Gone are the days when many looked forward at X-Mass as a real Holy Day, unlike today when the majority look at it as a Holiday. Lots of things were done in the name of “Sekukulu” (seku kuu or big day). Many times, the village folks and the urbanites came together to have the festivities together. I vividly remember some few events that were specific for that period. Many families began saving whatever they could as early as August so that they would not be caught unawares by the onset of the season. As children in Mfashumwana village, we always expected the parents to buy us some new clothes. Talk of new clothes and that reminds me of the numerous second-hand clothes dealers that plied all villages markets day in day out in a bid to cloth all the villagers and make their own X-Mass a success. Many families pooled resources together in order to prepare for the festivities in big style. I remember how my Dad and many other family heads bought a huge castrated bull way back in June, that creature was fed so well for nearly half a year before it would eventually be sentenced to death under a one Ramanzani’s (a licensed animal killer) knife and chewed into pieces by several families before it could be digested! Notwithstanding the communal preparations, there was also an individual planning. Many families reserved bananas, millet, local brews, all in the name of X-Mas fun! In the days of my uncle a one Bulazio, who was a comprador owning a shop in Fort Portal town, he really made our X-Mass worth anticipating. In those days, we never put on second-hand clothes; he always bought us new clothes from town or would make orders for us from the numerous tailors that populated the whole of Poloti, Nsorro as well as the other neighbouring townships. The tailors would begin working from sun up till sun down and into the early hours of the night, all this in a bid to make money from the spirit of X-Mass. The workers in the Tea Estates too worked very hard in a bid to save money so that they too can please their families. Those that came from as far as Kabale and Byumba saved for the trips back home and all the items that would come with X-Mass. The likes of Kwete (a maize brew), Tonto (a banana brew), Kasese (a potent distillate) and a host of many tribes of drinks were brewed or distilled and made ready for the celebrants to have the fun of the year. In earnest, the season began with the onset of December and went on till the end of January. X-Mass was not only a Christian festival, even other faiths got deeply involved in the merry making. There was lots of fun, plenty of eats and drinks. Items like Rice and meat were a must for all. In-fact, some people only enjoyed beef on Easter (Paska) and Christmas (Noheli). mfashumwana@fastmail.fm
