Of sheep, elephants and totemism:

By Eunice Rukundo
Socially, the Bagwere are organized into clans based on totems and a groups area of residence in Pallisa. "The Abalaka, for instance, reside in an area called Macholi and have sheep as their totem," explains Amina Namugosa, a Mugweru spokeswoman. There are also the Banyekelo of the Sapiri area, and the Obusikwe of the mushroom totem residing mostly in Budaka, among others. Namugosa is of the Balankwanga clan whose totem is the elephant. Besides giving you a clue to where a Mugwere hails from, their names, like those of most Bantu tribes in Uganda, can also guide you in determining which clan they belong to. It is very important, especially for a Mugwere intending to marry a fellow Mugwere, to be informed about these clans since marriages between members of the same clan are prohibited.

Marriage traditions of the Bagwere.
There are a number of marriage traditions exclusive to this tribe. The issue of bride price, is for instance, handled differently from most other African tribes. Although bride price is important, it is not a must to pay it upfront like is the case among most of Ugandas tribes. "As long as the boy can afford to offer the girls parents assistance, especially financial, whenever they need it, a young Bagwere couple is usually given the chance to develop their home first and pay the agreed bride price later," Namugosa explains. More>>>

A Mugweru woman preparing food