 |
Chiswa
chisisi
|
Scientific name – Termitoidae
Local name - Chiswa chisisi
Swahili name - kumbekumbe
For
many people in Western Province, the termite season always brings with it
smiles over the hope of uninterrupted supply of natural delicacy. For most of
them, they have to wake up as early as 2am to fetch the insects that are mostly
found on ant hills or form up in holes that are scratched with a stick before
you find more than two termites in a hole or sometimes one.
Termite
business has turned out to be a success for many as a small cup of termites
goes for more than twenty shillings depending on the size of the cup. Most
parents and children consume the insects and are supplemented with free
proteins that would cost them if they were to go for meat, chicken or any other
form of protein.
Western
Province residents who know the importance of the insects would do anything to
get them at any cost of sacrificing their sleep in exchange of the insects
and some would consume raw while others would fry and munch them with ugali or
plain.
There
are different types of termites with each type having its own name among Bamasaaba people of Western and Eastern
Uganda. To start with we have chiswa
chisisi which are blackish in colour and the smallest in size. These
ones are mostly seen during the rainy season from about 2pm to 4pm in the
months of September to December. Early in the morning women and children
collect three short sticks which are used to invite the termites. Sticks are
beaten, this is to sound like rain and because termites emerge when it begins
to rain, they all come trooping out during the day.
Normally,
Bamasaaba people erect a small tent (siswa) which they cover with
blankets leaving an opening that leads to a special hole dug at the opening
where termites will slide into then they are collected. The special hole is
called efubo which has banana
leaves inside and at the entrance where termites slide and fall into the hole.
Another
group of termites is called Chinunda
which are brownish in colour and mostly comes out from 5 pm in the evening
common in the months of December to February. There is also a group called Kamabuli that are common
in the months of December to February that appear late in the evening from 6pm
to 7pm. They are blackish in colour and usually take a very short time after
they start coming out.
Kamakhubwe
are brownish in colour and appear after the season for kamabuli although they are not eaten.
Chimome are blackish in colour
and normally come out when it is raining, commonly in the months of June to
October. Chindawa termites
are blackish in colour and also appear when it is raining, are common in the
months of April-May
Kamaresi are dark brown in colour,
the biggest in size and normally appear at night. This season as from April to
June is for kamaresi that
people capture at night. They are attracted to the light and that is how Bamasaaba
people get them using light. Kamaswakhe
are blackish in colour and also appear at night.
Chingalabuwe termite species are
common in the months of September to November and are Brownish in colour. Kamaachichi are common in
April to May and their appearance resembles wasps and they are blackish in
colour. They appear mostly at around nine to eleven in the morning.
Bikeke are
blackish in colour and are associated with some species of termites. Bisiabubu
usually appear in the month of April and are usually small, black and
whitish in colour. They are not eaten among Bamasaaba people because it
is believed one would become deaf if he eats them.
Prepared By:
Emmy Makokha
Librarian, Kitale Museum
No comments:
Post a Comment