More or less funny things around the Kisiizi Falls
So here we are in front of the Kisiizi Falls, which seem very peaceful at the moment. In the rainy season, when there is more water, the effect is much more impressive.
Regardless of the amount of water - these falls have not been peaceful for a long time anyway.
At this point, a short digression into the rather idiosyncratic legislation - or rather its implementation - in Uganda is in order. We were directly affected by this during the preparatory work for our association.
On the one hand, there are the two strict laws on anti-terrorism and anti-money laundering, which mean that the flow of money is extremely regulated and monitored. The strict requirements and controls - especially with regard to proof of the origin of the funds - mean that basically no Swiss bank is willing (because it is simply not able) to provide its customers with a reasonable business relationship with Uganda.
In addition to the two areas already mentioned, the third factor is the very restrictive legislation on anti-homosexuality. This affects us in our project insofar as supporting schools and orphanages can lead to the misinterpretation of honorable intentions, since - even in Uganda - homosexuality is all too often equated with paedophilia.
Since homosexuality can hardly be dealt with through regulation and surveillance, clear prohibitions and strict penalties - up to and including the death penalty - are needed to deter homosexuality
And so back to the starting point of this story: Dealing with the shame of extramarital pregnancies is (or was) just as difficult as dealing with homosexuality. So strict penalties are a probable way of dealing with the problem here too. I have already told you about Punishment Island, the island (in the nameless lake) for the deportation of mothers with illegitimate pregnancies. In the absence of a suitable island, a waterfall can of course also be of good use...
And now to the background of the monument:
The pregnant, unmarried mothers were brought to the Kisiizi Falls by their families. There, more than enough Enturire, the elaborately produced local beer, was drunk from the jug (1).
The unmarried mother was then tied up by her arms and legs and taken to the top of the waterfall in the sedan chair (2) mentioned in the main article.
There, her relatives pushed her into the abyss (3). The father of the unborn child often died with them, more or less voluntarily.
These atrocities only came to an end when Dr. Sharp, from Scotland, founded the Kisiizi Mission (4) in 1958.
From then on, illegitimate mothers were also allowed to lead a life of dignity (5) together with their children and families.
In honor of the missionary, this memorial with a commemorative plaque (6) was erected at the foot of the Kisiizi Falls.
