UGANDA –
On Sundays, the Karamojong warriors gather for a tribal dance. I’ve made friends with a lot of the warriors, so I can walk around freely – but they do watch my every move. I see it as: if someone is studying you, there’s an opportunity to teach something.
The exact meaning of the dance differs depending on who you talk to. Some have told me that it’s a way of finding a mate (that’s how it looks to me) – others have told me that it’s to commemorate the stealing of cows (long story), others have said the tradition and can be simply a celebration of community. All I know is, they jump real high, and if I stand around too long, some drunken warrior will pull me in – insisting I join in and jump with him – which I reluctantly oblige (you never say, “no.”)
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