The structure of the narrative didactic riddle in Lusoga language culture
Introduction
In this chapter, I discuss the basic structures of the narrative didactic riddle in performance, and interpret the meanings and thematic pattern of riddle acts. This is in line with my second objective to analyse the performance structure of riddles in Lusoga, and my thesis that riddles are performed in social discourse. My study reveals that narrative didactic riddles are performed regularly and spontaneously during people’s everyday social interactions; and that the structures of the discourses vary with context, audience and event as shown in the following analysis.
The approach to the love riddle is different because it has multiple antecedents in the form of stories prior to the main performance. Diikuula performs as a newscaster broadcasting news about the death of Hon. Kamana Wesonga’s in a road accident at Lugazi round about on 24 December 2008. Other news included the death of the many Kenyans during the post-election violence and the death by hanging of Saddam Hussein, the deposed president of Iraq. Diikuula connects these news items to a popular hit song at the time, Kibaluma [It pains them] by a Ugandan pop star Juliana Kanyomozi. The deaths are brought into focus as caused by love. For Wesonga, Diikuula plays with his first name ‘Kamana’ to bring out the the fact that languages may have the same word but each word carries a different meaning. In this case, the name Kamana in Gishu means…. while in Lusoga it means a small female genital orifice. This is played on in addition to his love for speed and speedy arrival home for Christmas which led to his speedy death.
Diikuula brings the Kenyans into focus for their indifference to Ugandan when Kony and Lakwena was killing them, saying that their love for peace and political power had led to massive deaths. In a similar manner, Saddam Hussein who loved power so much was smoked out of a hole where he had hidden himself. He loved his own life and yet he loved to kill other, which Diikuula challenges using a riddle, okalya ira kaira ira [you eat it later it returns later] meaning the grey hair or the worms – you eat eiyobyo vegetable and later it comes out as gret hair or you eat the worms in mushrooms and later the worms eat you when you die.
The antecedents introduce the subject of love in its different forms and the audience is given a partial opportunity to determine the direction the performance should take. They can only have full rights if they pay Diikuula the right amount of money the make him dance to their tunes. Just as the saying goes, one who pays the piper determines the tune, so I was singled out as the one to determine the subject of the performance. Even then, Diikuula had the upper hand in determining what exactly to perform to the audience.
Figure 1: Diikuula performing the antecedent to the love riddle
[Photos from video clips by Cornelius Gulere]
For purposes of this study I will focus on the social love riddles’ antecedent as introduced in L.1—2 below. Diikuula refers to ‘beating the song ‘Kibaluma’’ literary meaning, ‘dancing to the song ‘it pains them.’’ Diikuula uses the message of this song that, people loathe those who perform better than them, to introduce MKN performing group and the subject of his presentation. Every good thing that one person gets pains other people, is the message conveyed in this song. Diikuula simply mentions the title of the song ‘Kibaluma’ and the audience is enchanted because it is a common song enjoyed by most people.
1. Banaye nakubye ‘Kibaluma’ aye nga ndi kunonanga bunone nti--My friends I beat ‘Kibaluma’ but I was just collecting like this—
2. Weebale! Weebalire dala!--Thank you, thank you very much!--
Diikuula addresses the people of Iganga and thanks them for keeping the town. He tells of his experience about the Lusoga language and what people think about him, the way he looks, and what he says and does. Being ugly looking, nobody would expect him to put up such an impressive show in Lusoga. He seems to suggest that anybody can become a celebrity like Kanyomozi, more so in one’s own language, as long as they work towards it. He proudly reveals that it was through hard work and punishments from his mother that he acquired these performance skills. In related songs by Malagala, for example, omuntu muzibu inho, he uses the proverb, omwirugavu aziraku butwala mmamba; omulamu ageyengula [the black one does not have ways of carrying meat; the living persons talk behind other people’s backs] to express similar sentiments as Diikuula is preoccupied in this riddle.
The reference to his sixteen years of experience while in Bugabula, the birth place of his mother is significant information to underscore the importance of mothers as child mentors. The name ‘Bugabula’ is derived from the verb, ‘gabula’ which means serve, give, distribute and the name Gabula is given to the chief of Bugabula, and the people are known as Bagabula. The essence of his reference to Bugabula could be that wants his performance to be linked to the knowledge that his mother gave him.
He also makes mention of his father in L.6 as a reminder to his audience that he was born in a place in Buganda known as Bukunja. The two places, Bugabula and Bukunja are two worlds apart but with one thing in common, thst is love. According to traditional myths, Bugabula is known for its love for serving people and Bukunja is known for its love for eating the dead people and witchcraft. These two places are in this case of love and eating similar.
3. Butereevu inho ba sebo ni ba nyabo mwebale okuba nga mukuuma Iganga. Nze buli bwe ndhogera o Lusoga bangi inho bagemwa enhugu baakoba bati eirike lyona okumana olusoga. -- Straight away gentlemen and ladies thank you for being in keeping of Iganga. For me every time I speak Lusoga many feel jealous saying that even the gorilla also knows Lusoga.—
4. Miigo ni egyantumbula okusobola okwogera o Lusoga luno ate nga emyaka ikumi na mukaaga nali Bugabula ye bazaala maama.-- Canes are the ones that brought me up to be able to speak this Lusoga and yet for sixteen years I was in Bugabula where my mother is born.—
5. Maama wange Musoga mugabula azaalibwa e Kamuli Busoga bulaire ate nga bene yo bali yo e Kanhanhage e Budawudi e luuyi, ewa Kawugu Mugaino emandhu, mu kayembe e Kanhanhage. -- My mother is a Musoga of Bugabula born in Kamuli Busoga is peaceful and yet the owners are there at Kanhanhage at Dawudi’s side, at Kawugu Mugaino’s behind, under the small mango tree at Kanhanhage. –
In this introductory performance, Diikuula praises his mother for being a “Mugabula” which literary means giver or distributor. It introduces the aspect of serving (kugabula) and chewing with teeth on edge (okunhanha ni engigina) echoed in the place name ‘Kanhanhage’ and complemented by the name ‘Mugaino’ (in the teeth) which is a name of the political head of Kamuli district at the time of this performance. Apart from the name Mugaino evoking laughter and contempt because of its abusive meaning, it brings the political dimension to the performance. Kamuli apart from being a palce name, it literary means ‘small flower’ and this adds to the vivid description of his origin and in a way the subject of his performance as seen in the following lines:
6. Baaba yanzaala Bukunja idhukira! Ndi mwidhukulu wa Kambugu Mukalo omugenzi ole Asumaani alambaire emandu mu mwaanhi. -- Father bore me in Bukunja remember! I am the grandson of the late Kambugu Mukalo the other Asumaani lying behind in the coffee.—
By asking his audience to remember that he is born in Bukunja, a place in Uganda believed to be habited by cannibals and that he is the grandson of ‘Mukalo’ a name that literary means roasted meat is intended to create fear in the audience and security for his person during the performance. His costume and outlook is grotesque and indeed it reflects some descriptions of his parenthood. The fact that his parents are dead and buried is something also to ponder about. His religion could still be Islam as reflected in the name of his father ‘Asumaani’ [L.6] and the importance of this revelation becomes clear later in the performance.
Diikuula introduces the subject of his performance with other metaphors and similes like in L.7 and in L.8—9 he allows for audience interaction to make his antecedent complete.
7. Saawa eno tigya kulandaiga oti ni omufiirwa akyaziiza ate ni aidha alaga amabaati. “Gano gaava mu duuma.” Ndi ku mulamwa. Ngya kubita mu byangu inho oti mukazi mubi aniina buliri. Kuba aba ni eyeguya aidha mbiro. Aidhi nti saawa yonayona welabusa oti, “wabiigha nhamba otaniina buliri kuba nkoze loosi.” -- This moment I am not going to dilly-dally like the impotent that has dated then goes on to show the iron sheets. “I got these from maize.” I am to the point. I am going to be very quick like an ugly woman climbing the bed. She knows that anytime you will change your mind that, “you are ugly help me don’t climb the bed because I have made a loss.”—
8. Koogya nimbye bwe oli omwenzi?--Uncle have I lied to you the [loose] lover? --&~~SPECIAL_REMOVE!#~~lt;‘Uncle’ is now a common title for fake relations with male persons. Most loose lovers use this term to fake relations to deceive their relatives and husbands.&~~SPECIAL_REMOVE!#~~gt;
9. Omwana akobye ati, “timuganha kubuniina.” Oidhi abenzi muli ni ebizibu bya mirundi giti – --The child has said that, “I wouldn’t let her to climb.” You know loose lovers you have problems of these kinds –
10. Oyinza okukwana omuntu nga owulira oti amaloboozi malungi oli mu nzikiiza. Olwo amasaanhalaze gaviireku. Aye oja okutuusa mu nhumba nga eirike limusinga luliba lwonka. Nga mubi inho! Ti omukoba oti, “fuluma ni sooda gwonweire nkulekeire.”--You might seduce a person after you hear that her voice is good you are in darkness. Then when electricity has gone off. But when you reach in the house, the gorilla differs only in the skin. When she is so ugly! You then tell her that, “go out even the soda you drunk I have left for you.”
The set of similes used in L.7 and 10 serve to reveal the direction in which the discourse will take. The performance is designated to be short, precise, focused and provocative. He refers to the impotent man and the ugly woman’s woes. The former relies on delaying tactics while the latter thrives on quick action. In either situation, it is obvious that none of them desires to be this unfortunate situation. The riddle he performs surrounds the time an impotent man takes to approach a woman; and how much time an ugly woman take to approach a man. Impotence and ugliness are paralled his slogan, “love and love-making to make life better.” His personality in the riddle is seen through the reference [L.10] to the ugly chimp and the spell of silence that proves to the audience that he is the most important person in the arena of entertainment despite his ugliness [L.1].
11. [asiriikirira]--[Keeps silent]—Nsiriike boonaboona bali ku bwongo bwange buti.-- I have kept silent all of them are depending on my brains now.—
This momentary pause is a silent riddle to affirm that silence is golden and that people love to be the center of focus. When one suddenly keeps silent during a conversation, it raises general concern in the audience. During the quietness he creates, one could hear the people’s hearts beating and heavy breathing. Although the majority shout back claiming that they were not relying on him for anything [L.12—16], the point had been made. Diikuula uses this moment to collect more money from the audience before he could proceed with the performance. He advertises his trade and reveals his charges as a way of self marketing. The use of telephone numbers as a means of communication is included in L.18 below:
12. Aaaaaa ekyo be [Id1]--No o o o o that is not true --This protest is a sign of truth related to the song used at the opening. It pains the audience to see and hear this fact.
13. Bwene [Id2] -- indeed—
14. Tulobye Diiku ekyo tulobye [Id3]-- We’ve refused Diiku that we refuse—
15. Tulobye aaaaaa Diiku ekyo tulobye [Id4]--We refuse no no no no no no Diiku that we refuse--This vehement refusal is typical of what Juliana Kanyomozi sings in her song and it is no wonder that Diikuula uses it to open his performance.
16. Ati obulamu buli ku bwongo bwe [Id5woman]--That life is upon his brains—
17. Mwongeze nga ku ni ebisatu. Ndi kwenda, Muzeeyi ole olukumi musaze ku lwa lutambi. Musaadha ono nze mwene mwidhi. Feesi agiyiiga aye tigha yo. Ayenda okubona feesi mitwaalo egi --You add on some three hundred. I want that Mzee one thousand which I levy for taping. This man I know him myself. He is hunting for the face but I do not reveal it. Whoever wants to see the face these thousands -- --
18. Koodi nga nkuwa e namba eya eisimu nga twagaanana. Bwe ondagaana mu bantu ni onduuluusa oti, osibwa emyezi giti -- Perhaps I give you my telephone number then we meet. When you meet me and you expose me among people and you disgrace me, you are imprisoned for these months –
Diikuula does not state the duration one would be imprisoned if they breached the contract of social trust, instead he shows the pointer and index finger to indicate two but also to flash the sex symbol where the thumb is between those fingers. Kiyimba (Nov. 2001) recommends that young children should not be exposed to negative elements in oral literature and this performance could be one of them if his recommendation is adopted. Of course Diikuula tries his best to use indirection to deliver his message, but the children are equally sharp and they participate in the discourse as best as most adults and there is no way they could be left out except through rigorous riddling.
19. Ndidhie ghano (..) ghano bandaalike bati oyo ni omulalu ayiiga bando. Ee zeena ndidha ye muli twaghaya ku naakoowa na aa naabula nga Fadi bwe akola. --I come here then they talk about me as the mad one hunting for posho. Ee even me I come to you to converse and when I get tired I... I get lost like Fadi does.—
In L.19, we need to know who ‘Fadi’ is before we can appreciate this simile. Reference to conversation during times for meal is a critic on those who visit during meal times instead of working to win their own bread. He attacks laziness and hails hardwork.
20. Ba sebo bwe oba oli kwenda kwigulagho e kibiina kyo nga oyenda kubeegesa mipiira, kubeegesa mizaanho, gyonagyona giri mu nze.--Gentlemen if you are interested in opening your group and you want to teach them balls, to teach them games, all kind are in me.—
He calls upon those interested in hard work like he does to contact him for training. The games he is talking about as will be revealed later are sex games and interpersonal relations which according to him are lacking among the people. The concepts of love making as a game [kazaanho] and the condom as a ‘ball’ [kapiira] are dominant in his performance.
Love and marriage
In the whole of Uganda, Diikuula claims to be the only teacher who knows the subject of love and marriage and he teaches it on several radio stations. In L. 21—32 he puts forward some questions on what love and marriage is all about. The audience challenges his authority on this subject and he shows through his body movements that he is fit and capable.
21. Uganda yonayona buti saawa eno mu mpulira ku ma leediyo nsomesa bufumbo. Ni nze eyabuuza lwaki wabayiza? Obufumbo ni ki? Ki kyoyenda ku mukazi? Obufumbo ni ki? Ku leedio Simba nsuubira muwulira? --The whole of Uganda this time now you hear me on the radios teaching marriage. I am the one who asked why you married? What is marriage? What do you want from a woman? What is marriage? On radio Simba I hope you hear?—
22. Hm[Id2]--hm--
23. Nga lwaki ebintu ebyo ebibuuzo bisatu mitwalo mukaaga byalema abanaU? Kitegeeza nti obufumbo ni nze zenka abutegeera! eheheheheeh --But why those things those three questions sixty thousands defeated the people of U? It means that I am the only one who understands marriage! eheheheheheheh—
24. Aye heeh oli ni omukazi?[ Id4]--But heeh do you have a wife?—
25. Omukazi? Ndi na bana. Ife aba amaani obayiza bana... hahahahaha!--A wife? I have four. For us the strong we marry four ... hahahahahah!— His reference to marriage customs in Islam is equated to strength with pride.
26. Siidi Dhili muno. Tologhooza oti ndi fala inho. Ndi mu niga aye ... siidi Dhili mu nkende --The CDs are in here. Don’t think that I am so good for nothing. I am a nigger but ... CDs are in the waist.—
In L.27—29 Diikuula uses gestures to explain how beauty and poise is used to tell that a man is strong. He contends that looks and walks can reveal the sexual strength of a man. He demonstrates how a thin good for nothing man walks and crosses the street without gait saying that beauty in walking is an added potential to a man’s maleness. He also demonstrates how a man should walk to attract women. In walking, he says, there lies the riddle of beauty and power, and not just the words, as he explains below:
27. Omusaadha aba ali kutambula bwe ntandiika okubasika nti abalamwiisa inho ba nyabo. Hahahahahahaha! Obalaga nti omwana osala. --A man has to walk then starts to pull that he is greeting you ladies. Haahahahaha! You show them that you cut.—
28. Aye eliyo olusaadha lwe olingirira nga luli kumaanhuuka oti lukoko lubita mu nimiro luti... luziramuku waire kirungo.--But there is a little man whom you look at when he is rushing like a thin chicken going through a garden like this .... Without any beauty at all.—
29. Omusaadha oli naatambuza nga hahahahahaha Katonda atusaasire inho!--A man you must walk like hahahahah God help us very much!—
Love for money
Member in the audience describe what Diikuula does without speaking out. By introducing the riddle about money, both the weak Uganda shilling and the strong but old US dollar are brought into the performance as a critic on the apathy that money creates. He has no better note because all the notes are old and dirty and still legal tender. L.30 – 52 reveal the ugly side of things as the interaction between Diikuula and his audience heightens. He handles the subject of money, which is at the center of people’s well being, and he relates it to the real purpose of life, that is, love [L.52].
30. Ali kubala sente. Obupapula bukaire inho obundi bukutufu. Mulimu na ka doola ya Amerika akakaire oti ni bule. Anooniamu akalungi aye muzira.[ Id3]--He is counting money. The papers are very old others are torn. There is also a US one dollar note which is very old like the others. He is looking for a better note but there is none.—
31. Diiku obita wa nga ogolola.[ Id4]--Diiku where do you pass when going back home?—
32. Mulowooza muti dhino dhange?--You think that this is mine?—
33. Diikuuuu! Dhaani edho?[ Id4]--Diiikuuuu! Whose is it?—
34. Muzeeyi nkuteeremu doola?--Mzee may I put for you a dollar?—
35. Obita wa nga ogolola?--Where do you pass when going home?—
36. Taamu [Id6]--Put in--I tell him to give me the dollar.
37. Aa eyo be[p6]--No not that one—
38. Beee [Id6]--Nooooo--
39. Doola ya duuzi--Dollar of the other day—
40. nalo--nalo—
41. Oba oli kuba kamera nsaleku ibiri--May be because you are taking a camera I deduct two—
42. Heheheeheh[all]--hehehehehe--
43. Diiku ogya leeta obuzibu aah[Id4]--Diiku you are going to bring problems aah—
44. heheheheheeh--heheeheheeh--
45. Diiku diiku diiku[Id4]--Diiku Diiku Diiku—
46. Asazeku olukumi[Id4]--He has deducted the one thousand—
47. Aye dino nhamu?--But are these fine?—
48. Nhamu dha wano dheene Muzeeyi nze titwala ...--They are fine for here Muzeeyi for me I don’t take....—
49. Iyi! Tooli mu na Kenya iwe [Id6]--Yes! Are you not a Kenyan?--
50. Eeeee e namba edho--Eeee the numbers are there—
51. Yes MKN--Yes MKN--
Love for love
52. ....Ngya kutandiika kubasomesa ku nkwana --... I am going to start teaching you about loving
53. Kya kwana kyambe Obusoga okuba nga bulaire ni obutagema mbuzi. Are you ready?-- Loving to help Busoga to be peaceful and not to catch goats. Are you ready? [Mwetegeike?]—
54. No--[Faint]No [Mbe]--
55. Musooke mwebaze omwami ono sebo tukwebaza okuleeta development ye waleeta.--First thank this gentleman sir we thank you for bringing the development that you brought.—
56. Ye sebo [all]--Yes sir--
57. Era am ready to sponsoring your company. If you have omukolo you are free to call to my number. Eliyo bye ntaidhi mu Luzungu aye ono alingiriire yakoba ati kale oyo yeena mbu olwo Luzungu. Sembeza ere bi bidiko byo ... hehehehe--And ndi mwetegefu okuwagira ekibindha kyo. Bwoba noomukolo oli wa idembe okukuba ku namba yange. There are somethings I don’t know in English but see this one looking and saying that imagine even that one also that is English. Extend there your bidiko ... hehehehe—
Diikuula brings forward the riddle of love for power by performing this episode of the empty promises [L.57]. He reverses to using the local language as if to say that the people are incapable of using the English language. The trick is that using English mesmerises the audience and however ugly or inefficient, important promises are made in a language people can hardly comprehend.
--[he draws a line to demarcate the stage of his performance]—
There are limits to everything and so he demarcates his space to cut off the participant’s intrusion. In a way, this relates to the way politicians build a halo around themselves after being elected into office. He does this in so dramatic manner that one could see him closing off himself from the people. Interestingly, one of the audience participants urges him to perform quickly so that his own business that has been paralysed by the crowd can have a chance to continue [L.58].
58. Aye Diiku kola kola ogye emirimo gyange gisaanhalaire wano okubawa eitaka.[p4]--But Diiku do do you go my work is paralysed here for having given you soil [land.—
59. Kankolekole ngye. Waama koogya ka mbeegese bwa nkwana.--Let me work quickly [do do] I go. My friend Uncle let me teach them only about dating.— &~~SPECIAL_REMOVE!#~~lt; Diikuula takes advantage of this otherwise he could leave the stage without performing.&~~SPECIAL_REMOVE!#~~gt;
60. Twala ebiseera byo topapa.[p6]--Take your time don’t rush.— I interrupt by asking him to take his time since it was apparent that he was playing for me who had given most money.
61. Alright man! Hm!--Kale Isebo! Hm.--
62. Hm!--Hm!--.
63. Hehehehehe--Hehehehehe—.
(2) The precedent
By the time we come to this stage of performing the precedent, Diikuula has laid the necessary grounds for his message to be communicated. He reveals how the audience members feel about his catch [L.64] and relating to the ‘Kibaluma’ song, he says that they are also jealous. To pacify their hearts, he breaks down the use of the money he has just received [L.64—72].
64. Abantu bali kukolima bati abantu balya edhobwerere. Bwe obona aningiriire (..) yakoba ati bana (.) oyo tagwe mu nkumi isatu?--The people are cursing that people eat free money. When you see one looking at me saying that friends won’t that one fall into three thousands?—
65. Obisemu. Ndi ku kubala itaanu bitaanu.[ Id4]--You have surpassed. I am counting you five thousand five hundred.--Indeed the one in white has been calculating and he says that now he had got 5000/= and not 3000/= as he was claiming.
66. Edhili wa? Gaitamu. Gaitamu.--Which one? Add up. Add up.—
67. Muzeeyi ampaire enkumi isatu.--Muzeeyi has given me three thousands.-- .
68. Dhiba imeka?--How much is it then?—
69. Nkumi ina bitaanu! Mperaano eina wulira bwe nja okudhigabania.Nsigaiza siringi biti --Four thousand five hundred! Now the four hear how am going to divide it up. I have remained with shillings this –
70. Booyi ono muzibe ali ni okulya olukumi kuba muntu mukulu.--This Boy the blind one has to eat one thousand because [he is] an important person.—
Diikuula reverts to the subject of his performance by referring to the penis as ‘this boy’ [L.70] whose survival depends on a condom which he has to buy before he can be assured of longevity. He is blind because he has one eye that also works as the mouth yet he is efficient in what he does. This blindness is a challenge to those who have two eyes but do not see productively. The store keeper, which is the stomach, gets a share, the speaker which is the mouth and the customer of council which is the buttocks all have to be paid. In short, he says that he needs to eat, drink, travel and have sex after the performance which leave him with only 500/-
71. hahahahah[all]--hahahahahah-- laugh
72. Sitoowa kiipa afune olukumi, supiika lukumi ni kasitoma wa kanso oweinhuma lukumi. Muzeeyi waliwo kemba nsigaizawo?--Store keeper gets one thousand, speaker one thousand and the customer of the council of the behind one thousand. Mzee is there anything I will have remained with?—
73. hahahaahahah--hahahahahah--
74. MKN Super Beat hahahaah stars and acrobatic!--MKN Super Beat hahahahah stars and acrobatic!--
He repeats his dance to Julian Kanyomozi’s song Kibaluma. His body movements are tuned to demonstrate the jealousy of the people towards his situation described above. It is the precursor to the riddle of ‘love and love making, to make life better’ as his slogan goes. Apparently he wishes to disguise it because the audience is full of children as seen in L.75—80 below:
75. Sebo mwebale kunsabira nawangula bana Uganda okukola entertainment. Baana imwe nakubye Kibaluma. Aye nga ndi kunona nga bunone naatandiika okusimba obusimbe. Bona naabukamu nagaita. --Sir, thank you for praying for me I won the Ugandans in providing entertainment. You children I [beat] danced ‘Kibaluma’ [it pains them] But I was just collecting and then I would start to just erect. See I jump a bit and I add. –
76. Heheeheh![all]--Heheeheh!--
77. Twala ere einhwa ni iwe odhighaire yo?--Take there your huge mouth is it you who gave in there [the money]?—
78. Buti tugya kwega nkwana.--Now we are going to learn dating.--
79. Mbaire ndoghooza nti tugya mu mawuliro?[ Id6]--I was thinking that we are going into news?—
One member questions why Diikuula does not continue with the News which had started with. Seeing that there were many children, this member wants to change the subject from sex to politics in order to save the faces of the adults present.
80. Yes. Amawuliro aga ki? Tugya kwega nkwana kyambe okuba nga abantu tibagema mbuzi. Muze mubi. Embuzi tugirya iva aye tugirya bya sile. Ekyo kyeege ghano okuva olwa leero. --Yes. News for what? We are going to learn dating to help that people do not catch goats. It’s a bad habit. We eat goat as sauce but we eat it for silly. Learn that here from today. –
Diikuula’s insistence on the subject of dating makes some people especially the women uneasy. He plays on the verb ‘eat’ to emphasise the difference between food and sex.
From L.81—85 Diikuula insinuates that when a Musoga man greets a woman they may ask about ‘meat’. He wonders whether the man who enquires about meat could have bought meat for the woman; or which other meat would he be asking about? The word ‘meat’ has sexual undertones and Diikuula uses it to achieve his riddle.
He says that some men are so arrogant and forceful that when seducing women it appears as though they are in the armed forces. He attacks those who use money and mobile phones to woo women and in rude ways. The manner in which he use English words like ‘wonderful’ and ‘forces’ [L.84] shows that he is a well educated man and is sensitive to the context he is performing in. The sound of it could be ‘wonder fool’ which describes the ugly side of the man who uses force even the more. Diikuula shows pity for the women who go through this kind of degradation. The women are embattled and yet dating is supposed to be a civilised game Diikuula states in L.81-85 below:
81. Basaadha bangi omwetera omukazi yatandiika: oli otya eyo nyabo? Mugyebale? Mwisuuke enyama? Gye waguze oba eri wa? Eliyo abaaliire amaido olwobula e sente nga ife aye oli ku mweisuusa nyama. Eri wa? Bana, okukwana kintu kizibu inho.--Many men you call a woman for them and he begins: how are you madam? Thank you for the work done? Well survived the meat? The one you bought or which one? There are those who ate groundnuts for lack of money like us but you are congratulating them over meat. Which one? Friends, seduction is a very difficult thing.—
82. Owundi eliyo akwana omukazi aye ali oti ayagaine gwa abanda. --There is another who seduces a woman but is like one who finds his debtor
83. ‘Aalo! Sooka oyemerere male.’ -- Omukazi ayemereire awulirisa eno – ‘mperaano lwaki nkweta nga ogya bugye? Saawa eno buti kyoyenda ki? Namba yange eyeisimu ogiidhi? Omutwalo guugwo bwe oyenda okuba onakuba.’--‘Hallo! First stop there. – The woman has stopped and is listening – ‘now why do I call you and you just go? This time now what do you want? My number of the phone do you know it? Ten thousand is there if you want to ring you will ring.’
84. Bigambo ki bye muvamu. Wandafuulu ba maama mulaba inho. Omusaadha ali kukukwana aye ali mu fooseezi oti na mundu. Okukwana kitegeeza okuniogereza omwoyo ogwa ogwa omuntu gwe oba oli ku kwana watamuku culture and sports making life better, nalo! eee--What words come from you. Wonderful you mothers you suffer very much. A man is seducing you but is in forces like with a gun. To seduce means to tickle the heart of, of a person you are seducing and you put in some ‘culture and sports, making life better, nalo!’ eee.
85. eeheheee--eeheheheee—
a) Analogy of the he-goat’s experience
During the first crowning, Diikuula performs ‘the best lover’ using the example of a he-goat. His performance moves the audience to much shame and laughter. Diikuula’s costume is designed to perform this particular analogy of the love riddle. He rubbishes the men that use force and money in their love affairs. He graphically demonstrates how an animal of a lesser intelligence can use diplomatic means to win its mate as revealed in lines 86--90.
86. Gasiya! Wulirisa. Oba embuzi ekisolo obusolo kikwana. Bagiretera embuzi enkazi baata awo yawunhaku yatenda akawoowo. Akawoowo! Akawoowo!--Rubbish! Listen. If a goat a mere animal seduces. They bring it a female goat and they put there and it sniffs and praises the ardour. The ardour! The ardour!— Diikuula reverts to the image of the goat that he has adorned himself to underscore the point that animals like the goat are more civilised than some men and women during courtship. He emphasises that there should be beauty in the whole process of dating.
87. Akawoowo!--The ardour!— This is like the perfumes which lovers use to attract each other or the natural scent that comes with such hormonal body changes. His point is that if this can happen in animals then why human should not use to their own benefit instead of thinking of animals and engaging in bestiality.
88. Yaira yawunhaku yasininala ekinwa eti eno ni eno batoola yo abalwaire babaleeta ni nze abaidhadhaba ate iwe oli kwelaga ni iwe ani?--It returns and sniffs and gapes its mouth that this way and this they get from there sick ones and bring them it’s me who treats them what about you who is boasting who are you?— He performs the goat’s actions using his stick to represent the goat’s penis and repeats this statement in the same way a riddler repeats the riddle precedent before providing an answer.
89. Enkazi eri kwetoolola ekikondo. Bwe mala yakola omugulu eti olobera? Olobera? Olobera?--The female is going round and round the pole. After finishing it does the leg that, ‘you refuse? You refuse? You refuse?’— Diikuula acts out the scene and everyone in the audience gets tense up.
90. Lino liringiriire lya koba liti ago mazima gene ahahahhahaha! Emirundi egi – ekisolo obusolo bwe owulira kapaasite dhe kilina eh! Ti iwe omuntu bakuleetera mukazi kayi nga ologootana?--This one is looking and saying that is real truth! Ahahahahaha! Times this – a mere animal when you hear the capacity it has eh! Then you a person they bring you a woman and you dream?—
He breaks the tension by causing laughter at one of the members in the audience who has got so involved in the performance. Realising that the goat image could send bad signals, especially that bestiality is is also rampant; he quickly distances it from his intended lesson in L.91 below:
91. Embuzi ndi kuwaku jaribu. Buti ka malirize okwegesa abasaadha okukwana kyambe Uganda okuba nga eba ku mutindo gwa waigulu mu culture and sports tulobe kugema bisolo. --The goat I am giving as foretaste. Now let me finish my teaching the men how to seduce to help Uganda to be on a high level standard in ‘culture and sports’ we stop to catch animals.—
Diikuula is apologetic for the bad habits of men, advising that the example he has used should not be taken literary. This is where the riddle tends so close to ordinary conversation because the image is so plain. However, it is understandable why Diikuula has to make the explanation. This is because the subject of his riddle has been overtaken by the rampant cases of child abuse, rape and bestiality in the community. He uses this opportunity to address this point before continuing to the declamation of the riddle. He calls upon the women to be responsive during seduction as a way of solving this problem.
92. Mutagema bwana, ba maama bano muli kubabona bangi badibye inho. Era mwena abakazi ngya kubegesa ekintu kiti – bwe baba bali ku kukwana bamuku la... eliyo eikazi lyokwana aye nga lisiriike oti gukondo gwa masanhalaze paka bwoliyundha buyundhe oti oyundha nkota ya kisubi. Kooja nimbye? Kitegeeza nti obudhega buli mu bakazi obudhega bwaba ni mu basaadha. Nga awo tugwa duro. Luuyi ni luuyi ndi nookulayinisa, kibanja, pate musululu mooja.--Do not catch children, the mothers here you see them many are floating so much. And you also the women I am going to teach a [single] thing like this – when they are seducing you be with some lo... there is a [huge] woman you seduce but she is silent like an electricity pole until you just cut [harvest] as if you are cutting [harvesting] a bunch of kisubi [bananas] Uncle have I told a lie? It means that stupidity is in the women and stupidity is also in the men. There we draw. Every side I have to judge straight, debt we make one line.—
(5) The first declamation
In the first declamation, Diikuula performs with relish the words that he says are suitable during seduction. This is the heart of the love riddle. Diikuula has all along been criticising people who use bad or plain language to seduce others. In this declamation, he uses metaphorical statements to make his points. The audience is conscripted in the performance and they are so taken up by it to the extent that Diikuula uses the opportunity to ask for more money. The comment in actone 95 below testifies the importance of riddling in situations like this one. No wonder riddles have been known to use in betrothal among many African cultures. The discourse in L.97 and 98 is a play within a play, a method that Diikuula has used to engage his audience into dialogic stances. The voice of the woman in L. 97 is responded to by the male voice in L. 98.
93. Wulira ebigambo ebikwana. Otuukanga wakoba omukazi oti nyabo nsangaire bukina. Omusoga omutuufu akoba ati ekikwanguyira weena okyanguyira. Bwe okuba enoga eya embooli oseesa munhwa. Gabona bangi gasiima mulala. Nkuboneire eibanga inene aye nga nzira ngeri ekwetuukiriza. Nga bwe nfunie omukisa ka mbite mu bimpimpi nga omuwuulu afumba ensugunhu. Mwana muwala ndi ni ekirabo kyo okusinziira ku nkula yo. Ye lwakuba Mukama Katonda yatukweka ekisumuluzo, aye nandibaire ndigulagho obone obulumi obuli ku mwoyo. Mpulira nga omutima gwange nagwalagho, buli ghoisa kigere oti hm-- Hear the words that seduce. You should always arrive and tell the woman that madam I am glad as to dance. A true Musoga says that what is quick for you are also quick for it. When you you ‘beat’ make a potato mould you bring the mouth close. They see many they appreciate one. I have seen you for a long time but I had no way of approaching you. Now that i have got an opportunity let me go through it shortly like a bachelor cooking whole bananas. Girl child I have your present depending on your body growth. And it’s because God the creator hid from us the key but I would have opened for you to see the pain on my heart. I feel that I lay down my heart wherever you place your foot like this –
94. Waiswa ogya obona nga agema omutwe ati... heheheh! Bona... ono omwenzi bwa aweireyo! Ahahahaah!--Waiswa you will see holding the head that ... Hehehehe! See ... how this lover is taken up! Ahahahaah!--
95. Gya mu maiso! Gya mu maiso![ Id4]--Go ‘in the eyes’! Go on! --
96. Aye banange nze, Mwamadi tiidhi bwondidye. Nga nemeisa abasaadha bangi mu Iganga muno.--But my friends me, Mohamed i don’t know how you have approached me. As I have defeated many men in Iganga here!--
97. Mwiremu oti, ‘owa omukisa bwe aba. Ni bwe afumba ensugunhu omulagirira we anata – ndi Kiyira oba ndikirira -- Osi abawuulu teyatika? Wulira lule – [eyatika!--Answer [her] that,’that is how the lucky one is’. Even if [he] cooks whole bananas you instruct him where to put – I am in the Nile or I go down? Osi of the bachelor does not break? Hear the other [thin or crazy one] that it breaks!—
Here, Diikuula combines costume, gestures and posture with the spoken words to convey the message. He struggles to conceal the explicitly sexual information from the children who form the majority of the audience. L.98 is deeply metaphorical referring to intercourse. Eyatika means ‘it breaks’, but here it refers to the sexual act of intercourse together with ndi kiyira ndikirira which mean, am I in the waters or flowing?
The conversation continues in L.98 with the man saying that:
98. Mangu inho omukobe oti aye Madiina onansoniwa. Katonda yatukoba mu Kuraani ati akima takazina, timusembereranga obwenzi. Tikwenda nkutwale kukwesekezaku nga agandi bwe gakola. Nhenda nkutwale nkuwoowe tuzaale abaana ba ife nga ba halaali.--Very quickly you tell [her] that but Madiina you will forgive me. God told us in the Quran that akima takazina, do not come close to fornication.’ I don’t love you to take you to laugh by you like how the [belligerent] others do. I want to take you and wed you to produce our children wh...when they are holy [halaali]—
Diikuula acts the woman replying to that man that men are so deceptive and change like ‘ice’ hiding behind religion shown in the Islamic name Mohammed and the Christian name Alice. Whereas Diikuula is making an equally valid point about religious descriminations in marriage, he is also making the point that men change like water which has three states, vapour, ice and water reflected in the following lines:
99. Oyo omukazi aidha kubona... Mwamadi abasaadha nga mwidhi okwewoomya. Oli kwewoomia wano aye enkyo olunantwala nga ofunayo ba Aisi [Alisi], nga nze Madiina onerabira. Aye kyenkulaamira kiri ekintu kiti -- That woman will see ... Mohamed men as you know how to pretent. You are pretending here but in the morning when you take me then you will get the [Ice] Alices, and me Madiina you forget me. But what I vow to you is one thing like this –
During this stage, Diikuula performs another riddle within the riddle by stating the words in L.101 –103 and immediately demanding the unravelling of the riddle. He uses the riddle within the riddle to perform the crowning of whoever unravels the climax of the riddle.
100. Bwe olingema obulungi ndityama. -- If you catch [hold] me properly I will sit. --
101. Bwe olingema obubi Tilityama.--If you catch [hold] me badly I will not sit.--
102. Twenda okumanha ekigema ni ki? Ntandiike ni iwe. Taidhi! Agasoga twidha balembula bwa mboko male. Ekigema ni ki?--We want to know what catches [holds] I start with you. Doesn’t know! The Basoga [derogatory] we shall bombard you with strokes before. What catches?—
The following answers are rejected not because they ar wrong, but in line with the etiquette of the performance, Diikuula has to reject them. This makes the riddle even more complicated and unreachable for those who are not the intended audience. The claim in L.106 that the prizes are going to be retained is used to play on the feelings of the intended audience to focus on the subject of the riddle while those who are not targeted are diverted to other things. This is concretised in L. 108 where he challenges the married for not being knowledgeable enough but immediately switches to an analogy with a dialogue about Lusoga language and the zebra crossing. The person referred to in the story uses the zebra crossing but does not know its name in the Lusoga language. He fails to get employment because he lacks the knowledge of basic things in a language he claims to know very well. Similarly, the spouse who knows nothing about love would lose their loved one as expressed in the following lines:
103. Booyi wo![ Id4]--Your boy!--
104. Twala ere obwenzi bwo.--Take there your ‘obwenzi’--‘obwenzi’ is both positive [to have too much love for] and negative [to be a crook and fornicator]
105. Ebula mulala. Kale bino ebirabo tugya kugaba aye ezira agya kufunayo.--There remains one [person] Imagine these gifts we are going to give away but no one is going to get any.--
106. Nze nkifunie.[ Id5]--Me I have got it.--
107. Kale muli bafumbo aye, Muzeeyi ka nkuwe akantu kano.
a. Ole bamubuuza bati, ‘oli Musoga?’
b. Ati, ‘iyi.’
a. ‘Wasomaku?’
b. ‘Ati, ‘mbe.’
a. ‘Oidhi lulimi ki?’
b. Ati, ‘Lusoga,’ agiire saba mulimo. Bamubuuza bati, ‘oidhi lulimi ki?’
a. Ati, ‘Lusoga.’
b. Bamubuuza, ‘yebasiiga ebirangi ebya reedi ebya yelo ne bya waiti we betawo. Emotoka ye dhiva nga eno ni dhemerera abantu ni basala. Betawo batya?’
a. Ati, ‘baaba ku zebula kuloosingi.’ Bamwokya empi dhiti –
a. Imagine you are married; but Mzee let me give you this thing. One was asked that, ‘are you a Musoga?’
b. That, ‘yes.’
a. ‘Did you ever read?’
b. That, ‘no.’
a. ‘What language do you know?’
b. That, ‘Lusoga.’
a. They then asked, ‘where they paint red and yellow and white, how do they call it, where vehicles come from here and stop for people to pass. How do they call there?’
b. That, ‘father at the zebra crossing.’ They hit [him or her] with these slaps --
108. Hahahaahahaah!--Hahahahaaha!--
109. Omulimo gwa mu bitaku. Ku imwe beetagho batya? Mutwalo! Hm! Zebra beetawo batya mu Lusoga? Ok. Mutwalo saawa eno timumanhirira.--The job passed by. Upon you how do they call it? Ten thousands! Hm! Zebra how is it called in Lusoga? Ok. Ten thousands this time do not familiar me.—
The ten thousand shillings prize that Diikuula promises to whoever unravels the riddle about the zebra crossing is part of his play to refocus his performance. Some members of the audience are very active at this stage to get him relinquish the money. This leads us to the next declamation of the riddle within the riddle and the love riddle in general which includes themes like love for money and the like.
110. Gute wo! Gute wo![ Id5]--Put it there! Put it there!--
111. Mutwalo saawa eno.--Ten thousand right now.--
112. Ogutaawo?[ Id4]--Are you putting it there?--
113. Bona singa ogumugemeisa eno.[ Id5]--See if you had given it in custody to him here.--
114. Muyinza kundetaku bwa walagi. Mwenda kumanhirira? Ku zebra beeta wo batya mu Lusoga. Mutwalo! Nalo!--You might merely bring Waragi upon me. You want to firmiliar me? At the zebra how is it called in Lusoga? Ten thousand! Nalo!--
115. Toola yo![ Id4]--Bring out!--
116. Aye atoole yo, ogya gulya![p4]--But let him bring out, are you going to eat it!--
117. Leeta ngugeme.[ Id3]--Bring I hold it.--
118. Leka male muna.--Leave first my friend.--
119. Ogwo oguliire.[ Id4]--That you have eaten.--
120. Agutaire yo?[ Id7]--Have you put it there?--
121. Mbe tumalirize male.Hahaahahahaah!--No let us first finish. Ahahahahahahah!--
122. Ogwo tugufirwa[Id4]--That we loose--
123. Hmahahaha[all]--hmahahaha--
124. Eliyo aidhiiii--Is there anyone who knows!--
125. Aliyo! Aliyo! Gutoole yo![ Id4]--There is! There is! Get it out!—
At this stage, Diikuula re-performs the riddle within the riddle both verbally and non-verbally as shown in L.127 below:
126. Ke mmalirize Muzeeyi. Kitegeeza nti bwe olingema obulungi (asiba amagulu) ndi tyama ; bwe olingema obubi Tilityama (asibulula amagulu). Ekigema ki? --Let me finish Muzeeyi. It means that when you catch me well I will sit ; if you catch me badly I will not sit what catches [holds]?
127. It is hands! -- Dhili ngalo!—
Hands are a riddle in the sense that they convey meaning through touch and gesture. There is a hand beyond the physical ‘hand.’ The crocked stick leaning in front of his waist is a hand representing the penis of the goat and by analogy the man. He refers to this as the hand that holds the woman in marriage. This is the hand in marriage that the woman is asking for in this riddle of love. This point is confirmed in his gestures and the following lines:
128. Nabuuza bisatu lwaki obayiza? Ki kyoyenda ku mukazi? Obufumbo ni ki? Emitwalo dhalemera wano e Uganda. Aba nga oli ni kyoidhi nga obiidhi, kuba ku isimu 0752533874 --I asked three [things] why you marry? What do you want from a woman? What is marriage? Thousands got defeated here in Uganda. If there is one who has something they know, ring telephone number 0752533874—
At thispoint, Diikuula diverts attention to another nature of love; the love for materials goods, especially the phone. The love for modern phones is also seen as a negative love that affects love as earlier performed in the antecedent by the man asking rudely what the woman wants. The man gives money and order the woman to call him on his number if she likes [L.84]. His reference to ‘Kabiriiti’ phone is a necessary digression which hints at the non issues that others put ahead in their marriages. According to Diikuula, the mobile phone, whether the cheap MTN ‘Kabiriiti’ [safety match] or the ‘kiboko’ [stroke of the cane], the penile member is the real ‘cane’ with the real ‘fire’.
129. Muzeeyi webale kunsabira nafuna kabiriiti ebya empulizagania Tili bubi. Hahah--Muzeeyi thank you for praying for me i obtained kabiriiti [match box brand of MTN] matters of communication am not very badly off. Hahah!—
130. Hahaahahaha[all]--hahahahah--
131. Aye banaaa![ Id4]--But friends!--
132. Toomanhi... itaafaali iwe oli neisimu? Oba itaafaali aye this is my foni. Muzeeyi wama ndi na gati – eno kabiriiti ya kusiibamu eno kibooko ni etambula. Hahahaha!--Do not fami... a brick you do you have a phone? If it is a brick bbut this is my phone. Muzeeyi my friend i have this [number]-- this kabiriiti is for daily use this Kibooko is the traveller. Hahahaha!—
The proverb that, ‘what another man has more than you, don’t call it hydrocells.’ It is here being reflected in the statement that, some [phones] are big for nothing. Diikuula insists that a big one as long as it is your own is better than having none at all. One should mind their own business. Variety is good but the audience shares the skeptism of the riddler by laughing it off and making derogatory comments as in L. 134 -- 138.
133. Hahahaahah![all]--Hahahahahah!--
134. Lino nsiibamu busiibe!--This one I just spend the day in it.--For some phones have become like clothes.
135. Osuubula![ Id4]--Are you selling!--An attack on people who hold more than one phone
136. Nsuubula?--Selling?--
137. Eliyo abeesobola obwesobole ku bye empulizagania.--There are those who are able in matters of communication.—
The kabiriiti and kibooko brands of the phone are cheap, affordable and not durable. Diikuula uses these phones to riddle the issue of one night stands and prostitution which do not call for full time ‘handling’ or commitment. He likens the phones to the ineffective man or husband who simply shows off his capacity to love but never satisfying his wife.
Diikuula wins the consensus of the audience on the matter that women want hands from men and men want ears as performed in L. 139 –141
138. Kitegeeza nti bambi abakazi benda ku basaadha ngalo kuba buli kirungi kiri mu ngalo. Ni edhigemye masiini awo oli kola. Zeena ni edhigemye omwigo ndi kola. Wano ni edhagema embago baalima ebyo byonabyona byoli kubona dhoona ngalo. Buli kirungi kiri mu ngalo.--It means that indeed the women need hands from the men because every good is in the hands. It’s them holding the machine you are working. Even me it’s them holding the stick I am working. Here it’s them that held the hoe and they planted all those things you are seeing [people and goods], they are also hands. Every good thing is in the hands.—
He repeats the word kukola [to work] in order to achieve the riddlegraphic texture of this word through word play and connotation. The uses of the hands which he enumerates are accompanied by actions that show how the hands hold the stick, the video machine, and the hoe. He says that, all these people work with their hands plant the seed we see here. He paints the picture of a husband copulating with his wife to produce ‘all those things you are seeing’ that is, the people in the audience as seen in his eye glances at the children behind him. In addition, the man’s riddle to be unravelled is aided by the facial gestures and leg movements as shown in the following lines:
139. Wulirisa abasaadha, ‘zeena Tili muzibu inho aye bwe oliwulira bye nhenda titulyawukana.’ Ekiwulira ki?-- Listen to the men, ‘even me am not very difficult but if you listen / hear what I need we will not separate.’ What hears? --
140. Matu! Abakazi tubendaku matu. Abe ke awulira buli kye omukoba. Ba maama mwidhi bulungi nti, [kasirikiriro] abasaadha mwidhi nti emotoka erimu giya imeka?--Ears! We need ears from women. That she able to listen to whatever you tell [her]. You mothers you know very well that [pause], men you know that a car has how many gears?—
In L. 141 above, Diikuula says that men want ears from the women. The physical ears are as convincing as the perceived ‘ears’ in that the woman is expected to respond sensitively to ‘the word’ spoken to her by ‘the hand’ of the husband. His hesitation in making this point is because of the curiosity of the children present and yet he needs to make the point as less obvious to them as possible. In another song we found that the female genitals are also called the ears and that it is the part of the woman that ‘hears’.
Diikuula uses the image of the car to manipulate the already stated point as a way of covering up. The image of the car is drawn from everyday talk but it is not really appropriate since we know that a car is driven in more than two gears. His logic though is that a goes in two directions, either forward or backwards. This analogy is further explained in L. 142 – 145 in which he uses body gestures, the stick and the words to show how the man and woman should relate in marriage.
141. Etwala mu maiso – &~~SPECIAL_REMOVE!#~~lt;lower body action&~~SPECIAL_REMOVE!#~~gt;-- Taking forward and --The message is seen in the gesture of his buttocks as shown in the images.
142. Mu maiso na wa? -- Forward and where? -- He moves his waist and torso to demonstrate the act of love making.
143. Weebale inho, era oli ni ovuga giya imeka?--Thank you very much, and you have to drive how many gears?--
144. Aleeta obuzibu ni okukoba mwino oti kanvuge ku livanzi. Ati oba toyenda mberi va yo. Awo saawa mwenda gwa bwire bayinza olimbula emisinde mu Iganga wano aye bali nekedile bo... ali kubuuza ‘nowhere to go nowhere to go’, ekikoba ku bombi ku musaadha ani aba omubi?-- One who brings problems is to say to your friend that let me drive in reverse. Those if you don’t want forward go away. There at three am in the night they could come racing in Iganga here when naked bo... asking nowhere to go nowhere to go’, what it means is that among both the man and the woman who is bad?—
The ‘reverse gear’ is an allusion to sodomy which, like in the goat analogy, he says that we wants to discourage the people from engaging in bad habits. The statement, ‘naked[ile] bo[y] is said to hide the real words from some members in the audience but he accompanies the words with the swinging of his stick to illustrate what could happen if a couple disagreed in bed late in the night and at 3:00 A.M the man has to run out into the streets naked. His repetition of this phrase is in the sound of the police or ambulance emergency siren which in a way beings in the arm of the law and possible sickness and death if the man and woman did not comply. This leads the performance into the stage of agreement in terms of what has been communicated and what has been learned.
If a woman is not vaginal [in Busoga], they will be divorced by their husbands and this is the message in Diikuula’s love riddle. Similarly, a man whose hand is feeble or not available is a source of discord. He criticised the men who “eat too much food and return home too tired to perform their conjugal” duties. This is clearly stated in L. 146—149 below:
145. Mukazi kuba aziraku ki? Matu! Era omusaadha akoba ati aikazi eryo liziraku matu ayenda atwale. Azize omuntu. Sawuli ya nini? Matu!--Woman because she has no what? Ears! And the man says that that [ugly] woman has no ears whoever wants take. Has rejected a person. The problem is whose? Ears!—
146. Ni imwe abasaadha otamiira kyapati ni oira oigwite. Kyapati itaanu edha ebibiriebibiri na kigama kya kyayi noira na panado. Mwino ali ku kwesumba. --Even you the men do not swallow chapati and you return satisfied. Five chapati each of two hundred and a mug of tea and you return with panadol. Your friend is anxious to have you.—
147. ‘Baaba Saala tusangaire!’-- Father of Sarah you are welcome!--‘Saala’ may refer to Sarah’s father, husband or the one waited to the work.
148. ‘A a a aa muna ndi mulwaire mpa bwa maadhi mire amakelenda. Walya panado aye nga oli mulamu! Oli kutya fulonti? Muze mubi! It will not improve for making life and sports better, nalo.-- A a a aa my friend I am sick just give me water I first swallow tablets. You eat panadol but when you are alive! Do you fear the front? It is a bad habit! It will not improve for making life and sports better, nalo.—
The second affirmation
Diikuula likens the human love activity to being on the war front where every enlisted soldier must participate without fear. He concludes his riddle by an affirmation based on the goat analogy that the goat is ‘eaten’ as sauce and ‘not for silly’ meaning that it is not for sexual orgies. This analogy has serious implication that is the reason why he brings it up again in order to remove all doubt that he is against bestiality [L.153--155]. ‘To work’, ‘to catch’, and ‘to eat’ are synonymous with sexual intercourse in Lusoga language. The performer plays with these words to push his message home. He refuses to be diverted from making this important point of his performance.
149. Aa be taaku omudalizo-- O no, put on the hem--
150. Gomasi?--Boarding [dress]?--
151. Webale inho.--Thank you very much.--
152. Kati obutalwagho malirize mbakoba nti omusomo gubaire gubeegesa okukwana muleke kugema mbuzi kuba embuzi tugirya iva.--Now not to delay I finish telling you that the lesson was teaching seducing so that you leave catching goats because a goat we eat it as sauce.—
153. Age Pakisitaani![ Id3]-- Of Pakistan!--
154. Titugirya bya sile...--We do not eat it for silly...--
In L. 156 he re-enacts the goat analogy. This repetition of the goat episode is relevant to conclude the riddle. It underscores the points raised in the main plot of the riddle. The fact that goats copulate in the open in the full view of both young and adult members makes it an appropriate example to use openly during this discourse. The dilemma however, is that, it might stimulate some of members leading them to pursue the goats for sexual satisfaction.
155. Embuzi enume ekwana bagiretera enkazi bata awo. Yawunhaku yatenda akawowo! Akawowo! Akawowo! Yaira yamwenaku yasisinhala ekinhwa eti eno ni eno, batoola yo abalwaire babandetera wano! Ni nze abaidhandhaba. Iwe ali kwelaga ni iwe ani? Nga enkazi eri kwetooloola ekikondo memale yakola omugulu eti olobera? Olobera? Olobera? Bwe bona tedheemye nga etoola yo waaya eti oba oli kutya oti kuliku omuliro kankombeku. A! Kuzira muliro. Wetegereze bulungi! hahahaah--The male goat seduces they bring a female and they put there. It sniffs and praises the flavour, the flavour the flavour! It returns and smiles and opens its mouth that this way and this, they take sick ones and bring them here! Its mee who treats them. You who is boasting who are you? When the female is rotating around the pole then it does its leg that do you refuse? Do you refuse? Do you refuse? When it sees that it refuses then it brings out the wire that if you fear that it has fire let me leak it. A! There is no fire. Observe properly! Hahahah!—
156. Hahaahhahah[all]--hahahahahah--
157. Paka enkazi bwe bona nga kuzira ki?--Until the female see that there is no what?--
158. Muliro!--Fire?--
159. Muliro! Bwe mala ekola etya? Teikiriza? Olugikuba waaya eti mbeee olimbye gubaire mulirooooo aye nga deal.... nga deal ebisemu.--Fire! Afterwards what does it do? Doesn’t it accept? After hitting it with the wire that noo you lies it was fireeee but the ddeal... the deal would be over.—
In L.161 he restates the aim of his performance much like it happens during affirmation stage of the short dialogic riddles as shown below:
160. Mbalaamira, lwaki ndidha ni mbanoonia obukonko, nabanona obwikiro, nabanona omuseetwe tyenda babe na mize mibi. Tubabita mu mizaanho tubaize walala. Bambi emyoyo gya ibwe mube balamu nga tuwagira culture and sports, mizaanho.--I will to you, that is why I come seeking you in the depths, I seek you downwards, I seek you flatly I hate them to have bad habits. We go to you through games to put you together. Indeed their hearts you stay healthy [alive] as we support ‘culture and sports,’ games.-
Diikuula uses the performances to raise money for personal survival but most importantly to instruct the people in good moral behaviour. The member of the audience who claims ownership of the space where the performance is held keeps reminding Diikuula about the cost of his performance to his personal business. In L.162 and 163 this concern is raised and Diikuula tactfully addresses the issue by referring to the overriding signs of poverty of the members in the audience L. 164—202:
161. Kola kye okola nze nkuwaire eitaka.[ Id4]--Do what you are doing for me I gave you land.—
162. Olwa obwire, tiidha kubamalira biseera tuwuunhe kugya mu dance, nalo.-- Because of night [time], I will not take much of your time let us rise early to go in ‘dance’, nalo.--
163. Mwekubireku mu ngalo abali mu ‘bidiko’-- Clap for yourselves those in ‘plastic sandals’—
Diikuula attacks BIDICO industries for producing plastic shoes and plastic containers before producing cooking oil that were commissioned to produce. He relates this ‘moral decay’ to the Commonwealth Heads of State and Governments meeting [CHOGM] from which many people were barred from participating by virtue of their dress. I could not establish the validity of this claim but certainly, a person dressed as shabbily as Diikuula would on first sight be denied entry to any such functions. The point he wants to make here is that the Basoga should desist from becoming fanatics of cheap goods especially the plastics. But he is also hitting at CHOGM and BIDICO for being ‘undisciplined’, irresponsible and cheating the masses of their wealth.
164. kwakwakwa--[he claps alone.] kwakwakwa--
165. Aye aba bidiko bangi ezira naakuba mu ngalo. Bidiko mwekubireku mu ngalo. Muli na ganhoomi. Timulirananga muliro mwidha okugeiga. Ekyo kidomolera. Gasiya. Sebo boona mbu baali bali kugya ere kubona Kyogamu. Baabakomyanga Namboole babalaga liira Iganga. Omuntu ali mu bidiko yeena ogya obona kwiini? Ife abe emivaazi tukole ki? Musaadha waitu nsiiba mu kooti. Boonoona engoye bana. Million ibiri mba tyambaire. Oyinza olowooza oti wano mpoireyo. -- But those of bidiko are many there is not one clapping hands. You are even undisciplined. You should never come close to fire you will burn ablaze. That is jerry can. Rubbish. Sir that they too were going to see Kyogamu. They were clogged at Namboole and where shown the [way to] return to Iganga. A person in bidiko also you go to see the queen? We with fashion we do what? Our man I spend the day in a coat. They waste clothes friends. Two millions I would not be dressed. You might think that here I am all done. –
The rest of the performance is done to fulfil his major interest of raising money for survival. The audience complains that he has reaped much and performed little which he thinks is mere jealousy.
166. Muzeeyi totwongeireyoku lukumi nkone yo dansi?--Mzee haven’t you added us one thousand I at least knock in a dance?--
167. Kubamu nga omaliriza[Id6]--Beat in as you finish.--
168. Nti ngemya olukumi male--So give me in hand one thousand first.--
169. Iyi![ Id6]--Iyi!--
170. Iyi! Oweze kakaaga? Mwino eyakwesize obweira?[p4]--Iyi! You make six thousand? Your friend who trusted you?--
171. Kale obaire onhongera yo kale nhongera yo bitaanu. Ahahaha!--Alright you were adding me, alright add me five hundred. Ahahaha!--
172. Akange okobye ka kaali kwidha! Ako kabaire ka ole! Hm![p6]--Mine you said it has not yet come! That was for the other one! Hm!--
173. Tisiima didho ni iwe odhimpaire? --I don’t appreciate is it yours is it you who gave it to me?--
174. Ahahahaha![all]--Ahahahaha!--
175. You!--You!--
176. Tisiima? MKN. Ngya kubakuba muziki ebya amawulilo mbiviireku. Olutambi lwo lwidwire?—I don’t appreciate? MKN. I am going to beat you music about news I have given up on it. Is your tape full up?--
177. Tusomese ebindi kati tweze okukwana kati twega yo ekyo kyonka?--Teach us something else now we have learnt seducing now we learn only that?--
178. A! a a! Eliyo ekigema ku laavu ni obwibi bwa abakazi. Anhweire soda aliire enkoko aye okumutoola mu idiiro ayenda poliisi. Tikulimba baibi inho babula bwa mundu aye kaiyi basingaku ni bano. Yongera olukumi ako okaidhuze mwana iwe lukumi luti. -- A! A a! There is what touches love and the stealing of women. She has drunk soda has eaten chicken but to remove her from the sitting room she needs police. I do not tell lies to you they are thieves so much they are only without guns but are worse than these ones. Add one thousand that you fill it up your child one thousand like this.--
179. Ako kakolere abaana baabo.[ Id6]--That you do it for the children they are there.--
180. Obwo bwibi![ Id7]--That is theft!--
181. Waaya!--Wire!--
182. Nkakolera dhiti – I do it for this –
183. Diiku bamuku idiini -- Diiku have a bit of religion--
184. Nga oidhi nze okungema ku lutambi sente dhe bampa? Mitwalo giti – aye kuba ono OB twasoma naye busome nasale. Yongera olukumi togayaala oidha kuswala mu bantu wano. Tuwe olukumi. Ahahaaha!-- but do you know to record me on a tape the money they give me? These thousands -but because this is an OB we read with [him] just in nursery. Add one thousand don’t delay you will get ashamed among people here. Give us one thousand. Ahahahaha!—
185. Hahaahahaahah![all]--Hahahahahahahah!--
186. Sooka ompe yo soda male nkuwe ebitaanu.[ Id6]--First give me a soda atleast before I givew you five hundred.--
187. Awo okoze. Amaze yalira ati olukumi luba... Hahahah aye ebitaanu ndhikiriiza. Leeta.--There you’ve worked. He later cried that one thousand is... Hahahah! But one thousand I have accepted. Bring.—
188. Aye leeta lukaaga--But bring six hundred.--
189. Muwe![ Id4]--Give him!--
190. I... iwe onweire Rwenzooli nze nkaali. [Id6]--Y... you have drunk Rwenzori me i haven’t.--
191. Bano ni abanguliire ga kikumi, aye...--These are the ones who bought for one hundred, but ...—
192. Leka kutubisamu maiso, saawa eyo tubaire ba buvunanizibwa.[ Id4]--Stop passing your eyes through us [looking down upon us], that time we were very responsibleAga ekikumi?--Of one hundred?--
193. Ago Tili nakuwulira oti nweire ku maadhi. Gaweire namu ahahaahah!--That I am not even feeling like i have drunk any water. It’s even finished ahahahah!
194. Neeyanziiza muganda wange.--I have appreciated my brother.
195. Wangi![ Id6]--Perdon me!
196. Nti ni eyanziiza. Buti baleeta kayaaka akakaire tyenda.--Which I have appreciated. Now they bring only a new one an old one I don’t like.--
197. Okinemu! [ Id6]--To dance a bit! --
198. Ngya kukina ate ngya kusooka kusomesa beege love and loving me ni mbakube omuziki iwe ku maani go. Bano buti tikayenda dha ibwe.--I am going to dance and I am first going to teach so they learn love and loving then I beat them music you upon your strength. These now I no longer want theirs.—
199. Love yonka ni eli yo?[Id6]--Love is the only one there?--
200. Na dansi bintu biti-! -- And dance things [like] this –
The two fingers he flashes signify three things: the V-symbol of the main opposition political party in Uganda, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), the victory sign, and in the context of this performance, the vagina. These meanings are emphasised by the quick interlocking of the three fingers below the V signing fingers. This is a common way of indicating carnal knowledge. His conclusion in this discourse that the ‘V’ is the only other thing that really exists in addition to dance and love is by far related not only to the theme of the performance but the political climate in Uganda. He possibly means one or all the three meanings at the same time without being directly prescriptive of either.
Unlike the short formulaic dialogic riddles that have a linear structural pattern and cyclic thematic pattern, narrative didactic riddles have an itinerant structural pattern and a linear thematic pattern. This means that in the short formulaic riddles the riddle act begins and ends in a linear form unlike the narrative riddle that may have the different moves mixed up at different stages of the performance. This is because many issues may crop up at a certain point during the performance and they have to be resolved. This necessitates the performer to go through the stages of resolving the riddle within the riddle at that point of the performance. These riddles within the main riddle are similar to the riddle acts in the short formulaic forms but they are not as easily identifiable as in short formulaic forms.
On the other hand, the thematic pattern in the narrative didactic riddles is commonly linear because in most cases each riddle episode or event has one major theme running from beginning to end with analogous subthemes. This is different from the short formulaic riddles that have various themes proposed under a single precedent in an attempt to unravel the riddle. Although there may be a strong relationship between the answers proposed during the unravelling, their pattern is itinerant.
Applying the Bakhtin’s thematic domains which I have improved from seven to fourteen series, I have found that Diikuula’s love riddle falls within theme (5) sexual series and has sub-themes falling under (1) the anatomy and physiology series; (2) human clothing series; (3) food series; (6) death series; (8) road and transport series; (9) plants and nature series; (10) deeds and habits series; (11) building and construction series; (12) impossibility and probability series; (13) sound and actions series; (14) money series; (15) telecommunication series; (16) religion series.
The subthemes cited below help to augument the major theme of love in the love riddle. Under each subtheme I mention some words and actions that are performed and what they mean to the main theme of the performance.
In the the anatomy and physiology series, L.3 eirike [baboon], L.10 good voice and ugly face, L.17 he cannot get my face, L.26-29 cds are all here! L.71 your boy L.73 storekeeper, council… L.78 bad mouth L.81goat, mouth, L.127 leg movements L.139 hands L.140 hearing L.141 ears L.146-149 medicine.
In the human clothing series we have Diikuula’s costume, L.151Gomasi, L.164-166 bidiko.
In the food series we have L. 10 soda, L.19 bando L.82 enyama L.88 akawoowooo L.90 olobera L.94 afumba ensugunhu L.98 kiyira ndikirira, L.115 walagi,L117 nja kugulya ‘omutwalo’, L.120 oguliire, L.147 kyapati, L155-6 kombaku, L.187 soda L191 Rwenzooli, L.195 Maadhi [ogutoileyo, ogutaileyo, oguliire, bwe olingema obulungi…
In the death series we have L.145 sirens ‘nowhere to go nowhere to go’ L.146
In the road and transport series we have L.142 vevicle gears, L.143 forward L.145, L.161 museetwe, bwiko..
In the plants and nature series we find L. 1 kunoga L. 5 eluuyi, emandhu, kayembe, mwanhi L.93 oliyundha buyundhe oti nkota ya Kisubi
In the deeds and habits series we find L.3 endhogera, L.4 okutumbula, L.6 Bukunja L.L52059 development sponsoring, English L. 76 winning entertainer L.97-103 okugema, okutyama, okuwulira, emplizagania, L.87 goat analogy, L.200 teach and dance L.127-130
In the building and construction series we find L.94 ekisulumuzo, L.108-110 zebra crossing L.133 kabiriiti and kibooko as moods
In the impossibility and probability series we find L.20 start groups L.157-160 muliro oba ti muliro?
In the sound and actions serieswe find silence at L. 11 nsiriikiriire and different kinds responses at L. 22 hm and of laughter at L. 22 hahahahah L.44 hehehehe L.157, 175, 57, 72, 74, 77, 179-186, 86, 88 akawoowoooo 95, 131, 134, 156,
In the money series we have L.17, 30 counting money, L.31 -51 counting and discussing money, L.65-70 earning, L.84 omutwalo, L.110 omutwalo, L.112-126, 136-180 osuubuula, 162 pay for land, 167-186 give more money, 185 mitwalo giti,
In the [tele] communication series we have [tele] phone, language L.18, 129-133 okigema eisimu, numba ya eisimu, eitafaali, looking at a telephone as the tool for communicating love and the Lusoga language and the body for conveying the message
In the religion series we have L.97 Mwamadi, L.6 asumaani, L.94 katonda, L.99 Madiina, Katonda, Kuraani ‘akimu takazina’, kuwoowe, halaali obwenzi. L.100 Aisi/Alice, Madiina owa amaani aba na bana, [L.184].
Broadly, Diikuula’s love riddle conforms to structural Pattern 1: R = Cp + Re + Ap [a + p + u + c + d + a1 + a2] and sub plots in the riddle acts represented by single actones or a group of actones within the main performance may correspond to Patterns 5 and 6 as illustrated below:
Pattern 5 R = Cp + Re + Ap [a + p + u + a1 + a2]
82. Owundi eliyo akwana omukazi aye ali oti ayagaine gwa abanda. --There is another who seduces a woman but is like one who finds his debtor
83. ‘Aalo! Sooka oyemerere male.’ -- Omukazi ayemereire awulirisa eno – ‘mperaano lwaki nkweta nga ogya bugye? Saawa eno buti kyoyenda ki? Namba yange eyeisimu ogiidhi? Omutwalo guugwo bwe oyenda okuba onakuba.’--‘Hallo! First stop there. – The woman has stopped and is listening – ‘now why do I call you and you just go? This time now what do you want? My number of the phone do you know it? Ten thousand is there if you want to ring you will ring.’
84. Bigambo ki bye muvamu. Wandafuulu ba maama mulaba inho. Omusaadha ali kukukwana aye ali mu fooseezi oti na mundu. Okukwana kitegeeza okuniogereza omwoyo ogwa ogwa omuntu gwe oba oli ku kwana watamuku culture and sports making life better, nalo! eee--What words come from you. Wonderful you mothers you suffer very much. A man is seducing you but is in forces like with a gun. To seduce means to tickle the heart of, of a person you are seducing and you put in some ‘culture and sports, making life better, nalo!’ eee.
85. eeheheee--eeheheheee—
Pattern 6 R = Cp + Re + Ap [a + p + u + a1 - a2] da
161. Kola kye okola nze nkuwaire eitaka.[ Id4]--Do what you are doing for me I gave you land.—
162. Olwa obwire, tiidha kubamalira biseera tuwuunhe kugya mu dance, nalo.-- Because of night [time], I will not take much of your time let us rise early to go in ‘dance’, nalo.--
163. Mwekubireku mu ngalo abali mu ‘bidiko’-- Clap for yourselves those in ‘plastic sandals’—
164. kwakwakwa--[he claps alone.] kwakwakwa--
Aye aba bidiko bangi ezira naakuba mu ngalo. Bidiko mwekubireku mu ngalo. Muli na ganhoomi. Timulirananga muliro mwidha okugeiga. Ekyo kidomolera. Gasiya. Sebo boona mbu baali bali kugya ere kubona Kyogamu. Baabakomyanga Namboole babalaga liira Iganga. Omuntu ali mu bidiko yeena ogya obona kwiini? Ife abe emivaazi tukole ki? Musaadha waitu nsiiba mu kooti. Boonoona engoye bana. Million ibiri mba tyambaire. Oyinza olowooza oti wano mpoireyo. -- But those of bidiko are many there is not one clapping hands. You are even indisciplined. You should never come close to fire you will burn ablaze. That is jerry can. Rubbish. Sir that they too were going to see Kyogamu. They were clogged at Namboole and where shown the [way to] return to Iganga. A person in bidiko also you go to see the queen? We with fashion we do what? Our man I spend the day in a coat. They waste clothes friends. Two millions I would not be dressed. You might think that here I am all done. –
Extracting the precedent from the discourse and listing it with a single answer undermines the riddler and unriddlers who participated in the performance because the answer is not in what is taken to be the answer alone but in all the answers during the unravelling. Riddling is intended to challenge, critic, entertain and inform those for whom it is intended, without physically excluding those who are not the intended audience. It is performed like an aside that is experienced by the entire audience yet the interpretation and decoding of the message varies from person to person according to their individual wits. People in the audience may enjoy the story, joke, pun or stint of the riddle, but it may be a few that decode the intended meaning or meanings of a particular riddle. The uniqueness of riddle is that even those who pick the unintended message are right in their own right since the riddle is multifaceted.
Through the use of pictures alongside the word text, the written riddle is enhanced but never fully recorded. Riddlism exploits all the formal, informal, verbal and nonverbal, visual, artistic, aesthetic qualities that constitute the art of communication. For example, tattoos on the body are non-verbal riddle images and the contexts in which they happen make them riddlegraphic. Though generally stable in form and structure, riddles like this one are also variable. In order to appeal to as wide an audience as possible, extended metaphor is used by the riddler to cover up this anomaly as best as they can. Riddle quality largely depends on the performer and the quality of the metaphor and its presentation which in turn depends on the context of the performance.
The idea is that whoever experiences the riddle, freely interprets it and attempts to unravel the riddle’s intended meaning based on the available cues. The embedded and embodied riddle texture can be performed verbally and non-verbally using words and gestures. The relationship between oratory and riddling is that an orator learns the skill of oratory through constant riddling. The realization and actualisation of a riddle instils a sense of the extra ordinary in speech and self-expressions. This implies that the manner of speech is more important than what is said.
Riddle performances in Lusoga language and culture rely more on the creativity and innovativeness of the participants (main performer and audience) involved in the event than any existing fixed format and prescribed answers. The responses may be fixed by tradition or over time of play but the perception of the riddle is as original and multifaceted as the numbers of innovative riddlers perform it in new contexts and events.
