Browsing by Author "Ssematimba, Juliet"

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Kibiro Indigenous Salt Making Technology and Uganda’s Economic War, 1972-1979
(African Journal of History and Geography, 2024-12-02) Ssematimba, Juliet; Kyazike, Elizabeth; Khanakwa, Pamela
This paper examines the continuities and changes that characterised traditional salt-making technology at Kibiro during the 1972 economic war in Uganda and the influence of these technologies on the volume, quality, and benefits of mined salt. While Kibiro’s salt-making was not new in historical discourse, attention had largely been on its archaeology rather than its history. Using a historical qualitative approach, data was collected through oral interviews through purposeful snowballing, documentary review, and observations. The data were analysed using documentary analysis and narrative techniques. Results show the dynamics in the traditional salt making technology that provided a basis for appreciating how national changes can lead to unintended changes and benefits to the local communities without necessarily changing the production technology. The traditional salt-making technology exclusively done by women reveals the power of a woman salt miner to survive and support her household in an agriculturally barren geographical setting with trivial support from men due to cultural beliefs and practices.
Women and salt mining at Kibiro salt gardens in Hoima district (1894-2015)
(Kyambogo University [ Unpublished work], 2017-12) Ssematimba, Juliet
The purpose of the study was to examine the factors that explain women participation in salt mining at Kibiro salt gardens and how Kibiro's geographical setting acted as a basis for discerning factors underlying salt mining and challenges faced in this mining between 1894-2015. The study was motivated by the observation that while Kibiro's salt mining was not new in historical discourse, attention had largely been on its process and its archaeological explanations. Thus not much attention had been paid to the factors that explain why it was only women who engaged in Kibiro salt mining. The study also intended to identify the benefits and challenges faced and how the challenges were dealt with. The study was guided by four specific objectives that were: to explain Kibiro's geographical setting as a basis for discerning the factors favouring salt mining; to examine women in salt mining during the pre-colonial period; to analyse continuities and changes for women salt mining in Kibiro during the colonial period; to examine the state of women in salt mining at Kibiro during the post-colonial period. The study utilised a qualitative approach. Data were collected using documentary review, observation and face-toface oral interviews guided by an interview guide. The snowball sampling method was used to identify key infonnants who then directed the researcher to other knowledgeable infonnants. Data were analysed using documentary analysis and narrative techniques. The results reveal that women's exclusive role in salt mining can be traced from the pre-colonial period and it is deeply rooted in the Bakibiro cultural fabric. This breaks the established narrative which suggested that women did not play a key role in pre-colonial societies. The study was also guided by the liberal feminist theory of gender.