Boma Cultural Village in Semuliki National Park is one of the memorable cultural safari destinations in Uganda. Apart from visiting the Bamaga people, a visit to Boma Cultural Village is one of the most amazing and memorable with rewarding experiences to encounter while on your culture safari in Uganda.
The Boma Cultural Village in Semuliki National Park offers you an opportunity to interact with the amazing local Batwa community and the most welcoming people. Visiting this cultural village mainly takes you through exploration of incredible traditional norms and cultures of the rare Batwa people in their community.
The Batwa are renown hunters and gatherers in both Semuliki and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. So, they depend on Semuliki forest for food, tools, medicine and shelter, despite the increased interaction and intermarriages with other tribes. Due to continued interaction with other local communities, the lifestyle of these unique people has started changing.
Experience at Boma Cultural Village
While at the Boma Cultural Village one learns that the lifestyle of the Batwa has transformed due to community’s interactions with other different local communities/people. With intermarriages, their lives have been completely transformed.
Boma Cultural Village was constructed for the Batwa people of Semuliki to present their enriched cultural history through a variety of performances. These performances include music, dance and drama, relating to their lives back in the days when they inhabited the thick forest.
Tourists provide alternative source of income for this marginalized group of people while offering them a chance to restore and display their endowed cultural history. This is through music and traditional dances especially at Ntandi. Besides, they also make handcraft products that they sell to visitors and you can also grab one for your own memories as a souvenir.
While on a cultural safari at the village, you will learn the ancient ways of hunting, livelihood and work. As a result, you can also add village walks around the communities to learn more.
In conclusion, Semuliki National Park is one of the least visited national parks in Uganda yet it offers a variety of amazing attractions and the most dramatic experiences. Not only is it popular for its rare wildlife but also for the most thrilling and authentic cultural experiences. This park is also ideal for birding safaris and brief game drives while exploring the most powerful Sempaya hot springs and many more.
In Uganda, other parks with rich cultural experiences include Kidepo Valley National Park, well known for it’s Karamojong culture and the Garama caves for the Batwa people of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.