Merry Christmas; We are coming to yet another year end; it is time to congratulate and wish each other a Merry Christmas and a Happy new year. Not that X-Mass is not such an important day in the Christian Calendar but that, it coincides with the end of year; that makes it an all to celebrate day. Be it the Mohamedians, the atheists and the so called pagans all long for Christmas alike. In those good old days, the day was marked with pomp in the then Mfashumwana domain and the surrounding environs. Bulls, chicken and goats sentenced to death by the hand of “Adam”. Not the Adam in the Bible and Quran but a local butcher man that had taken off the headS of many cows, goats and chicken, all in the name of exercising his trade! People streamed in from all angles of the world to come and join their beloved ones in the festivities. Notably were those that lived in Fort Portal, Kilembe and as far as Kampala. This involved the permanently employed, the temporary and the unemployed alike. After all, this was basically the only period when all would congregate in the same villages at the same moment. In short, we could call that “family re-union” period. The incoming home boys and girls brought along with them all sorts of goodies like new clothes, bicycles, radio cassettes, bread,rice, bottled beers etc. In other words, they brought in what the villagers lacked! As a matter of fact, the Christmas season began as early as November that is when the villagers began preparations to brew the big days’ brews, tailors made clothes nonstop from sun up till the wee hours of the evening. The likes of Daneri a.k.a Lord (RIP), Beyeza, Maliya, Nyanjara, Byaragasi but only to mention a few. These had all tribes of drinks ready to be administered on whoever had a loaded pocket. The “Rutagwera Sons” (guys working in the Tea Estates) would get paid before Chistmas, those travelling to Kabale (the so called Kasamvu) would all jump on the likes of Ainebyona Bus Company or the Kanena Bus Co, UTC etc. These would be heading straight to their kin and kith for the big day. As a matter of fact, Rutagreza made sure that, all his staff was paid before the Christmas day so that they could have maximum happiness. For the ordinary people, Poroti (Kyaitamba TC) was the place to go; the well to do, they boarded their vehicles or those of their friends and headed for the likes of Kijura Club, Fort Portal and as far as Kacwamba at Kasaami’s place. I must admit that, life has greatly changes, most probably for the worst, the Christmas spirit has almost died out altogether! Most probably due to the biting poverty in the country sides! Things like Rice, meat and bread were consume during such festivities and may be around Easter (Paska) period, to be found eating Rice any how was like a sin. I recall one time uncle Bulazio brought home a bag of rice, that bag was kept for nearly half a year, we could not consume it because rice was meant for “big days” only. Mfashumwana@fastmail.fm
