It’s a sunny Monday afternoon in the plains of Omunshenyi in Rubaare Sub County Rushenyi Ntungamo district. At this time, the economic activity of cattle keeping comes to life on the water valleys and stagnated water zones that serve a big number of cattle keepers in the area.
Not like other cattle corridor areas where dryness is evident everywhere, there are three water streams one cutting off Rubaare town, Oruberera and the last near Rwentobo town. There is no water source defined or dug by anyone as a dam or manmade lake providing water for hundreds of animals in this area.
A herd of animals in color black and brown accompanied by sheep in white color descend to take water from a stream at Oruberera. A sound of tap tap of horns and moos from the cows, breets from the sheep and whistle of a herd’s man are the only sounds one can here in the isolated land. The passing vehicles on the Kabale Ntungamo road are not a centre of destruction or attraction.
The beauty of the cattle horns, and the young ones following jumping side by side, not, however failing to recognize their mothers is a strong surprise. A big bully bull in front leads the cattle, they follow with one heart to the drinking zone and take to the water, they drink for about 20 minutes and each, after getting satisfied, they start destroying the water. They move out and start chewing the cud, some hold to their knees and seat.
The herdsman gestures to the cattle to take them back to where they would rest well; they indeed start moving following the big bull shaking their tails with the horns hitting each other’s.
The gentleness, the foolishness, the jocky calves, the sheep and the countenance of the herdsman are a must enjoy.
“This in my life, I care for the cows and that is where I get my happiness, there is nothing that can make me more happy than having these cows. They provide everything I need, they are what I want and me is whom they want.” The herdsman who identifies himself as Tumusiime after a long hustle to get his name says.
This is not the only beauty , the beauty of undulating landscape over and in the middle of Kigezi and Ankole, the culture and traditional heritage of the people living in the Ntungamo district, the farmlands and plantations, sounds and sights the great taste of such is the thinking of what animals these people depend on.
From these pretty cows, there comes the food, drink and the fiscal livelihood of many a people in this area.
Everyone would also wish to ask which food the Ankole people enjoy most, which food has that traditional attachment and that must be Eshabwe, eaten with millet bread (Akaro) the taste is yummy. This is all courtesy of the Ankole long horned cow.
The names of the cows, the gentleness of their walk, the beauty of the herd and the young ones that come behind their mothers, the head of the heard normally a big bull or a mother cow, is that interesting look one should have.
The story of Mutumo and foundation of the lake Nyabihoko and many other features, the disappearance of the Bacwezi and the foundation of Buganda and Kintu’s one cow all rotate around the Long horn cattle and that shape the culture and beauty and culture of Ankole making it one of the remaining cultural inspirations about what the Cwezi- Bunyoro- Kitara Kingdom left.
“People need to know the culture heritage that bring together the Banyoro, Batooro, Baganda and Banyankole. This is this Long horned cow. Then in whose death let to the formation of lake Nyabihoko, the one whose milk brought the separation of the Ankole Tribes (read the story of Kahima, ,Kakama and Kairu), the Kintu cow and Buganda Kingdom and many other stories. This shows our traditional heritage as the people.” Rev. Can Gantunu Nyarino, a retired church leader and historian notes.
The cow being the most resilient in hot and cold conditions has the best products ranging from milk, ghee, horns, beef and hides. Traditionally its blood and ghee has been used for special functions.
The long horned cattle is mainly kept by herdsmen in Uganda commonly referred to as Balalo.
In his explanation of the Bulisa land conflict in an article in The Daily Monitor of Tuesday September 25 2007, President Museveni noted that the Balalo though somehow misused by many include tribes throughout Uganda.
“Who are the Balaalo? “Balaalo” is a Luganda word. I have not researched its deeper meaning. However, it is used to describe the cattle-keeping tribes of Uganda. These are Bahima of Ankole and Buganda (Sembabule, Kabula, Buwekula, Ngoma, etc.), Batutsi either from Kisoro District or Rwanda, Banyambo of Karagwe in Tanzania, Basongora that have moved out of Kasese District such as Maj. Gen. Kazini, other Batoro-Banyoro Bahuma families, etc. These are all collectively called Balaalo. It does not include the Bahima of Lango (Oyima clan – Obote’s clan now headed by Adoko Nekyon) or the Batuku of Ntoroko because, though cattle-keepers, they never move with cattle out of their area.” President Museveni noted.
Indeed in these areas, the long horned cattle are a source of life.
While farmers have tried hard to increase productivity of cattle by cross breeding with exotic Frisian mainly with a focus on milk production, a farmer would maintain at least 50 long horned cows for the beauty of the home and cultural attachment to the cows.
Lay Can. Keneth Rwakoma Salongo of Omunkurura Kakanena Rugarama sub county says while he has made effort to modernizing his farm and making milk a priority with now over 200 heads of exotic cows, he still keeps other over 100 cows especially for commercial purposes.
“The Ankole cow is good, you don’t spend a lot on managing them, you use little money on characids and they produce good milk, good meat and there is always someone to buy when you want to sell, it’s not like the exotic animals we keep now. However their productivity is only their carcass. When you sell them that is when you get the money you want. I can’t do away with cows, they are a source of pride.” He notes.
With many cattle keepers doing away with the long horned cattle over low productivity there are still many farmers who won’t keep them away. This challenge not only in Ntungamo but in other areas of the country puts the long horn cattle at a blink of extinction as famers run not for pride but for money in guise of commercial farming.
Nshenyi in Kitwe town council, Kakanena and Kyafoora in Rugarama, Omunshenyi in Rubaare,Karubuga omunngyenyi( esp. in homes of can.Kabonero and Batebekyera family) Kayonza and Ngoma sub counties and other key areas in Ruhaama, Ngoma, Rubaare, Rugarama. Nyakyera especially in Ngoma and Kabambo parishes Rweikiniro, parts of Nyabihoko sub county are other areas where long horned cattle are stressed.
Mr Moses Sinayobye, a farmer and tour guide at Nshenyi cultural village notes that the cows need an environment where there is a vast piece of land, reach to water and not much near human population to survive and multiply well.
“We keep the cows far from home, they enjoy the conditions and it also makes us enjoy the journey of visiting them there. When we have people who want to see them they walk and it becomes a nature walk for them especially whites who want to feel the journey.” Mr Sinayobye notes.
Indeed a visit to the cows at the Nshenyi farm is a long walk through a thorny pasture area with several acacia trees and good green grass. The cows can be identified from a distance in the former Nshenyi game reserve area with horns and the giant bull in their front. They eat with a high appetite, walk with utter gentleness, lock horns to a simple jockey fight and charge when disturbed.
The beauty of the horns the innocence of the calves and the love exhibited by the herdsmen just, makes one crave to have at least one of them. This love is not exhibited in the previous herd of over 60 exotic cows being milked at least two kilometers away in the same farm. To them they are just calm, waiting for the guillotine to take away their milk.
Mr Sinayobye says they manage the cows traditionally with no restricted movement in the farm which makes them more productive at times.
He notes that compared to the exotic cattle, the milk, beef, butter and nay other product got from the long horned cow are better and of high value that that is what they mainly serve the guests at the centre.
Naming
Mark Infeild an advisor on the management of protected areas, in his book an illustrated guide on names of long horned Ankole cows gives Five categories of naming;
By Color; Bihogo, Gaaju, Kisa, Kyozi, Mbazi, Mbindi, Mparamwera, Nende, Ngobe/ Ntaani, Nkara, Nkyerengye, Ruhuzuma/Mpuura, Siina, Kinyankwanzi, Kishwaga, Nkwerere. Njeru, Nshama, Nsirabo, Ntabangi, Nyonga, Ruhumbo.
By Patterns; Barasi, Bitarira, Bugondo, Byeyera, Ibamba, Ihinda, Kafurano, Kanyamuhebe, Kanyonza, Karaara, Katimba, Kibibi, Kihonzi, Kinyubure, Kiremba Ky’ekikanga, Kiremba Ky’ekitarizo, Kiremba Ky’omurara, Kirezi, Kiroko, Kishomero, Kitanga, Kyasha, Mayenje, Mbaaya, Mbibi, Mpare, Mpuga, Ndabure, Ngabo, Njegye, Nshanga, Nturature, Shamaitu, Kasaaba, Kasingo, Mwangangye.
By Horn Shape; Bishunga, Bitsina, Bukurura, Kakome, Kakondo, Kamosho, Kimosho, Kishure, Kashaya/ Mushaya, Kitaara, Nkome, Nkondo/ Rwinika, Nkungu, Nshara, Kataara, Kacumu, Nkorongo, Ntendegyere, Rushongo,
By Form; Kabango, Masha, Mirundi, Nfundo, Rurembezi, Rwabunyena,
By Marks; Kacweka, Karanga, Murijo/ Kicweka, Njagu, Nkurubure, Kasharaba, Kiregyeya, .
Others (categories of why they are names so not known); Kimere/ Kamera, Mbiribiri, Nfuruto
Tapping Long- Horned cattle for tourism
Nshenyi Cultural village in Kitwe town council is one stop centre for Ankole culture tourism. The Long horned cattle alongside the way of life for the cattle keepers as well as cultivators is here displayed in action. At the centre, one is able to visit farms with cattle, enjoy milking; it’s a home-stay tourist centre.
This can also be at Great Lakes Museum in Rwentobo- Rwahi town council which showcases areas where the cattle can be found and what one can do about them. The history of the cows can also be easily told by the tour guides at the site.
One can also be able to look at the animals on the road especially at Nshenyi and in Kyafoora area. There are many other farmers who have invested in the Ankole cattle farming whose farms can be accessed and would develop them into tour centers.
End.
