We, Iteso, seem to have internalized an inferiority complex which we willed through pull him or her down syndrome (PHD) against each other.

Alinga Farms’ Atorot – dried calyces of Hibicus Sabdariffa Fruit

Take for example, on 13^th September 2015, my brother, who is one of the best service providers in Uganda’s tourism sector, shared a photo of my product on face book with the following caption:

Hi sister, I found this product from Alinga Farms in one of the Gorilla tourist lodges in Kisoro.

Emmanuel Olukuma

Kisoro is in South-Western Uganda, while the origin of my product is Eastern Uganda, that is why my brother and I were so excited at how far my product has travelled. We were also excited that my product is among the select few products that are offered to tourists – local and international – meaning that my product quality has recognition of its international standard.

Excitedly, I shared the photo on Iteso related face book groups with the following commentary:

I am totally thrilled at how far we have come. Atorot is the brand name of the dried calyces of hibiscus sabdariffa fruit that are produced by Alinga Farms and associate farmers in Pallisa District. Atorot is the Ateso word for flower. Yes, when the crop (hibiscus sadariffa) flowers infield the aesthetics and scents are fabulous. It is always rewarding to see our own products compete on our Ugandan market.

Norah Owaraga

Shortly after I posted my photo and comment, the first comment on more than one of the Iteso groups was in the negative realm – with the first commentator, in all cases male Iteso, pointing out that I had spelt the Ateso word for flower wrong.

Here below, I reproduce the ensuing exchange on one of the face book walls of one of the groups (CO are the initials of the first commentor – a male Etesot; MM of the second commenter – a female Atesot; and ME is me):

CO: Aturot is the right Ateso word.

MM: CO I also don’t understand the name.

ME: The spelling of flower in Ateso that I use is derived from the Ateso English Dictionary (Ongodia and Ejiet 2008). It, the dictionary, is distributed in Europe and Commonwealth countries outside Africa by: Africa Books Collective and in North America by Michigan State University Press.

MM: There was a typo in that dictionary. But since the product has been trading with that name for a while it can pass.

ME: MM and CO, as a scholar I often find it arrogant and presumptuous for one to think they are the only ones with the right answer. The debate you engage in while diverting attention from the celebration that this post intended is an exercise in futility. It is similar to a debate of written English – that is why we have multiple versions of written English.

I do not think that there was a typo in Ongodia and Ejiet’s Ateso dictionary for if you access it and read it you will find the explanation they give for the different written spellings. Some of the Ateso words are written different from the way in which they sound when pronounced.

The positive part about my post is that I am proudly Atesot branding my products in Ateso.

CO: ME, I don’t think we have said it in bad faith but if you moved around Teso other than your dictionary, you will prove what we are telling you. Am a great lover of your posts and all what you do sis. God bless.

ME: CO, again you make patronising presumptions of the level of research that I did before I determined to go with the Ongodia and Ejiet dictionary definition. I am a scholar and active researcher with interests in Iteso culture. So, my point is that unlike you I appreciate different views without presuming that mine is the only correct one.

I am rooted in the Iteso culture – if you had taken time to click on the post: Going back to our roots you would have deduced that I indeed ‘move around’ in Teso. Actually I do more than move around in Teso.

CO and MM, and if you would take the time to access Ongodia and Ejiet’s dictionary you would know that they accommodated “didactical variations and reflection of the 1964 report of the Ateso Orthography Committee of Uganda Government.” Therefore, to be dismissive of their work, me thinks, is unacceptable.

CO: Let’s close that topic my sister. Ajaasi ajaasi (let us be, let us be)

MM: Otherwise, as a regular consumer of your hibiscus product (Atorot). Trust me I didn’t mean to mention the name bit in bad faith. And u can see (posts photo of half consumed product) my current supply is almost out and I will be getting a new one soon. I totally understand the name variations. Just that to me an ordinary Atesot I found it confusing. But way to go – will keep supporting u.

ME: Eyalama noi (thank you very much) MM emuria kolia (read post Going back to our roots for an explanation of emuria kolia)

MM: What I’ve failed to locate is the Alinga Farm. I was so excited when I saw the address and tried to track you down but failed to find it.

ME: Please visit our Alinga Farms page and you will note that our farms are located in our ancestral home in Kadegele Village in Pallisa Rural Sub-County in Pallisa District; and that our shop is located in Shop 40 D in the Bugolobi Market in Kampala.

MM: ME, now that you have provided a new address I see why I couldn’t locate you before. Coz the products I first bought said Kadoki in Akadot.

ME: As you are probably aware village boundaries are ever changing in Uganda in the same way as district boundaries are changing. Kadegele is the new name of the village after Kadoki village was split, but geographically it is still the same location, just name change.

Being interviewed right after giving my TEDx Kiira Talk

MM, if it so interests you to learn more about the innovative philosophy and model of Alinga Farms, I invite you to read the text of a TED Talk that I gave early this year.

MM: If you do farm educational tours kindly inbox me directions and costs so that I can bring my villagers for some lessons.

MM’s last comment clearly shows that she did not bother to access the text (Going back to our roots) that I recommended that she read, for if she had done so, she would have had a detailed explanation of the location and philosophy of Alinga Farms. At this point I decide to terminate the engagement.

Much later, the two arrive at the positive, which I would have loved to have been their first comments. Here are their celebratory comments, which I of course I liked:

CO: I need to taste the product too and support our own.

MM: Yes CO, I will carry some to the car wash and you can taste.

CO: Thanks MM.

We are a work in progress, but I hope that we will increasingly become conscious of our sub-conscious moral disorder that we shall overcome PHD and take the time to celebrate us more.