#UGat60: What makes Ugandans unique?

After 60 years of independence, Uganda is still one of the few nations whose citizens lack a clear sense of who they are.

The Nile Post set out to investigate the truest Ugandan identity after learning that Uganda was ranked first in Africa and sixteenth in the world for friendliness.

Baganda, Batoro, Acholi, and Banankole. This nation, known as the Pearl of Africa, is home to Ugandans who are unified in their identity but diverse in nature.

Over the past 70 years or so, the name Uganda, which is derived from Buganda, has taken on its own identity so distinct from Buganda that the origin of the name no longer matters. Uganda is a landlocked country in the east of Africa, home to 56 constitutionally recognised tribes and over 41 living languages.

Many claim that whether a Ugandan is at home or abroad, it is simple to recognise them even from a distance thanks to a few distinctive traits.

Sociologists claim that these are mannerisms that have been passed down from generation to generation, in what many people would regard to as their nature.

Ugandans are seen as very friendly and outgoing, according to Cynthia Mpyangu, a social scientist at Makerere University.

According to Mpyangu, Ugandans' identity is greatly influenced by the diversity of their cultures and customs.

We hug, she said, "If we haven't hugged, it's as we haven't greeted."

She further divides Ugandan identities into gender, with particular traits being more prominent depending on sexual orientation.

These customs and etiquette, according to seasoned journalist Kassim Kayira, have unfortunately crept in through time.

"Intermarriages have altered a lot; before, you would never marry into a certain tribe."

According to study by Patrick Mulindwa, another scholar, Ugandans' sense of identity has grown even more important outside of the country.

"Because when we miss the things that give us identity, we miss things like food and people.

You'll run into Ugandans on the street, and he'll introduce himself as Musajja wa Kabaka.

The country of East Africa is ranked as the 16th friendliest nation in the world and first in Africa by the 2022 expat insider survey because of its well-known reputation for warmth and hospitality.

"You'll find a decent Ugandan who wants to direct you and occasionally even wants to drive you there.

We strike up conversations with ease."

The Ugandan method of doing things, however, has not been expensive.

The slower execution in nature combined with curiosity, according to sociologist Mpyangu, can be a cultural shock for the rest of humanity.

Usually causes someone in a fast-paced culture uneasiness.

Therefore, we inquire as to whether these behaviours that are associated with Ugandans may be equated with their identity or whether they are merely constrained by their areas of origin.