UGANDA'S AMAZING STALAGMITES AND STALACTITES[amabere ga nyinamwiru]

At mid morning, we drove to Nyakasura in Fort Portal via mityana mubende road. We arrived in the afternoon early enough to witness the legendary Mabere ga Nyinamwiru caves. These amazing features lay approximately 10 kilometers away from Fort Portal town. We made way through the steaming sound of waterfalls that welcomed us at the entrance.

The huge falls dictated the moisture content of the atmosphere surrounding the caves. At the entrance to the caves, the snake size slippery path guided us through as we penetrated into a cool green world of moss and fern covered by trees and rocks. It is a sight whose beauty and calm i will keep in memory for ages.

Just when I felt I had got the feel of the place, I glanced at the overhanging climbers intertwined with rocks that surround this cultural and eco-tourism abode. Hanging rock pillars broken down by ‘chemical reaction between water and salt’ in the course of years form breast-like pointed small pillars from which the name Mabere comes from as we were told Mabere is a local name for breasts. From the hanging pillars i.e breast, Grayish watery substances slowly trickled in a space of every 25 seconds and the white substance, from these pillars are the breasts for Nyina Mwiru.

The name of these caves is based on historical mythology whose origin is widely believed by the local tribe of Toro kingdom. Kasaija said that the breast-like pointed pillars were a result of Bukuku’s beautiful girl, Nyina Mwiru who fled to this place protesting her father’s refusal to allow her to marry a man of her choice. Bukuku who was a very rich man served as a chief in the legendary Batembuzi dynasty that are the current Babito kings of Toro and Bunyoro kingdoms.

“In anguish and frustration she decided to cut off her breasts at this spot”, says Kasaija pointing to one rock basement. He narrated all this with obvious relish and pride that defines the historical importance of the place.  Inside the caves, the huge flat cave roof basement was dotted with water drops splashing in the magnitude of normal rainfall.

The lush foliage inside made the bottom surface dangerously slippery, but interestingly overshadowed by its glittering surface that left a lasting impression on our minds. As we moved further into the caves and the sound of waterfall faded, we were welcomed by the buzzing sound of bees, which formed a cluster at the roof corner of one end of inactive rocks. The vectors lazily flew around seemingly with no apparent sense of direction on detecting disturbance from us.

At this time our attention was quickly taken hostage by the ecstatic rock birds whistling and chanting. Our path became busier further inside as our movement was constantly checked by rock squirrels and giggling monkeys crisscrossing, probably protesting the invasion of their paradise.

Geographically, these Amabere ga nyinamwiru are called stalagmites and stalactites.