The "Pearl of Africa"

Uganda is a beautiful country and was dubbed the "Pearl of Africa" by Sir Winston Churchill.  While much of the country is hilly and lush with vegetation, the landscape ranges from dry savanna, to rolling hills, to the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains.  Uganda borders Lake Victoria, one of the largest lakes in the world and often considered to be the source of the Nile River. 

Arts and Crafts in Uganda

Art and craft are part of Ugandan culture. Crafts have been developed through the traditions of the people. Art and craft are a result of the feelings of the people responding to a variety of historical events and influences and the environment in a most spontaneous manner. Art is the creation of works of beauty through the application of skill resulting from knowledge and regular practice. Craft on the other hand is taken as an occupation, especially one in which skills or techniques in the use of the hands are needed. Craftsmanship in Uganda is a practice that has been passed down from generation to generation. It includes crafts like basketry, pottery, wood-curving and the like.
Text adapted from description of video "Art en Craft in Uganda." 

Tradition in Uganda
Depending on how they are counted, Uganda has 56 different unique tribes, Ugandan has a rich variety of musical, artistic, and cultural traditions.  The proprietor of Ugandan Craft Market, Margaret, is from the Tooro Kingdom in Western Uganda.  Many of our crafts also originate from this region. 
You can learn more about the Batooro people and their customs, including their unique practice of giving people names of endearment, or "empaako," here.
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H.R.H. King Oyo officiating at the Empango (moon) ceremonies

Geography of Uganda

Uganda is located in East Africa.  Though Uganda straddles the equator, the temperatures in much of the country are relatively mild due to the high elevation of the country.  Located on the shores of Lake Victoria, Uganda is considered to be the source of the Nile River.  The Tooro Kingdom is located in and around the city of Fort Portal in Western Uganda.  
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Rwenzori Mountains
The snow-capped peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains, referred to as the "Mountains of the Moon" by the Ancient Greek geographer Ptolemy, are located fifteen miles to the west of Fort Portal along the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  ​
​Many tourists to Uganda travel to this part of the country to see the mountains and view wildlife such as chimpanzees, gorillas, and many of the big game animals associated with Africa at nearby parks such as Kibale National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Rwenzori Mountains National Park, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.