Pet Names

Uganda is broken up in the kingdoms like America is divided into states or counties; Kaihura is part of the Tooro kingdom, the people of the Toro kingdom speak Rutooro (a language only used in western Uganda) and they have pet names. 

Pet names differ from nicknames in that there are only twelve possible pet names:

Bbala

Abbooki

Abwooli

Acaali

Adyeeri

Akiiki

Amooti,

Apuuli

Araali

Ateenyi

Atwooki

Okaali (Okaali is only used for the king)

You can only have one of these twelve pet names, which means you will share your pet name with many other people, most likely you will share your pet names with many people you interact with daily. Pet names are used much more often than nicknames, and by a wider group of people. My family gives and uses nicknames frequently, but most of my nicknames are only used by my family, and sometimes close friends. Your entire community uses pet names, and pet names are often used more frequently than a person’s actual name.

A pet name is sometimes given to a child so they can share a pet name with a family member, and sometimes they are given at random. Pet names have insignificant meanings, for instance Araali means thunder and Akiiki means braid, but they aren’t given because of any special meaning.

Pet names, while somewhat confusing at first, add to the charm and uniqueness of Uganda and Kaihura in particular.

-Abwooli