A Healthy Fart, An Old Auntie & A Bloody Sheet (an illustrated Banyankole sexual history)

The people of Ankole (western Uganda) used to have an interesting marriage process. The elderly first chose a family to marry from. Some nights before the marriage ceremony they went to the female courtyard to listen for farts. The girl with the loudest fart was supposed to be the healthiest and was selected to be the bride. An extreme act followed. Before the groom met the bride, he was obliged to have sex with the eldest of his maternal aunts. This was to train him for his night duties. On the wedding night, the maternal aunt was required to watch and listen to the freshly married couple’s first intercourse. If the groom didn’t do a good job, he was prone to ridicule and more lessons from the aunt. A white sheet was used for the beddings; blood on it would prove the girl was a virgin. No blood would mean abomination and hence becoming an outcast. Omukeikuru Nyakairima (as told to her grandchild Roderick Atuhaire) illustrations: Martin Aijuka Depories