Tooro Culture (Holy Cross Cultural Presentation)

Holy Cross performance group posing after the presentation

It was in the context of Tooro culture. The presentation rotated around notions; Marriage, Reconciliation and Laziness. It showed how marriage is valued in Tooro, how laziness is disastrous to family life and how reconciliation championed by elders is important in restoration of family bonds.

The cultural dance was a story about a young man who loved and married a young beautiful lady. Unfortunately after producing two children the lady became lazy and the sole efforts of the man were insufficient to sustain the family materially. Laziness is unwelcomed in Tooro culture. The man sought work abroad and left the family in abject poverty. This called for attention of elders in the clan who traced him and by counseling and encouragement won the man back to his home. It is on that day that he came with food and clothes for his wife and children who became overjoyed at catching sight of him.

The act of the mother presenting   her daughter for marriage, was symbolizing the vivid truth that in Tooro culture parents are directly involved in the marriage of their daughter. Presently this value is being overlooked especially by the so called educated boys and girls, but church weddings trace again for the consent of the parents of the girl.

In their dance, they use Engarabi (Long drum), embutu, Orunyege(rattles), and raffia skirts (ebikwizi). The engarabi and orunyenge are normally played by men and ebikwizi are strictly for girls. Well harmonized, a foreigner would pay a million shiilings to be allowed to watch this beautiful dance. 

Thank you for being a persistent leader. Come to Tooro you will see the remaining.

Maliyamungu 

Holy Cross