evaluation of general food distribution in northern uganda: gulu ...

Annex 5: Traditional nutrition and diet in Northern Uganda – By Jane OryemThe traditional (pre IDP camps) nutrition and dietary system in Northern Uganda (Acholi sub -region comprisingthe districts of Kitgum, Pader, Amuru and Gulu) consisted of the staples such as Millet and Sim -Sim, fruits,vegetables, poult ry, meat (fresh and Game) and seasonal delicacies. The Acholi had a variety of foods accessibleto every family. Apart from nutritional values there some food elements culturally favoured for the growth ofchildren, to help increase breast milk for nursin g mothers ,some to increase vitality in young men.Sources of Food• Practically every family kept poultry, a few goats and sheep, which were reared, in and around thehomestead. Many families kept cattle reared within the village (with the help of the B alaloo People whokept most of the milk for sale). The wealthy families had large farms with hundreds of herds.• Around each homestead, there were plots of land for growing vegetables like Malakwang (a bitter-sourbut delicious and nutritious vegetable) , Boo (the staple vegetable of the Acholi) Akeyo, Oyado (Greenvegetables) pumpkin, tomatoes, cabbages, beans and Irish Potatoes. The homestead plots were alsoused to grow cassava, sweet potatoes, maize (for cob consumption as opposed to producing flour) andfruits like mangoes, pawpaw, oranges, lemon, guavas and tangerines.• A mile or two from the homesteads were the main family gardens of small farms where millet andsimsim (the main staple food of the Acholi), were grown. Other main food crops grown here inc ludedLapena (Chick peas), groundnuts, sorghum for brewing beer (sometimes sorghum was mixed withcassava flour in times of a poor millet harvest).• Each family had a minimum of two granaries ( dero) to store millet and simsim. The size and number ofthe granaries depended on the size of the family and wealth. The food stored would always last past thenext harvest. Other granaries were built to store peas and groundnuts.• Around the family gardens, in the communal grazing fields, by the rivers and in the fore sts there werelots of fruit trees and anyone could collect these fruits. Among these were Shea nut trees (Yaa) whosefruits contain the seeds from which –Shea butter (Moo Yaa) was extracted. Moo Yaa was mainly used insauces, but also served as a body lot ion for women and children. Other fruit trees include Tugu (palmtree), Cwaa (Tamarind), Langoo, Ocoga, Oywelo, and many others.• People had Bee hives ( Bong) in communal grazing areas or forests for honey. Some individuals werealso known to lay claim on ho ney troves found in some hollow trees, those claims were accepted andrespected by the rest in the village. They would then periodically extract honey from that tree. Thesesorts of claims also applied to fresh anthills in the communal land (but not in som eone’s garden). Theowner of the anthill would then trap White Ants ( Ngwen) from the anthill every season.• Grasshoppers ‘ Nsenene’ ( Ocene) or fungi like mushrooms Obwol) were also popular seasonaldelicacies.• During the Dry Season (November to February), there were joint hunting sessions in the forests in whichthe entire village was involved. Most of the hunting was, however carried out by lone hunters (Oken) withtheir dogs around the bushes and forests in the area. The hunters are mostly very successful (Buffalo,Antelopes, field rats) and they sold most of their game and fish (either fresh or smoked) to the people.The average family also set traps for small animals like rabbits and birds like Guinea Fowls (Aweno) inand around their gardens.It should also be noted that, throughout Acholi land, Saturdays and or Wednesdays are “Market days”. Peoplebrought their produce to the central market (in each village) and used the money to buy other produce orsupplement their income. These two days are normally when cows are slaughtered and people could buy and eatfresh meat. Those who could not afford to buy fresh meat or game on a Saturday used chicken as a substitute.Goats and sheep were slaughtered when there were special family functions or occasions of c ultural importance.3