upper class people.