It’s paradise. It’s the garden of Eden.
This is how American actor, Terrence Howard described Uganda during his nine-day visit during which he immersed himself in the Pearl of Africa. One can only hope these sentiments will reflect in his review of Uganda to whomever.
A popular Luganda proverb goes…. “Okutambula, kulaba; okudda, kunyumya.” Implying that when one travels, he/she returns home with experiences and insights to share.
Who knows the impression Howard’s experiences might leave on those that hear of it?
Regardless of the purpose of his visit, and the myriad of international headlines that ensued from it, one thing is for certain – he was in Uganda. He met different people, he visited different places, he lived through numerous moments, all of which affected him differently. Memories that might stick with him forever.
Something as little as a wristband with black, yellow and red (colors of the Ugandan flag) that Howard and wife Mira Park got from Buganda Road craft village as memorabilia could be the one thing that always reconnects them to a place called Uganda.
It is such attachment that destination Uganda hopes to tap into, to get as many recommendations from those that have been to and experienced Uganda. As opposed to pouring millions of dollars into marketing the destination using international firms. Something other destinations are already doing far more aggressively than Uganda.
Internationally, Uganda still gets a lot more negative publicity than the positive.
Howard himself attested to this while in Mbarara, west of Uganda, where he stayed for the larger part of his visit.
“We’re not allowed to see this in the U.S. Ever. We don’t see the beauty of Uganda. We don’t know how welcoming it is. And the possibilities that will come from this place. We’re home,” he commented, alluding to the negativity surrounding news stories in western media regarding Uganda.
This in reaction after the Empire TV show star had just been given a guided tour of the Ankole longhorn cattle.
This tour takes the guest through the features, significance and the ecosystem around the Ankole longhorn cattle which are central to the culture of the Banyankore people. Traditionally, cows have been a lifeline for Banyankore.
At Emburara farm lodge, the proprietor, Minister Frank Tumwebaze explained to Howard the characteristics that set this particular cattle breed apart from the rest. Howard seemed intrigued by how some cows have curled horns.
“The many times I’ve come to Africa, I’ve never seen this. You don’t see this in South Africa. I saw this here in Uganda,” he confessed.
Further describing Uganda as “paradise” and “the garden of Eden”.
“It’s paradise, It’s the garden of Eden. With human influence, with cooperative relationships between the animals and the land, and the people,” Howard added.
Beyond the numerous interactions with different people including the President, Howard has interacted with Uganda’s cultural diversity at a much deeper level. Like when he got a pet name (empako) from the Omukama (King) Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV of Tooro Kingdom.
Few things get to the core of your psyche than getting initiated into a tradition with a completely different way of life. When he left the U.S., he knew he was going to a different place. But it is perhaps his visit to Karuzika hill outside Fort Portal town where the Tooro kingdom palace sits, that would give him sense of how much of a difference there was in the two lifestyles.
At the palace, Omukama Oyo expressed how much it is an honor to host someone of Howard’s influence. His remarks embodying the congruence of cultures – when the cultural leader mentioned that he is a big fan of Empire.
At a symbolic event with customary rituals, the Omukama bestowed on Howard and wife Mira Park pet names Araali and Abwoli respectively. The two were fully initiated into the Tooro traditional culture. The initiation also involves the initiate sitting four times on the laps of the Tooro kingdom prime minister.
Howard had earlier prostrated (as a greeting) before the King as the Tooro culture demands from men. In several Ugandan cultures where cultural leaders are still recognized, prostrating is a symbol of respect to the King.
It is a Tooro tradition that when the kingdom or an ordinary family receives visitors, they are honored by being initiated into the culture.
During the visit, Howard wore the ‘kanzu’ (a long white cotton or linen robe popular in East Africa), with a piece of bark cloth on top of it. The wife wore a traditional under cloth called ‘ekitambi’.
Someone present at the event disclosed to Plugged that it was a very emotional moment for Howard, he couldn’t hold the tears.
What is travel without food? While in Uganda, Howard has had a good share of that experience too.
“He eats everything. He loves the food here,” Florence Kabibi, the director of Emburara Farm Lodge where Howard stayed, told Plugged.
“He says the food here (in Uganda) is organic and tasty. He tried matoke, avocado, greens, the fish…. He said the fish is so fresh. He’s mesmerized by the fact that everything here is organic,” she adds.
Howard for example couldn’t believe that the watermelon in Uganda has seeds in it. This isn’t the case in the U.S.
According to his host, Howard loved the climate and the people he got to interact with.
“He’s happy. He says it’s a country where he feels he belongs. He says ‘When I’m here, I feel I’m home, I’m in my own people’,” says Florence.
Uganda has made a name for itself as a chimpanzee haven. Kibale national park in Western Uganda is home to over 1,400 chimpanzees. For its high concentration of primate species, the park has come to be known as the world’s primate capital.
Howard tracked chimpanzees in the 296 square mile national park, a large moist evergreen rainforest containing a diverse array of landscapes.
The destination is popular for being home to 13 species of primates.
He likened the experience to the sound of Christmas
“Like the sound of Christmas. When it’s Christmas and Donny Hathaway comes on and I’m home in Christmas, walking through here, there was like this musicality to the sounds of the birds and the creatures. The moving of the chimps and the way they listen. It felt like something I’ve had deep within my DNA,” the actor reacted after tracking the chimps.
Adding… “And I think it gives us all a better perspective of you know where you’re from. And you can tap those roots just for a moment. And that’s why people need to come to places like Uganda”.
Florence says regardless of the mixed sentiments among Ugandans and the rest of the world, Howard’s visit is a win for Uganda as a tourist destination.
“To us, we feel that this was a plus for the tourism industry. The fact that he went to Kibale and tracked chimpanzees means any fan in America would want to come to that activity that Terrence did while in Uganda,” she says.
She says if not anything else, this visit should be seen as an endorsement of destination Uganda.
“The fact that he can trust Uganda, to come here, is an endorsement. Despite those that have been spreading negativity about the country being insecure. It’s an endorsement. There are Americans who have always had the desire to reconnect with their roots. Seeing a Terrence being given a ‘rubugo’ (bark cloth) and being initiated into the culture means a lot”.
