KARUKARA THE WEEKLY MARKET THAT SAVED GIRLS FROM 'STAYING ON COOKING STONES' (OKUGWA HA MAHEGA)

KARUKARA THE WEEKLY MARKET THAT SAVED GIRLS FROM 'STAYING ON COOKING STONES' (OKUGWA HA MAHEGA)

Every Tuesday would be a market day in Karukara. Located in Hamurwa Subcounty, along Kabale - Kisoro road, Karukara attracted people from different parts of Kigezi and even outside Uganda. One of the most famous cash crop sold in Karuka is tobacco. It was  bought in bundles by the Rwandese and Congolese who would then export it to other countries for further processing to make cigarettes and other medicines.

Every Tuesday was a day of going out for people around Karukara.  Girls  would wash their clothes  on Monday or before in preparation for the market day.  At around 11:00am, they would set off from home, sometimes they would walk with friends, so you would meet them in groups, enjoying conversations and laughing  loudly. They would make sure  that the hair is well cut (French style) and they  smear Vaseline on  themselves  to the extent that your  noses would  pick the scent from a far distance.

On reaching the market,  ladies would buy a few second- hand clothes.  We used to call it (Okutengura)  they would then put those clothes in their   small hand  bags and catch up with their boyfriends or  girlfriends after.  Karukara used to have  small houses made specifically for bars, shops and small restaurants. Those houses have music systems set up in there which would play music from morning to late at night. When there was no electricity in Karukara, the bar attendants would use rechargable batteries.

While parents went to the market to do business and make some money, most  girls and boys  went to meet up with  boyfriends. After meeting they then make another group and start drinking. A boy would  buy soda, punch it (mix) with waragi and the two would start drinking as they enjoy conversations.Walking through those shops and bars on a tuesday was interesting because you would meet up so many dating couples (Okusigura) that's where gossip originated from. "So and so is dating someone" and it would spread in the entire village. Walking through those bars would give you an impression of what modern Youth call "beach" - enjoying life at the beach.

Later in the evening, or late at night, the girls who would be in love and sometimes drunk, would  decide whether to go with the man and start up a family or wait for another day.  Most times ladies didn't refuse. They would would accept proposals on the first meeting or two weeks time.  In case she accepted,  the boy would  quickly look for some money to buy  two pieces of clothes (Ebitengye) Vaseline (amajuta) Soap and other essentials. Phones were not  available then, so one of the boys would rush home to give good news to those at home.  He would inform them that his friend is bringing a bride so they should  prepare food and drinks for the pending celebration. If the bridegroom had a  house, the mother or the sister would sweep his room, put a mattress, bedsheets  and wait for  her new Muramu. In instances where the boy had no house, the father would offer the kitchen or rent a nearby house usually set up  for community services like meetings etc.

The girl (now bride) would  choose a few of her friends (abashendekyeza)  to escort her to her husband's home, The rest would go home and report to the girl's parents that she has gotten married. The other   group of the bride and the bridegroom would now intendingly delay themselves up to 12:00am and sometimes  to 1:00am before setting off to their home. When they  reached home, those who would be waiting would sing, shout and whistle. The most common song that was sang in celebration of marriage and welcoming new bride was "Karirirwe niwe yeija" (This one was a must to be sang for the new mugore) They  would then  eat, dance  and sleep in the wee hours of the morning. On the next day, news spread all over the village that so and got married so people would start coming to check on the mugore and appreciate her Beauty they would carry some gifts for her as well most of which was food items. If the visitors  found the mugore  beautiful they would say "Yatebire" (He chose well) they  would  then tip their friends to go and check on the mugore too and that activity would take place for like two weeks.

Meanwhile,  The Entourage of the bride would be  given some gifts in form of money  to go back home. They would also be given a female goat for the aunt of the mugore. They would then leaving their friend to start a new life with the husband. I don't think that on the night of the marriage, the bride and the bridegroom would have any sexual intercourse because sometimes the Bride's Entourage would sleep in the Marital room with their friend. The couples would only have private time with each other  after the entourage has left...