It all started in Naguru hill "Mutte Hill" where we discussed and concluded the plans to visit Patiko to Celebrate the life of Mama - Everina. For me it was one visit for three occasions, it was going to be only the second time that I get to see Gulu but also celebrate the life of Everina (mother of Santa) our grand mother as well as pay respects to the mother of the Lawoko's it was indeed a trip to remember.....
We left for Gulu some cool afternoon, driving out quietly through Wandegeya, then past Bwaise and finally past Kawanda, this is the point at which you realize the journey has started. Before that, it is traffic, taxi's stopping every other ten meters and noisy "boda boda's" fighting to prove that they also have a right to the narrow, pealing and slimming road.... Driving on Bombo road after Kawanda is so nice the road is good, new and wide enough, the highway is open - so we set our music to the tunes of the Northern & West Nile connections - local music from Luo and Lugbara land as we waited for the sun to cool off - myself and Joachim - started dreaming about the Tuskers under the back seat we were headed to celebrate the lives of Women........
Knowing our ideas for the trip Ziki and Josephine (big sisters) would from time to time call pretending to find out how were doing, but they were actually monitoring our progress towards Gulu thinking that we might just take a left turn to the park - he he we knew what they were up to, we just kept them happy. Allan kept the speed at a steady 100 as we passed the thick treas and the land opened more and more to the sparse drier tries towards Kafu. Stopping by Migera, we discovered that it was going to be a bigger group Hon. K and his team were taking a break too and of course Cousins Ziki & Jose were carefully watching to see if we had started on our clever pints he he he not yet.........
When one is on the Gulu highway its very important to stop by Kafu bridge shopping center where some of the best "Ghost" meat is found, a delicacy of this meat together with ivory white cassava is so refreshing and so filling that one has to make sure they take at least a liter of water. If one has an unstable tummy they need to carry some desserts- hmn you know what I mean.
We were eating this spiced dish all they way to Karuma... as one draws closer to Karuma the trees get thicker and darker once more. The site in Karuma is breath taking emergying from a thicket is this massive water flowing Violently over the rocks as if to say give me way, we got there in the evening, at this time the sun coloring the water brown and orange is much cooler and kinder to the pint hungry, silently one gets to listen to the water running down the stream with little songs from the wild birds drawing circles and arrows in the air.
Just past the bridge were the monkeys seated on the road side watching as cars pass by and telling each other tales of the monkey history I guess. Looking at human being they muse and wonder what these creatures have made and now killing our beautiful land with their machines and new air that God had not made. It was time to pop the Tuskers, hmmnn they were still ice cold and "yaix" the green bottle looks cute. Allan had limited access due to the nature of his task....
We drove quietly past kamdini corner, Minakulu..... then arriving in Gulu we saw a giant town vibrant with activity it was about 9:00pm, and what!! Well JJ, Jerry & Hkiz were right there so feeling at home that I felt the adrenaline calling on me to join them right away, we got places to stay and I immediately joined them. We made a small visit to The Pub and retired early. However about 100 meters away from us was a bar that closed the road by midnight people were having fun and sometimes extending it close to us, we were at Roma and this famous place is called Green Valley.
Gulu is probably as big as Mbale and may have been much bigger had it had a steady growth. We settled in early, the D day was yet to come!
Raising early apprehensive and yet excited about the prospect of finally making it to Patiko, we got ready to have some starters. Having breakfast on the veranda of the hotel, we see people moving with purpose, quite serious going about their business and I wonder why its some times assumed that these so very polite people are considered rude in some societies.
I look deeper and I see pain in some of them pain of wasted time! Time wasted by some one else, time taken away from them forcefully by someone else, time they could have used to fulfill their potential, time they could have used to share with their loved ones.... Time wasted in a war they too did not understand, some continue paying for the sins of others.... I wondered how rude can the world get! Our mothers see it, they see us and the pray and cry so that we may live a meaning full life..
Well its the crude world of conflicting interests, different societies and sometimes greedy one's too, its the world we grow in.... We prepare for the trip to the first place we are told the function is a three part/three day function. Day 1, prayers, Day 2, Celebrations, Day 3 exchange of pleasantries and gifts, I wonder will we celebrate for all these days, lets see...
Ready to go we drive out of town via Santa Monica - I remember we were there and that is where we started our peace match with youth from all over Uganda, I remember Ernst, Talia, Marion, the Speech from Chairman - that time we walked all for a one world. We drove on towards custom corner and out further turning off finally towards Negri, for the first time I see where Ezaga went to junior school, a very quiet place on vast acres of land, this was a very powerful Catholic boarding primary school, we drive further and we are finally in Patiko.
I think it is called Patiko Pabo.... Reaching the homestead, there was a big set up of tents in a place about the size of four football fields, each tent belonged to a group, a clan or a tribe from a different place! We prayed for half of the Afternoon sitting next to Cousin Monica a no-nonsense Christian! I learn every day from her, very many things about life and she is very inspiring..
If you eat little and no meat you would not enjoy being at the table with us, there was all sorts of dishes ranging from all the meats in different forms fresh, dry to vegetables and stews made with peanut butter and local bread and sweet P & irish P and well it was time to feast and feast hmmnn, I liked most the dry fish in vegetables and white peas in peanut source with "moya" and local bread, this dish can only be eaten with hands......
We had too much to eat...... he he you may note that I do not even remember what happened the rest of the afternoon, guess I was digesting food. Returning quietly to town in the night we are greeted by the bustling activity in town, this night we decided to explore the green valley, this is one hell of a happening place people virtually sealing off the road and extending across to the other side men, women all having fun, the down side though was this place seemed to have minimal regulation otherwise it was loud beats beats and beats and all the things that come with the beats...
Anyway was not keen on too much activity I withdrew to my room to read "The Power of Focus" very nice writings in that book..
The next day was day 2 of our celebrations, reluctantly driving back to Patiko, we anyways sat down to chat about the stories of the previous night, sitting next to Big Uncle of Mutte Hill we laughed at his Jokes from the village to town and beyond, as Leo kept prompting him, Peter just sat there laughing at me, I was pre-occupied with testing the local brew "Qwete". Finally I landed on little cousin Jovine and she agreed to arrange one......
Looking up from our tent, I saw this beautiful, tall lady walking towards me, I was dumbfounded, I could not look else where I forgot the people in the tent, they sounded like voices very far a way..... I was looking, in a state of astonishment and perplexity she stood there and gave me this drink that I had long forgotten about. I think it was even tastier than I had expected! Hmmmnn They all caught me, right from Big Uncle to Brothers in Law, to kid sisters and all. I just said to them God found out that Man was lonely and he made Woman.
Leaving Patiko for Custom Corner, we had to pay our respects to the Lawoko's little did we know, we had to have lunch again!!!!!! Winnie, Doreen, Cathe the usual suspects made sure they staffed us all with more food. Custom corner is a famous junction where roads leading to Paraa, Packwach and Sudan split close to this place is a very big homestead right from the top of the hill slopping in one direction to the road and in the other to a school. Homes have been beautifully built with out distorting the nature, there is a natural shade created by the tree cover in the compound one gets to relax and forget the burning heat above the trees. This is the home to my friends, who have only recently been able to access this lovely paradise after so many years of unrest in the area.
Andrew, Peter & their Southern friends were so full that when they retired to Boma most of them retired early... We had a short catch up though at that magnificent hotel, it was a nice and classy looking place, I am happy Ugandans have started appreciating the power of good architecture...
This night I was determined to explore the night, I found my self at BJ's very nice place, good bbq, good music, good people - I missed Mr. Ogik, wondered where he could have been.... The bar is manned by two good looking ladies, though quite polite they are very firm when it comes to dealing with errand customers. I watched as my cousins danced away the evening.... As Jeremiah showed skills in making new friends Aaron showed skills in snubbing wanna be friends...
Now I don't know why but return trips are not that memorable, it feels like unwinding, like back to work and reality, so I guess you understand why I have nothing much to say on the way back. Gulu a great place. I write this in Memory of all our Mothers those who have returned to the creator and those still with us. Mr. Dell, Mrs. Lugalambi, Ms. Mugyeni, Mr. Okello and all have a wonderful womens day....
