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Thank you for posting this interesting article. I used to be scared of barkcloth until I realised that it was an item of clothing for ancient Baganda and this is how the gomesi also evolved.

 

Keep it up UGPulse!

Barkcloth: Buganda's Vintage Dress

I've got to agree with Nanganda's pre-held view about barkcloth.  Albeit being of an inquistive mind - I learnt earlier to this article kindly provided again to us, that this wasn't the case.

Indeed barkcloth to many young persons of my generations and perhaps over,  was viewed with suspcions as there appeared to constantly be an air of mystery surrounding its usage.  Also depending on one's upbringing some parents are not upfront about explaining cultural things to their young and it's from such persons that over-active minds make up their own explanations to fill the void.  For most of our generation, the first they saw of barkcloth was at ceremonies involving seeing off the dead. Then if barkcloth surfaced - it was at school choir practice plays or reinacting spirit possession - perhaps it had something to do with the convent school I attended.

True enough - Enoch research into this article does raise valid points in how this item of garment along with its craftsmanship was heavily affected by the onset of Europeans/Christianity. 

One thing I trully appreciate of this raw fabric is its ability to preserve - something which even our brothers and sisters in Egypt and parts of Ghana valued yet we were quick to discard. 

The bark cloth tradition has been mainly credited to the Baganda in the post, actually growing up in the 60s those were the only bed sheets available to me.  I think I made this comment on another post and someone thought I was joking.  The bark cloth was used in the Busoga tribes too and I saw how it was made.  When I was young I did not really appreciate the art of making it.  The reason why it had such a mystery is because the bark cloth was used in traditional burial ceremonies and in traditional doctors (witch doctors).  The Basoga they buried their dead in new bark cloth. Waiting for a new bark cloth created some problems because the body was kept for 3 to 5 days while the bark cloth was being made.  The body would start to decompose and smell.  The more well to do people always bought and kept new bark cloth and kept it for the burial purposes.  Also in the Busoga tribe the more layers of bark cloth sheets one got wrapped in, the more that person’s stature in the community.  Also bark cloth was used as presents to the newly weds and as a way to help with funeral expenses.   Enoch, thank you for your research and the story. 

Thank you for the interesting post Qsheeba... would like to hear other people's experience with bark cloth... there seems to be a lot to tell.

I would love to hear from the Basoga members in the forum or any Musoga.  I posted what I knew about the Basoga cultural burials and marriages as it was told to me.   I want to know what you all think.  I'm not a Musoga therefore I did not grow up knowing that culture very well; my mother married into the culture.

admin:

Barkcloth: Buganda's Vintage Dress

 

 

Good article !!!

 read more http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/9/586/590794

 Barkcloth = Lubugo in Luganda, Orubugo = Runyakitara,

 its the dress tat has been used and is still used not only in Buganda but throughout the west, south, central and parts of east Uganda. I wonder if the pipoz in the north and north west and north east of Uganda also use or make Barckcloth? Any ideas - please reply!

 

 

MBOGO MOSTLY USED BY WITCH DOCTORS. BUT MOST PEPO WEAR OIL SOFTEN SKIN AND HIDES, AND COTTON WEAVINGS IN NORTH OR EASTERN UG.