Some Grand Kwanjula and Wedding in Kampala.

I   watched a show called 'kwanjula' on NBS TV on 29th May 2014. I had stopped somewhere for a meal and the show was on . On this featured occasion,  a radio presenter in Uganda had a kwanjula' and wedding.  The ‘kwanjula ‘ is an occasion in Buganda  where the male groom is introduced by his girlfriend to the girl’s family.  On this particular one, the gentleman interviewed said that he ‘kwanjulaed’   his wife of 12 years. 

I am sure any person from a culture outside Buganda’s and as well outside the modern (or some would say backward?) society that is the Kampala of today would find it very hard to understand what was going on.  I too, struggled to wrap my head around it.  The main reaction I had to the whole show was “What is going on?”   In fact, it took me a good 15 or so minutes of watching the program before I finally believed that this was indeed  a kwajula and not a drama about a 'kwanjula'.   I am Ugandan and have attended very many kwanjulas , so you need to understand that this was an unusual one.
 Bukedde TV had an excerpt of it. Please see the clip below;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEOu3FxBMqU

Back to the review; in the beginning, they showed all these big wigs of Kampala’s political and sub-terrannean bourgeouisie sitting in colourful   gomesis   in  beautiful Moroccan tents. The colors were astounding   and  I will say really beautiful.  Bright yellows, lime greens, bright and flashy oranges, reds and browns with studded stones of bright jewellery.    Gomesi-clad plump and browned women graced the seats and sung along with the many singers brought along to liven the occasion. At some point, they would even get up, sing and jiggle their bodies along to the music.  The women’s  hair was well coiffed and the rings were flashy and large.  Quite like a Rio-2 bonanza.  

Apart from the bright women, there was a surfeit of singers.   Many and various.   Name it, if it is a regular tidi-tidi, tidi-tidi song; the singer was there.  In between the songs,   there was a chubby and large woman who was giving out money to anyone who stopped where she was.  When the first singer sang to her especially, she handed out  about 900,000 shillings (about 500 dollars)   or so in 50k notes.   She did this with a flourish; counting out all the notes one by one.  When the next singer came to her, she handed out ten thousand shillings notes.  I lost count of how many she gave.  Again with a flourish. Closely recorded for all to see. The money giving seemed like a new kind of ceremony that seemed to have a meaning I could not decipher.  Normally if someone sings well in Buganda, an excited reveler may tip them with about five thousand shilling if they are generous. This was not the usual ‘kufuuwa’ as it is called in luganda culture.   

Then several singers came on stage;   singing songs like katiki-tiki, , katujanjawaze etc, etc (n'ebirala , n'ebirala).   A lot of the usual collage of songs you are likely to hear on a Ugandan radio were sung. The only one song I was waiting for them to sing was ‘enkola ya taxi’ but they did not sing it, May be it was not appropriate. 

Another song that could have been so good at that point would have been;  Wrecking Ball to signify the state of the groom’s and all the supporter's pockets after the occasion but Miley Cyrus was too far away from the place and she would have been quietly sent away or given a 'lesu' to wrap around herself if she appeared in her recent (un) usual state of dress. The guy who received the 900,000 shillings in notes must have felt like a room without a roof, so singer Farrell was also missing at that part of the program. 

The common theme throughout this kwanjula (and subsequent wedding) was basically; large and ostentatious.   Large women in flamboyant dresses, electric hair and  sizable behinds singing about love they have hopefully had.   Large smiles on the people’s faces.  Large men in white kanzus,   some probably attending with their second or third wife or both (mark this particular introduction was the kwajula of a second wife).  Large cars; the wedding cars were so big and white and drove through many parts of Kampala.  Large crowds; people stood up on many of Kampala’s large arcades staring down at the wedding cars on the wedding day as they passed.  Large expenses; I am sure these two 'do’s; wedding and kwanjula must have cost quite a lot of money.  This kwanjula and wedding and were quite interesting and unusual, even for Kampala. Quite a spectacle and  quite spectacular.

At the end of it, I was thinking ‘what have I been a witness of?'   ‘ Money and  Power in Kampala/Buganda’s Entertainment Circles’?  This is one of many such I and others  have witnessed. All over the country.  Then I thought; When does it stop being a kwanjula and it becomes showbiz? What about all the MPs   and big shots there? Are they entertainers too?  Quite confusing.    What did that young man aged 16 to 30 years standing on the arcade looking down think?   What do you think?

A picture of a 'more-than-generous' kwanjula gift package.

Is joy and success associated with having a lorrful of gifts for your bride-to-be or bride-has-been? aIs is it having all the famous singers of contemporary music  (wherever you live) at your wedding or engagement occasion? Is it having the most popular and notorious or great MPs  or 'celebs' or 'seleebuz' at your party?  Is the successful person in Uganda or in the world at that ,  the one who is able to have a big occasion graced by all the rated ‘big’ singers or people in their geographical region?

 In current Uganda, you coulld say the good lyfe crew, islanders, basement crews, base members 'n'ebirala n'ebirala.  If you live in North America, it could be the rihannas, beyonces and   kadazes.  If you live in Asia it could be the  gangnams,  whatevers and  all that.   Is success or joy knowing the famous singers? politicians? rich-in-money people? No it is not.

 Is it being popular with your age group, college mates, rugby or  your cheer-leading team?  Is it being popular with your football or hockey team?  Or popular  with your academic  group, fellow power brokers or parents or clan?  Does joy or success come from having money or power that 'you can spend and be seen spending?  Is it having friends who can spend money on you?   The answer ...through the ages to all these questions is a big NO.

 It is important that the young man, young woman, middle aged, old man and old woman, really look closely at their life and seek joy from what matters.  What matters is usually not what everybody else thinks matters and what matters does not cost money.  

What matters most is relationships.  You and your good relationship with God.   You in touch with yourself

; healthy in soul, body and spirit. In joy or afflicted but... you.  You, able to contribute a lot to all near you as you are.  You, as you were when you were first born.   Free, Unfettered, Childlike, Unselfish, You.   

Even if you were not loved by those who you found near you when you first became aware of them, you need to know that you are unique and able to make a difference. God loves you. You were made in the image of God. You are loved by God and you are Lovely.  You don’t have to have riches or live to show them off or to get them (though riches if well handled, do a lot of good!).  

The teaching of Jesus says that He who will have eternal life should not live according to the flesh but according to the spirit. I John 2 :15-16 says  ^“ Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world”.

So in conclusion, from that kwanjula;  much as i enjoyed the drama of it,  i felt there is a message to many people close to where i live; young, old, men , women, sheltered, unsheltered, employed or unemployed  but especially the young; You are something.  Please don't think that those with a lot to show off; physically, money-wise, power-wise or otherwise are better than you are. You are you and you are wonderful.  You are rich already.  Live your life and live it well...Simply.