KEEPERS OF THE FOREST

 The Batwa are originally forest dwellers who now live in South- Western Uganda in the districts of Bundibugyo, Kabale, Kisoro and Rukungiri. 

A single story as Ngozi Adichie defines it is a single perspective upon which people are viewed. For example, the poor. Poverty and sorrow is their single story. No one cares to think about their jokes or their parties. All we see is "poverty and sorrow". With a single story you can't imagine anything else but that.. you can't imagine talent, wisdom.. because you have concluded at "poverty and sorrow".

This is the Batwa's single story. 

For centuries the Batwa depended on hunting and fruit gathering in the forest. They would sleep in caves, trap small animals and gather fruits. 

In 1992 was when they were evicted from the only home (within the forest) that they knew. This was following the Ugandan government's decision to transform their home [the forests] into conservatories, parks etc.

These people depended on the forest for food, but also for medicinal herbs to keep them healthy. They have a spiritual and religious connection with the forest, and were known as “The Keepers of the Forest” for thousands of years. They lived peacefully within the forest, among the creatures (including the famous mountain gorillas that I visited this area to see).

Fast forward to today. Batwa now live on the periphery of their ancestral forest land in extreme poverty.

The Batwa now dance for tourists and share their culture for a living.

The Batwa dancing for tourists. 

A young Batwa man showing a tourist how they would make fires while in the forest.

THE END- not

When I went to meet the Batwa for the first time, I saw poverty but I saw smiles as well. Girls around 15-17 years of ages were kidding around curious to see who had arrived. The elders [ also the lead dancers] seemed to be really happy! It was beautiful to see this glimmer in their eyes as they danced. Stomping their feet and lifting their hands! 

Joy.

The Batwa are hard workers who work joyfully! Even though they are discriminated against and were forced to live in this poverty. They do not resent.. Instead the Batwa work, they learn what they can, and the little they have is contributed to the whole community.

These people are connected with nature too. I remember on our trip we saw the children running through the fields, playing with chameleons, fetching water from the stream at the bottom of the hill.. explorers they are! You can see that they truly can't get bored out there :)

The people I met surprised me. You see they were like me! They listened to music too. They told jokes.

 The Batwa didn't fit into my single story. They didn't weep, they danced. The people I met smiled and laughed more than I did! They told stories, drank, worked. 

KEEPERS OF THE FOREST