Explore the Batwa Community in Uganda
Visitors may be drawn to Uganda’s tantalising Bwindi Impenetrable National Park by the chance to see the endangered mountain gorillas, but there’s another reason to make the journey: the Batwa.
On the fringes of the national park are the last remaining members of the endangered Batwa Pygmy tribe that once flourished in the area. A visit to their community is not only a way to learn more about the traditional forest practices of this hunter-gatherer culture, but also a way to support a people whose ancient way of life has been almost completely wiped out by modernisation.
The Batwa’s Past
The Batwa pygmies were a semi-nomadic tribe who occupied the mountainous region of western Uganda for thousands of years. They lived a typical hunter-gatherer lifestyle: the men used simple spears or bows and arrows to catch birds, monkeys, small antelopes, and bush pigs, while the women foraged for wild honey, fruits, and berries. They relied entirely on the rainforest for their existence, living in grass huts and dressing in the skins of the animals they killed.
As the forests were cut down to create farmland and grazing for cattle, the Batwa were pushed back into smaller areas. Eventually, in the 1930s, the remaining forests were declared protected reserves. This move, while preventing further deforestation and providing protection for the critically endangered gorillas, removed the Batwa’s legal claims to the land they had lived on for many centuries.
The final blow came in 1991 when these reserves were turned into Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The Batwa were evicted without support or compensation, effectively making them criminals on their own land. Forced out and threatened with imprisonment, they moved onto the land on the fringes of the parks, where they are now illegal squatters.
The Batwa’s Present
Today, only around 3000 Batwa remain, living in extreme poverty in makeshift grass-hut villages, in constant fear of eviction. As a marginalised community excluded from mainstream society, they face significant challenges, including limited access to work, education, and healthcare. Often shunned and harassed, they struggle to adapt to the modern world. While tourists pay at least $600 to visit the gorillas in nearby Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the Batwa – evicted from this land to make way for conservation – do not benefit from this influx of tourist revenue.
However, hope is on the horizon. In 2000, members of the community formed the United Organisation for Batwa Development in Uganda (UOBDU), which is working to support the tribe in areas such as education, housing, and income generation. One of its initiatives involves cultural experience tours, where visitors spend time with the Batwa, see their way of life, and learn about the tools and techniques they have used to survive for centuries in Uganda’s forests.
This initiative marks the first time the Batwa are directly involved in running their own tourism projects. Previously, they were treated merely as attractions by outsiders who profited without giving back to the community. Today, they are reclaiming control.
Visiting the Batwa
Small Batwa villages, usually consisting of no more than half a dozen families, are located near Mgahinga and Bwindi and close to Lake Bunyonyi. Many welcome visitors, and the details of your experience may vary depending on your chosen village.
At Mgahinga, visitors can take the Batwa Cultural Trail, a gentle five-hour nature walk through the forest led by community guides. These guides will showcase traditional foraging techniques, animal trapping methods, and the creation of tools and medicines from plants. The trail concludes at Garama Cave, where tribe members perform soulful songs in the echoey darkness.
If you’re already in Bwindi to see the gorillas, consider the Batwa Cultural Experience, which complements your morning gorilla excursion. With luck, you’ll only need 3-4 hours to find your gorilla family, leaving the afternoon free for engaging with the Batwa through displays of traditional hunting and fire-making skills, alongside music performed with wooden instruments and animal-skin drums. You’ll also learn how they build their huts, including elevated nests for protecting small children from predators.
Through a translator, you’ll hear the families’ stories firsthand. You may meet Grace, who’s 74 and has seven children; until 1991, she lived in the forest foraging for food. Now, she survives through subsistence farming. Another elder, Oliva, claims to be 93 but appears much younger – without official records, her true age remains uncertain. Each elder’s adaptation to a new way of living makes for a moving story shared during your visit.
Advice for Your Visit
Upon arrival, you might encounter independent ‘guides’ offering tours to Batwa communities. These unregulated tours can be exploitative and should be avoided. Stick to official tours run by UOBDU, the Uganda Wildlife Authority, or the Batwa Development Programme. Inquire at your accommodation or the Batwa Craft shop near Bwindi’s entrance for more reliable information.
Although these official visits might be more expensive than street offers, they ensure that the tours are culturally sensitive and that your money supports the Batwa community directly.
The Batwa’s Future
The future remains uncertain for the Batwa. The UOBDU and various NGOs are advocating for proper compensation for displaced communities and working to restore their access rights to the forests upon which their livelihoods depend, but progress is slow. However, there is hope: Batwa children are now attending school and beginning to integrate into local communities, and heightened awareness of the Batwa’s plight is drawing attention to their challenges.
Initiatives like cultural visits offer a vital opportunity for the Batwa to benefit directly from tourists visiting Uganda’s famous gorillas. As the community learns more about their offerings and visitors recognize the unique experiences available, the potential for mutual benefit should continue to grow. While the changes may be small, it is undoubtedly a positive start.
Engaging with the Batwa provides a unique opportunity to learn about centuries-old nomadic forest living while offering a rewarding introduction to a proud community, leaving a lasting impression of inspiration and empathy.
