Humanist

Kudos to my inacan, brothers, in Ateso, the language of the fourth largest first nation of Uganda, and cousins in English, the official language of Uganda. Opio John Speke and Buyondo George William are my inacan from my mother’s side.

Buyondo is the son of my mother’s sister, Toto Phoebe and Opio is the son of my mother’s brother, Papa Sam (RIP). The two led an organizing committee made up of my other inacan and pulled off the first ever reunion of the line of Opinya, code named: “Itata Opinya Family Reunion.”

And so for us itaata (grandchildren) of Opinya, the festive season has begun. I have a broken tooth to show for it. I enjoyed the meats – chicken and smoked beef in groundnuts sauce to the extent I took a bite so hard on the bone, chipping off the enamel of my tooth.

Since there was no pain, only a gap, my eating went on smoothly.

The Church of Uganda clergy who were invited to pray for and bless the family, did a great job of nourishing the spirit of forgiveness and resolve among itata Opinya to move forward united as an extended family.

It was well worth it for all, including us who traveled long journeys to be physically present. As for me, I left nourished by motherly, brotherly and sisterly love; and as well as love from the tens of nieces and nephews.

It was genius how we all fit in and slept dormitory style on mats on the floor in groups of girls and women together and boys and men together in separate houses. Plenty of room for all in the houses of my cousins and mothers. The beginnings of bonding ties were ignited.

Yes, I plan to find time to visit with my mothers people, my people, more often.

Indeed, the major holiday that most employed people in Uganda take is the Christmas Holiday. Of which the majority take leave in December and or early January, so that we are able to go back to our ancestral homes for the one time per year we do so strictly for joy and for an extended period of time.

Increasingly, it is becoming also the period in which extended clan families have chosen to hold their reunions. Explaining why ours of itata Opinya was held on 13th December.

Among sad things brought about by ‘modernization’ is family members going years on end without physically seeing each other. The link between the younger generations and our ancestors is effectively getting cut. It is hanging on by a thread.

And will perhaps last as far as Gen Z. Considering that the majority of Gen Z I know do not know how or are uncomfortable to speak the tongue of their ancestors, of their first nations.

This is how so important it is that the first ever reunion of itata Opinya was held. Deserved appreciation and flowers to Opio, Buyondo and their organizing committee for staying firm and against all odds made a start of what we hope will become an annual event.

My mother, Toto Anna, is the Chief of her clan, Iwokodan, elected by her kin. It was great to see her and her surviving sisters be blessed by the move of their children and the children of their brothers now rested. Begining the process of healing wounds and re-setting familial relations to united ones of the past.

Left to right (seated): wife of Papa Muzei RIP, Toto Mary, Toto Anna, Toto Phoebe, Toto Namusoke (wife of Papa Sam RIP), Toto Immaculate (wife of Papa Moses RIP), and Toto Esayete (wife of Papa Tom RIP).

It was great to see the wives of my uncles now rested embrace their sisters-in-love and in celebration of forging familial relations of unity once again.