Countries adopt national birds, flowers, sports and all kinds of national symbols. Well, I think Uganda really should try something new and be the first nation in the world to declare a National Smell. Towards this end, I humbly submit my nomination: Smoke—the National Smell of Uganda. (Not the cigarette variety, we’re talking the smoke caused by the burning of wood or grass.) You smell smoke in both rural and urban areas and it seems like every breath you take in has a hint of wood smoke in it. You may not believe me, but even as I write this I can smell the smoke from a nearby fire.
It is the end of the dry season at the moment, so farmers who keep cattle tend to burn the older grass at this time so that new, fresh grass can grow when the rains start. Similarly, other farmers burn brush in order to clear their land for cultivation. Driving through the countryside right now you can see charred hillsides where there has been burning and at night you can see the glow from these fires.
It is not just farmers that cause all the smoke smell in the air, however. Brick makers, charcoal producers and housewives all do their share in producing it. Bricks are baked in wood-fuelled kilns, charcoal suppliers obviously can’t make their product without burning wood and housewives cook the family meals over open fires or charcoal fires. It is no wonder that every breath has a smoky undertone.
Other nominations for Ugandan National Smell could be diesel fumes or “just-rained-on-dirt,” but these would be distant runners-up. Smoke takes it.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment