Family traditions that build bonds

One Christmas as my family’s tradition of visiting relatives is, I paid my grandmother a visit. On that day, I sat on her dining shifting my eyes all round her old framed black and white photographs which hung by small strings supported by nails on her wall, others placed on window panes. Gazing at those photos, I caught sight of one card board that hang along the photos that read, “A family that prays together, stays together”. This writing revealed to me the family’s tradition of praying together. My parents inherited this tradition.
Such a tradition and many others have stood the test of time. A family tradition, is a biological behaviour or practice inherited from parents and other ancestors passed on with a symbolic meaning or specific significance.

Digging together
“In my family, we dig together at the weekend because that is when all family members are around. I meet family members a day before and allocate them work. Normally, we first tend our banana plantation then we have lunch before going to the gardens,” reveals Reagan Mukasa, a father. Mukasa says this has helped the family share the outcomes of their work. “We share the harvest and cut on market food costs,” he explains.

Child bath
“In our family tradition, we bathe children. We do this every after three month on a Sunday. Uncles gather at one home, they get a big basin of water, soap and start bathing the children, those between 0 and six years,” says Irene Kugonza.
“After, family members have a meal, chat and sing Akiiki, a song composed by their great grandfather. He composed this song for his children and great grandchildren, Kugonza explains, adding that this song has a message about personal hygiene and togetherness. It gives children reason to bathe.” We pass this on to the younger ones.”

Saving money
“Our elders encourage us to form financial groups. For my family, I encourage each member to have either an account or a saving box. This money is not monitored since it is personal,” Elton Mayo, a father says.
Mayo says this has helped family members learn how to save, manage financial resources and share experiences on how to manage finances.

Eating from one plate

“My family eats from one plate. Food must be put on one plate or even a try and everybody is given a fork to use for picking food,” Jemimah Kambu, a mother, says. Kambu says they do this to teach the young ones the importance of sharing and the tradition helps to curb greed.

Storing meat for Christmas
Every Christmas eve at Judith Nasaira parents’ home, an animal is slaughtered, the meat is cooked and later stored in a bowl that belonged to her grandfather. Nasasira says they keep the meat for Christmas. “On Christmas, the meat is brought out boiled and served by him. He begins by picking two pieces of meat, eats them and distributes the rest to family members. The meat is eaten before the meal,” Nasasira, a mother says.
Judith says her father does this because her great grandfather was a chief who had servants and many wives. He wished to share the meat with them on Christmas and thus the tradition which emphasises the importance of sharing and celebrating Christmas together.

Training children chores
“We train children house chores irrespective of their age or gender. We ensure that all children are involved in house work, such that every child can be self-reliant and carry on in life whether they get married or not,” Janet Odoki, a mother says.
Odoki says this helps the children to be in position to handle any kind of job whether high or low level. The training helps the boys to be helpful to their future wives and avoid leaving house chores to their wives.

Praying together
“Our family tradition is praying together. We have a family altar where we gather every evening after supper, sit down and share the Word of God before we pray. Here, we talk about our challenges and pray about them,” Steven Kenyi says
Kenyi says this has helped create care among family member which is reflected in the prayers of children for their siblings.