When tonto unified Uganda Culture

A man crushes ripe bananas in a trough to make tonto, a popular brew in western Uganda.

But this is becoming something of the past, not because the brew is no longer made but the purpose it used to serve, and the mode of consumption.

If there was a culturally unifying factor in Ankole, especially the agricultural community, it would be tonto. A local brew made out of matoke and sorghum.

But this is becoming something of the past, not because the brew is no longer made but the purpose it used to serve, and the mode of consumption.

Encompass

Today, people drink tonto as individuals at home and in bars and it is more of a source of income than a cultural drink.

Mr. Elifazi Rwabushaija, 53, says people have become very individualistic and that is why this unity the drink used to encompass is no longer there.

“It used to be a forum where we met to deliberate on issues concerning our society like on discipline, development and issues relating to strengthening our culture.’’

Discipline

These drinking gatherings used to rotate from home to home and there was no need to worry about looking for the money to drink.

Rwabushaija said strict discipline was maintained during these drinking gatherings. For instance, children were not allowed to join the elders while women drank it separately from men.

Residents who misbehaved during the gatherings were fined, for example, a goat that would be slaughtered and eaten.  Mr. Zabrooni Rwakaikara, 67, of Rwampara in Mbarara, says even one who made a brew that did not conform to standards was also fined.

So, you had to ensure you maintain good standards like the ingredients to be used during brewery. Unlike today, in the past drinking beer used to play a very significant role especially on uniting and keeping bonds together.

Values

“These days alcohol consumption has become a source of evil unlike in the past, whereas we used these drinking gatherings as a way to instill discipline in our societies ,reflect on our cultural norms and values these days it’s the opposite they drinking joints have become hubs for thieves, rapists, murderers name it,” said Rwakaikara.

At ceremonies like marriage and introductions never went ahead without blessing of this brew.

“It was a must-have by the bridegroom’s entourage as they went for introductions; we had special people to test the booze to ensure it was very good. Should you bring tonto that does not conform to the quality taste, the function could even be to be called off” Rwakaikara added.

But these days, these functions are blessed with beers and soda.

He also says during the days of Ankole Kingdom, the subjects of the king brewed the tonto and bring to the palace and those that used to brew the best of it will be rewarded like with land, exempted from paying taxes among others.

How it is made

Tonto is a traditional fermented beverage made from bitter bananas (embiire) and is also referred as mwenge bigere.

It is made by ripening the green bananas (embiire) in a pit for several days.

The juice is then extracted mostly using feet in a wooden trough, filtered and diluted before being mixed with ground and roasted sorghum. The mixture is fermented again a wooden trough for two to four days to make tonto.