Uganda is a truly fascinating African country also known under the name “the Pearl of Africa”. The country has many interesting traditions and everyday customs the majority of people doesn’t know about. Many articles devoted to the life of Uganda and its population vividly describe its extreme poverty and point out awful living conditions in which people have to live. We want to show a different Uganda to our readers. Today, we’ll provide the facts about this country that no one knows, thus motivating you to learn more about this African country. Let’s see what these facts are…
Uganda: 8 interesting facts about the Pearl of Africa
1. The country’s natives have 3 meanings for the word “now”
Believe it or not, but the word “now” can have more than one meaning. This is one of the peculiarities distinguishing Uganda from all the rest countries in the world.
If someone says the word “now”, it means that a task should be done in the time period from several hours to several months. Apart from the word “now” one can hear word combinations like “just now” and “now-now” while in Uganda. The first means the time period up to seven hours while the second one is used to refer to very urgent tasks that should be done immediately.
2. It places value on twins
An interesting fact about Uganda is that a woman giving birth to twins is a kind of a special event in this country. All children born in Uganda are valued, but twins are expected to be given double respect. They are given unusual names so that to make them stand out of a crowd, and their parents are granted titles to honor their status. Besides, a holiday is organized to celebrate the fact of twins coming into this world.
3. In Uganda, one will often see crowds of constantly moving people
It’s common for the streets of Uganda to be filled with crowds of people that are constantly moving and going somewhere. If you decide to go somewhere on foot, be ready to go with the flow. This is not an easy challenge because the crowd you’ll move in will consist of thousands of people. Constant movement is a part of Uganda’s lifestyle that’s obvious in its biggest cities.
4. Its taxi drivers try to attract the attention of those visiting the country
Local taxi drivers attract the attention of visitors by calling them a variety of nicknames like Sister, Doctor, Engineer, Aunt and many others. It’s their way of attracting clients that will pay them money for their service. The nickname often or the title they use doesn’t have anything to do with the person it’s applied to. It’s the result of a driver’s creativity and imagination forced by high competition. If you plan to move through the cities of Uganda on a taxi, don’t be surprised to hear taxi drivers calling you fancy names, a fun Uganda fact.
5. Uganda is the country where one can buy anything walking on the streets
Uganda is certainly not the country where one needs to go to malls in order to buy something that he/she needs. While walking the streets of Kampala, it’s possible to buy everything from clothes to foods and even electronics. Locals do not bother to rent places for their shops. Instead, they organize shopping on the streets. This is rather convenient and allows to save a lot of time.
6. The country’s natives eat Rolex
The expensive watch is not what we are talking about here. It’s a special type of food that Uganda natives are totally in love with. The food became so popular among natives that they decided to create a festival to honor it. The festival that is celebrated every year attracts many tourists to the country, thus increasing its popularity as a travel destination.
Ugandan Rolex is a rolled-up omelet with different fillings. One can choose beef, chicken or chapati Rolex, an interesting fact about Uganda. If you happen to be in Uganda, don’t leave without trying the food!
7. Ugandan parents can be irritating
Even though those living in Uganda love their families, sometimes they can hardly bear their parents. Probably, it’s a natural situation that occurs in many families all over the world. There are several reasons why Ugandan children are sometimes annoyed with their parents. Firstly, parents can be very lazy. Sometimes, a parent in Uganda may ask his/her child to bring him/her something even if the thing lies close to him/her. Secondly, children are not supposed to cry while parents spank them. A child crying will in no way motivate a parent to comfort him/her. Thirdly, children are expected to be quiet while parents are arguing with them. By trying to interrupt and tell him/her something, a child will show his/her disrespect for the elder generation.
8. In Uganda, vehicles drive on the left side of the road
Even though the law states that Ugandans should drive only on the left side of the road, many of the locals do not take the official provision seriously. The majority of people drive ether in the middle of the road or on the side that allows them to move faster, an interesting Uganda fact. This is true in big cities of the country where there are lots of cars and other vehicles on the roads. If you plan to rent a car in Uganda, be very careful when driving!
Conclusion
In general, Uganda is a very diverse country that offers a unique experience to anyone who visits it. The diversity is so great there that it can even be felt in the language local people use to communicate with each other. The Pearl of Africa definitely deserves the time and efforts one makes to explore it.
I hope that this article on Uganda facts was helpful! If you are interested, visit the Country Facts Page!
