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Learn about the treasures of Ankole
The prized longhorned cows. PHOTOS BY EDGAR R. BATTE
What you need to know:
KNOWLEDGE. Emburara Farm Lodge goes beyond accommodation for tourists but serves as a preserve station for the prized long-horned cow and Ankole culture, writes EDGAR R. BATTE.
Music is a big part of my life because it is nourishing. A recent trip to the newly opened Emburara Farm Lodge got me reeling on a collection from The Cranberries, the Irish singing group that captured my heart thanks to songs such as When you are gone, Linger, Animal Instinct, and Dreams.
Taking in the lyrics is somewhat sobering given the range of subjects and resonation, especially for, what this music holds for memories sake when love toyed its way into a young soul.
Naturally, as the driver cruised away and my eyes gazed through the window at the greenery, women and men doing business and the sprawling hills of western Uganda, the romantic in your writer came alive.
True, when music hits you, you feel no pain. With the instruments cuddling the lyrics, your heart could momentarily soften at the recollection of beautiful memories.
That’s the beauty of a road trip. It is you and yourself.
The Emburara
On reaching the lodge, there were lessons to learn. Emburara is a sharp pointed grass that is a favourite with the cows. In enjoying it, they produce good volumes of milk. Emburara Farm Lodge, on the Mbarara-Ibanda road, gets its name from that grass, which you will see as the cattle graze. The experience at the facility is a peek into the culture of the Ankole, a dominant tribe in western Uganda. You will learn so much about the treasured long horned cow.
Names of cows
Cows are an intimate part of the Ankole community so much that they are given names, according to their skin shade that is distinct between red and maroon.
Bihogo and rugaaju are some of the common names that tell of the endearment the herdsmen have towards the cows. Milking can take place once or twice a day. In the evening, we were welcomed to observe the herdsman lead the cattle into their general kraal where they would spend the night and because the evening hour is chilly, a fire was started in the middle of their residing area to keep them warm.
Habituation?
Fire is also a security measure to keep wild animals away. The calves are separated from the cows in the night and let to sleep in a sheltered area as caution.
If left with their ‘mothers’, they could suckle the milk during the night and leave none for the milkman. Plus, they are young and could do with some extra pampering.
The lodge manager will explain the naming that tells about the Ankole people, how they live and what constitutes a homestead, in the local language. Some of the accommodation facilities are also named in accordance with components of the tribal homestead.
About cows
In Ankole, cattle were the most treasured possession in their lives; providing milk, ghee, beef and hides, cows were the state of the value and a medium of exchange. Cows were the mode of payment of bride price and some special cows were used in religious rituals. Long horned Ankole cows were adapted to the climate of the region and resistant to most diseases.
