Thursday, May 3, 2018
AT HOME
As the camp is being left, villages are being re-built. Happy families are excited to begin living in their ancestral home after more than a decade in displacement. A look at the new homes makes one see the difference of life in the camp and that at home
Even the children are happy. They look more healthy than when they were in the camp
The Acholi people are primarily peasant farmers. Most of the activiteis is at subsistence level. A family grows a variety of crops and also keeps some animals. A man gets up early morning goes to his garden then comes back before midday to attend to his animals
Fruit trees are becoming popular in this part of Uganda
Arable land is so extensive that the Acholi are sometimes suspicious that other people would want to grab it. It so much valued because it is our only visible wealth. The picture below shows part of this land. It is about 120 kilometres from Pagak.As you can see, this land has not been unoccupied. It extends for more than 80km in length and breath. If we had the neccessary technology and adequate resources we would have no reason for living in poverty. This land could be used for growing all sorts of tropical crops and even for livestock rearing.
Even where there are forests, the vegetation is not able to iterrupt farming.
WEEP NOT MOTHER Part Two
This poem is dedicated to all the people in Northern Uganda who have undergone a bitter civil strife.
--Jokondino Okema
WEEP NOT, MOTHER
(by Jokondino)
(Part One)
Don't cry mother please don't weep;
When the beasts storm your house.
Keep quiet and don't utter a word,
Like a sheep being led to the abattoir,
Don't say anything it's useless.
Keep your mouth shut oh dear,
When the villains accuse your man,
Of a crime he did:t commit,
And when they condemn him,
Keep quiet for it's useless.
Like Nero, the Roman emperor,
Or Goliath the fierce Philistine,
The monsters quench their thirst,
With nothing but human blood
Useless mother don't cry it's no use,
And as they chop him into pieces
With King Xerxes's sword oh mother,
Or crush his head with clubs my dear,
Or blow up his skull with a bullet mother,
Say nothing please for it's no use.
Sob not mother don't sob it's useless
As in a pool of the red fluid lies he
Struggling in vain for dear his life
Hoarsely grunting like a pig,Do not moan
For no one will help you;It is useless.
Like the crow that swoops at the chick,
And gets away with itwhile the hen wails
So do the bastards do to fellow humans
In their hands lies the power of life and death
Weep not mother it's useless very useless
Gone is he mother to the world underneath
Crossed the bridge has he,The great great bridge
Where he knows not sorrow nor painIn the abode of his fathers long gone is he;
Mother, war isn't a weeding, no ,it isn't.
Courage mama when your only treasure,
The fruit of your bosom, falls victim;
When the apple of your eye is picked.
And made a slave in his own land,
Courage mother for that is war.
Why cry mother when no one will listen?
Why keep sobbing now that he's taken?
Why all the wails that wear you down?
The grass suffers as the elephants fight;
Courage mother just courage.
Courage mother, courage please,
When with long ropes they tightly bind him,
His small head laden with goods
His young feet so bare from toe to heel;
Yet he must travel deep into the jungles.
Courage mother when with whips
They lash him right in your face
Because he can:t move;
Caring less for his age
Courage mother only courage.
Keep your mind off it mother,
As he goes on empty stomach,
Like Muslims during the Ramadan,
Or Jesus in the wilderness,
Endure it mother, a man must suffer
Even when by fierce thorns he is cut,
Or by the jungle nestles he is stung,
Courage mother, courage,
Though the bare ground be his bed
And his hands his blanket
Mind not about it mother, don't mind.
Even when like his father he's treated,
And unto dust he returns, calm down.
Jacob too stopped worrying over Joseph;
So did Job having lost all he had;
Calm down mother, calm down.
A toothless lion are you mother, dear
Widowed and mother not to a soul ,
Neither brother nor sister have you,
Crippled by your fast advancing age,
Nothing you can do, nothing completely.
No one will avenge your son's death
Or that of his father; forget it
Neither our courts nor that abroad,
In the Hague is powerful enough
To pay you for your great loss.
So calm down and stop crying mother;
Do not cry for what you can't change;
Wipe your tears and weep no more;
For thsee ills forgive and forget all;
True,this is the world in which we live.
--Jokondino Okema
WEEP NOT, MOTHER
(by Jokondino)
(Part One)
Don't cry mother please don't weep;
When the beasts storm your house.
Keep quiet and don't utter a word,
Like a sheep being led to the abattoir,
Don't say anything it's useless.
Keep your mouth shut oh dear,
When the villains accuse your man,
Of a crime he did:t commit,
And when they condemn him,
Keep quiet for it's useless.
Like Nero, the Roman emperor,
Or Goliath the fierce Philistine,
The monsters quench their thirst,
With nothing but human blood
Useless mother don't cry it's no use,
And as they chop him into pieces
With King Xerxes's sword oh mother,
Or crush his head with clubs my dear,
Or blow up his skull with a bullet mother,
Say nothing please for it's no use.
Sob not mother don't sob it's useless
As in a pool of the red fluid lies he
Struggling in vain for dear his life
Hoarsely grunting like a pig,Do not moan
For no one will help you;It is useless.
Like the crow that swoops at the chick,
And gets away with itwhile the hen wails
So do the bastards do to fellow humans
In their hands lies the power of life and death
Weep not mother it's useless very useless
Gone is he mother to the world underneath
Crossed the bridge has he,The great great bridge
Where he knows not sorrow nor painIn the abode of his fathers long gone is he;
Mother, war isn't a weeding, no ,it isn't.
Courage mama when your only treasure,
The fruit of your bosom, falls victim;
When the apple of your eye is picked.
And made a slave in his own land,
Courage mother for that is war.
Why cry mother when no one will listen?
Why keep sobbing now that he's taken?
Why all the wails that wear you down?
The grass suffers as the elephants fight;
Courage mother just courage.
Courage mother, courage please,
When with long ropes they tightly bind him,
His small head laden with goods
His young feet so bare from toe to heel;
Yet he must travel deep into the jungles.
Courage mother when with whips
They lash him right in your face
Because he can:t move;
Caring less for his age
Courage mother only courage.
Keep your mind off it mother,
As he goes on empty stomach,
Like Muslims during the Ramadan,
Or Jesus in the wilderness,
Endure it mother, a man must suffer
Even when by fierce thorns he is cut,
Or by the jungle nestles he is stung,
Courage mother, courage,
Though the bare ground be his bed
And his hands his blanket
Mind not about it mother, don't mind.
Even when like his father he's treated,
And unto dust he returns, calm down.
Jacob too stopped worrying over Joseph;
So did Job having lost all he had;
Calm down mother, calm down.
A toothless lion are you mother, dear
Widowed and mother not to a soul ,
Neither brother nor sister have you,
Crippled by your fast advancing age,
Nothing you can do, nothing completely.
No one will avenge your son's death
Or that of his father; forget it
Neither our courts nor that abroad,
In the Hague is powerful enough
To pay you for your great loss.
So calm down and stop crying mother;
Do not cry for what you can't change;
Wipe your tears and weep no more;
For thsee ills forgive and forget all;
True,this is the world in which we live.
WEEP NOT MOTHER Part One
This poem is dedicated to all the people in Northern Uganda who have undergone a bitter civil strife.
--Jokondino Okema
WEEP NOT, MOTHER
(by Jokondino)
(Part One)
Don't cry mother please don't weep;
When the beasts storm your house.
Keep quiet and don't utter a word,
Like a sheep being led to the abattoir,
Don't say anything it's useless.
Keep your mouth shut oh dear,
When the villains accuse your man,
Of a crime he did:t commit,
And when they condemn him,
Keep quiet for it's useless.
Like Nero, the Roman emperor,
Or Goliath the fierce Philistine,
The monsters quench their thirst,
With nothing but human blood
Useless mother don't cry it's no use,
And as they chop him into pieces
With King Xerxes's sword oh mother,
Or crush his head with clubs my dear,
Or blow up his skull with a bullet mother,
Say nothing please for it's no use.
Sob not mother don't sob it's useless
As in a pool of the red fluid lies he
Struggling in vain for dear his life
Hoarsely grunting like a pig,Do not moan
For no one will help you;It is useless.
Like the crow that swoops at the chick,
And gets away with itwhile the hen wails
So do the bastards do to fellow humans
In their hands lies the power of life and death
Weep not mother it's useless very useless
Gone is he mother to the world underneath
Crossed the bridge has he,The great great bridge
Where he knows not sorrow nor painIn the abode of his fathers long gone is he;
Mother, war isn't a weeding, no ,it isn't.
Courage mama when your only treasure,
The fruit of your bosom, falls victim;
When the apple of your eye is picked.
And made a slave in his own land,
Courage mother for that is war.
Why cry mother when no one will listen?
Why keep sobbing now that he's taken?
Why all the wails that wear you down?
The grass suffers as the elephants fight;
Courage mother just courage.
Courage mother, courage please,
When with long ropes they tightly bind him,
His small head laden with goods
His young feet so bare from toe to heel;
Yet he must travel deep into the jungles.
Courage mother when with whips
They lash him right in your face
Because he can:t move;
Caring less for his age
Courage mother only courage.
Keep your mind off it mother,
As he goes on empty stomach,
Like Muslims during the Ramadan,
Or Jesus in the wilderness,
Endure it mother, a man must suffer
Even when by fierce thorns he is cut,
Or by the jungle nestles he is stung,
Courage mother, courage,
Though the bare ground be his bed
And his hands his blanket
Mind not about it mother, don't mind.
Even when like his father he's treated,
And unto dust he returns, calm down.
Jacob too stopped worrying over Joseph;
So did Job having lost all he had;
Calm down mother, calm down.
A toothless lion are you mother, dear
Widowed and mother not to a soul ,
Neither brother nor sister have you,
Crippled by your fast advancing age,
Nothing you can do, nothing completely.
No one will avenge your son's death
Or that of his father; forget it
Neither our courts nor that abroad,
In the Hague is powerful enough
To pay you for your great loss.
So calm down and stop crying mother;
Do not cry for what you can't change;
Wipe your tears and weep no more;
For thsee ills forgive and forget all;
True,this is the world in which we live.
--Jokondino Okema
WEEP NOT, MOTHER
(by Jokondino)
(Part One)
Don't cry mother please don't weep;
When the beasts storm your house.
Keep quiet and don't utter a word,
Like a sheep being led to the abattoir,
Don't say anything it's useless.
Keep your mouth shut oh dear,
When the villains accuse your man,
Of a crime he did:t commit,
And when they condemn him,
Keep quiet for it's useless.
Like Nero, the Roman emperor,
Or Goliath the fierce Philistine,
The monsters quench their thirst,
With nothing but human blood
Useless mother don't cry it's no use,
And as they chop him into pieces
With King Xerxes's sword oh mother,
Or crush his head with clubs my dear,
Or blow up his skull with a bullet mother,
Say nothing please for it's no use.
Sob not mother don't sob it's useless
As in a pool of the red fluid lies he
Struggling in vain for dear his life
Hoarsely grunting like a pig,Do not moan
For no one will help you;It is useless.
Like the crow that swoops at the chick,
And gets away with itwhile the hen wails
So do the bastards do to fellow humans
In their hands lies the power of life and death
Weep not mother it's useless very useless
Gone is he mother to the world underneath
Crossed the bridge has he,The great great bridge
Where he knows not sorrow nor painIn the abode of his fathers long gone is he;
Mother, war isn't a weeding, no ,it isn't.
Courage mama when your only treasure,
The fruit of your bosom, falls victim;
When the apple of your eye is picked.
And made a slave in his own land,
Courage mother for that is war.
Why cry mother when no one will listen?
Why keep sobbing now that he's taken?
Why all the wails that wear you down?
The grass suffers as the elephants fight;
Courage mother just courage.
Courage mother, courage please,
When with long ropes they tightly bind him,
His small head laden with goods
His young feet so bare from toe to heel;
Yet he must travel deep into the jungles.
Courage mother when with whips
They lash him right in your face
Because he can:t move;
Caring less for his age
Courage mother only courage.
Keep your mind off it mother,
As he goes on empty stomach,
Like Muslims during the Ramadan,
Or Jesus in the wilderness,
Endure it mother, a man must suffer
Even when by fierce thorns he is cut,
Or by the jungle nestles he is stung,
Courage mother, courage,
Though the bare ground be his bed
And his hands his blanket
Mind not about it mother, don't mind.
Even when like his father he's treated,
And unto dust he returns, calm down.
Jacob too stopped worrying over Joseph;
So did Job having lost all he had;
Calm down mother, calm down.
A toothless lion are you mother, dear
Widowed and mother not to a soul ,
Neither brother nor sister have you,
Crippled by your fast advancing age,
Nothing you can do, nothing completely.
No one will avenge your son's death
Or that of his father; forget it
Neither our courts nor that abroad,
In the Hague is powerful enough
To pay you for your great loss.
So calm down and stop crying mother;
Do not cry for what you can't change;
Wipe your tears and weep no more;
For thsee ills forgive and forget all;
True,this is the world in which we live.
MUSIC FESTIVALS
This year's themes were: 1- Go to school, Back to school and Stay in school. Go to school appeals to children who have not gone to school for whatever reason to go. Back to school urges those who for one reason or the other left school to return to school; while Stay in school encourages those in school to stay till they complete their studies. 2- The other theme was Good Sanitation Better Living. The Ministry appeals to the public though the children's festival activities to improve their living standards through better sanitation.
Each school had to prepare 10 items for competition. Four of the ten items were not to reflect the themes. viz: Traditional Folk song,Traditional folk dance, Instrumental composition and Sight Singing. The festival is a real time of festivity. It is also a time for learning for the students at school, teachers and the community.
PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER
As people leave the camps I'm sure there are happenings they will live to remember. Some of the obvious things they will not forget :
Other fires however were deliberately set by the notoriuos rebels. If they found time to sneek into the camps, they would turn their anger to the civilians whom they were not able to get and set their huts ablaze. At times this would happen when grass for thatching the huts were not available. The affected families would suffer. Thanks to some of our leaders. They would immediately look round for humanitarian agencies to come in to help. Our churches didn't keep quiet either.
The unfortunate people would be left with barely anything to sustain life. Clothes, beddings, cooking and eating utensils would be lost to the fire. Even the little food they might have would all be swept by the blaze. It's not a pleasant experience.
If people continue to remembr these experiences then they should also remember that war is not a weeding party. Once out of it , we shouldn't get into it forever and ever.
- inadequacy of food,
- lack of other basic neccessities
Other fires however were deliberately set by the notoriuos rebels. If they found time to sneek into the camps, they would turn their anger to the civilians whom they were not able to get and set their huts ablaze. At times this would happen when grass for thatching the huts were not available. The affected families would suffer. Thanks to some of our leaders. They would immediately look round for humanitarian agencies to come in to help. Our churches didn't keep quiet either.
The unfortunate people would be left with barely anything to sustain life. Clothes, beddings, cooking and eating utensils would be lost to the fire. Even the little food they might have would all be swept by the blaze. It's not a pleasant experience.
If people continue to remembr these experiences then they should also remember that war is not a weeding party. Once out of it , we shouldn't get into it forever and ever.
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
ALCOHOL
In every society people take alcohol. But I have not found a community where alcohol is accepted as a completely good thing. Apart from consumers of this drug, most people regard alcohol as an unwanted substance.
In Acholi traditional society, alcohol was used. The manner in which is was consumed, the occasion for it and its preparation differs from what it is now. Acholi people used to prepare their drink from millet flour which they would allow to ferment, roast then mix with water to ferment again for two days. It was then filtered.and served. This is kwete. It was a good drink; taken by elderly men in their late 40's and above. Drinks were taken on occasions like after communal work, at funerals,to welcome guests, at marriage ceremonies or at any other important ritual. In most cases alcohol was not consumed for mere passing time. There was a meaning and a reason for it. Youngsters, the youth and women were not usually part of the drinking crew.
The manner in which alcohol is used this days is not at all pleasing to sober minds. The kind of drink taken, drives one crazy
Today people in this land take both local brew alongside modern ones. Local brew includes cassava gin called arege. It is made from cassava flour more or less the way kwete is brewed but is distilled after fermentation. Another local brew which has high market in the camps is made from bananas. It is " imported" from south-western Uganda. Kesese-kasese is its name It is a more potent gin which drives young men crazy. It's their favorite.
The traumatic time that our young men experienced because of the long war is responsible for their irresponsible drinking habit. School drop-outs see no value in life; so take to drinking. Men whose families have broken also bury their frustration in booze. Jobless youths who have undergone some education do fall prey to the "culture"
It can not go without say that the women-folk do not drink. A good many of them too make up the crew. Some young women whose families have broken, or are frustrated in life make friends with the glass.
I have mentioned local brew. Modern drinks also play some role in the drinking arena. The most commonly consumed type of drink in this case are the drinks packed in sackets.There are many of them. This kind of packaging is the most damaging because is easy to carry. Students carry it to class un-noticed. Drivers love it because no one notices they are carrying something. Even some people in offices love it so much.
As our people return home, the youth especislly should :
-JOKONDINO-
'
In Acholi traditional society, alcohol was used. The manner in which is was consumed, the occasion for it and its preparation differs from what it is now. Acholi people used to prepare their drink from millet flour which they would allow to ferment, roast then mix with water to ferment again for two days. It was then filtered.and served. This is kwete. It was a good drink; taken by elderly men in their late 40's and above. Drinks were taken on occasions like after communal work, at funerals,to welcome guests, at marriage ceremonies or at any other important ritual. In most cases alcohol was not consumed for mere passing time. There was a meaning and a reason for it. Youngsters, the youth and women were not usually part of the drinking crew.
The manner in which alcohol is used this days is not at all pleasing to sober minds. The kind of drink taken, drives one crazy
Today people in this land take both local brew alongside modern ones. Local brew includes cassava gin called arege. It is made from cassava flour more or less the way kwete is brewed but is distilled after fermentation. Another local brew which has high market in the camps is made from bananas. It is " imported" from south-western Uganda. Kesese-kasese is its name It is a more potent gin which drives young men crazy. It's their favorite.
| A youth collapses after dinking |
The traumatic time that our young men experienced because of the long war is responsible for their irresponsible drinking habit. School drop-outs see no value in life; so take to drinking. Men whose families have broken also bury their frustration in booze. Jobless youths who have undergone some education do fall prey to the "culture"
It can not go without say that the women-folk do not drink. A good many of them too make up the crew. Some young women whose families have broken, or are frustrated in life make friends with the glass.
I have mentioned local brew. Modern drinks also play some role in the drinking arena. The most commonly consumed type of drink in this case are the drinks packed in sackets.There are many of them. This kind of packaging is the most damaging because is easy to carry. Students carry it to class un-noticed. Drivers love it because no one notices they are carrying something. Even some people in offices love it so much.
As our people return home, the youth especislly should :
- be made aware of the dangers of alcohol,
- be engaged in some productive work,
- have some other varried leisure activities.
- be engaged in some skill training programmes and
- for those still able be re-absorbed in formal schools.
-JOKONDINO-
'
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It is unfortunate though that some old people (like tho one below) and disabled persons have been finding it difficult to return home. As the saying goes"With God nothing is impossible," humanitarian agencies like American Refugee Committee International, have facilitated these people in going home. Those still in the camp will one day also go.home.