My Very First Ugandan Funeral

Good evening everybody!

So today, I went to very first Ugandan funeral. It was the funeral of my counterpart's brother who died yesterday of HIV + malaria. Ugandan funerals are 1. long and 2. a very communal thing. Everyone from the community turned out for the funeral. I came later in the day so I missed a good part of the funeral but here's what did happen while I was there:

When I arrived, everyone turned around to stare at me (and Devon), the only two non-Ugandans present and kept staring at us. The casket is brought out and there was some singing. About 10 minutes later, everyone starts moving towards the casket. Apparently, you have to go pay your respects all at once. After everyone is done, there's more singing/praying/chanting? and the casket is moved to the burial location(?), somewhere in the backyard. It was kind of a surreal moment because all of a sudden everyone starts moving through the banana trees and you hear the wailing from the family and I definitely felt like I was in a movie, following a crowd to exodus or something like that...

After more singing and wailing, while I can't see anything except for people and trees, people started moving back to their seats. So back we went. Then came speeches, dad, siblings, best friend, motorcycle club, member of parliament, another friend, an in law?...lots of speeches. And in between speeches came people with baskets asking for offerings for the church, the family, the widow, etc. multiple times. It was weird too because all the speeches were kind of directed toward us non-Ugandans, who couldn't understand what they were talking about anyways. Then, after the speeches, Micheal (my supervisor and husband to my counterpart) pulled this aside and said it was time for dinner. Oh, by the way, all Ugandan celebrations and not so celebrations include a meal. So we had a quick meal using our hands (first local meal using my hands!) and then we headed back.

O. And I pretty much get the whole week off because Ugandan custom is that when there is a funeral, the organization/business/people stop working for 3-4 days.

So what did I learn about Ugandan funerals?

1. Unless you're with Micheal (my supervisor) funerals are all day events.
2. Show up late.
3. Never leave early.
4. Prepare to give money...a couple times.
5. Always eat some of whatever they prepare and drink if there are drinks present. It would be rude not to.
6. Bring a snack.
7. Prepare to eat with your hands = bring wet wipes or something to clean hands with after eating
8. Ugandan mourning is 3-4 days, so be prepared to either not show up to work or have the workers not show up to work...so essentially, the business shuts down.

So that was the first Ugandan funeral. Devon says watching a circumcision event is even more surreal, like seriously out of a movie. I think I may try to skip that...

But really, events seriously do take a LONG time here. And since I have the week off, I'll be headed to visit Tomas in Katwe, where I should have good internet. So hopefully, I'll have pictures and be able to chat with everyone!