‘Oh, you are here with a new face!’

Greetings around Uganda are always distributed with a smile. Greetings are a fundamental part of African culture, and practised to a mad, frequent extent in Uganda.

- How are you? This is such an all-round standard greeting (which the South Africans shortened to ‘howzit?’) that when I sometimes greet by saying ‘hello’, the person I greeted answers ‘fine’? Here you greet all you meet on your way, in Denmark we restrict it to the people we know. Consequently, this often creates misunderstandings, and after two years in Uganda, I still get puzzled, when a stranger greets me especially. I know the right answer isn’t; ‘Do I know you?’, but I must admit this is what I sometimes recline to.

- Welcome back! Likewise confusing when the receptionist in a hotel you stayed in 18 months ago, or never stayed in, gives you the idea that she remembers you. I simply can’t figure it out. The mzungu explains her doubt, and the receptionist keeps claiming that she remembers you. But does she really, or is it a cultural concept directly translated from Swahili – Karibu tena?! The right mzungu answer or greeting back isn’t; - When was I here the last time?!’ However, when you know people and the place, this is one of the best African greetings, and they do mean it.

- You were lost! This one I have adapted myself. I love using it. It explains it all. Like the Serbs who say ‘where are you?’ when they mean ‘how are you?’

The funniest greetings are the ones you get when you arrive somewhere with a male friend or colleague; - ‘Oh, you are here with a new face!’ No matter if the greeting is meant for you or him, I think we would call this outspokenness tactless where I come from. Imagine if one of us really show up with a new face and if we were in a relationship, wouldn’t it better not to be made aware by the staff at Paraa Lodge?!

Doesn’t seem to bother the staff though, who is also always good for other pieces of information as i.e.; ‘Your colleague/friend in that red car was here yesterday with a man/woman’. I always ask what that woman/man looked like. Sorry, can’t help it.

Gossip seems to be a vital part of the greeting game. In fact, it makes it impossible to hide completely or make things you really don’t want your colleagues to find out. People do gossip a lot in Africa, and sometimes it does take some nerve to pretend you don’t give a shit.

Comments

[The 27th Comrade]

Hehe. I find myself laughing, sometimes, at the rather crazy length of the standard greeting from central Uganda. You've got to wind it down yourself, or the re-union's first minute ends up as a greeting contest or something ... :o)
The older people are into it, especially. Me, a `Hi!' will work. :o)