"Children have the right to leisure, play and participation in cultural and artistic activities"

In most communities traditions are passed on from one generation to the next. This may be by the way certain events are celebrated or special clothes that are worn, or special food that is eaten on certain occasions or songs that are sung. This can be part of our culture and it may be something a whole nation identifies with or something only a small group celebrate. It is often very important to people's lives.

Independence Day

Make some of the musical instruments described in this book, make some tribal masks and celebrate Uganda Independence Day (9th October). Make some Ugandan food or celebrate with monkey nuts and Pepsi or coke.

With your Beaver Scouts celebrate a custom from your local community. This may be a particular way of celebrating a national event or a special custom relating to the past and the traditions in your community. Remember to tell the Beaver Scouts what it all means!

Religion

Religion plays a very important role in the lives of the people in Uganda. About 65% of the population are Christians, divided mostly between the Catholic and Protestant denominations but there are also Orthodox Christians. About 30% are Muslim and the remainder are Hindus, Sikhs or belong to other religions.

Activity - faith

Invite someone from another faith other than the one mostly practised by the Beaver Scouts in your Colony, to come along and show them some of the important artefacts and the religious texts. Perhaps it could be during one of their festivals and you could make some of the foods or symbols they use to celebrate that festival. Compose some prayers for children in the world. These could be picture prayers or doing prayers. Get each Beaver Scout to bring in something that all the children in the world should have. The Beaver Scouts could sit in a circle and put everything in the middle for instance clean water, food, books, toys and soap.

Clothes

In some areas of Uganda animal skins are still used for making clothes, shoes, sandals, aprons and ornaments. Cotton clothes came to Uganda with the Arabs and originally calico was only worn by the chiefs but later it became accepted as national dress.

The women wear bright coloured and patterned clothes, they seldom wear just white.

Activity - What do I wear? What sort of clothes do you wear? Are they the same as Ugandan children's clothes? What type of clothes do you wear when it is dry and wet, hot or cold? In Uganda it is usually quite warm but it can sometimes also be very wet.
	The Scouts at the World Jamboree in Chile are seen here wearing the Kanszu with a young swiss lady

 

Activity

Why not get the Beaver Scouts to print patterns on material using potato prints or fabric pens.

Crafts

People in Uganda make necklaces, head bands, bracelets and so on from beads. The Beaver Scouts could try to make some too.

Cut long thin triangles of coloured paper from magazines. Then roll the paper tight from the broad end and glue at pointed end. When sufficient numbers have been rolled, thread them onto a heavy thread and varnish.

Games

Here are some games to play with the Beaver Scouts. Below are the numbers one to five and their equivalent in Lugandan. Lugandan is one of the languages spoken in Uganda.

1. Emu
2. Biri
3. Satu
4. Nya
5. Tano

First teach the Beaver Scouts how to count to five in Lugandan as above.

The Colony can then disperse around room. The Leader calls out a number in Lugandan and youngsters form themselves into groups of that number. Beaver Scouts who fail to get into groups drop out and game continues.

Variations: The Beaver Scout Leader calls out two numbers in Ugandan and the Beaver Scouts must add them up before then forming into groups.

Command Game - Beans

Runner beans Beaver Scouts run in a circle.

Jumping beans Beaver Scouts hop in a circle.

String beans Beaver Scouts stand on tip toes with arms and hands stretched into the air.

Broad beans Beaver Scouts stand with legs and arms wide apart.

Jelly beans Beaver Scouts wobble like a jelly.

Game - Hot Potato (circle game)

1. The Beaver Scouts sit in a circle.
2. The Beaver Scout Leader chooses a number.
3. A ball (which is the hot potato) is passed from Beaver Scout to Beaver Scout counting as it is passed to each person.
4. When the number that the Beaver Scout Leader has chosen is reached the Beaver Scout holding the 'hot potato' leaves the circle and joins the Beaver Scout Leader. They then choose another number and the potato is passed round again.

As one circle diminishes the other enlarges.

Activity - Food - Mango Banana Sundae

Here is a recipe using fruits grown in Uganda. The Beaver Scouts will enjoy trying to make it and will also enjoy eating it.

You will need:

• 1 mango - fresh but if necessary tinned,
• 2 bananas,
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice,
• Half a cup of pineapple or orange juice,
• Vanilla ice cream.

Method

1. Peel the mango and chop finely.
2. Peel bananas and chop finely.
3. Mix mangoes and bananas.
4. Add mixture to lemon juice and pineapple or orange juice.
5. Place a scoop of vanilla ice cream in sundae dish or sherbet glass.
6. Pour three to four tablespoons of the mango and banana sauce over the icecream and serve.