Kibiro Indigenous Salt Making Technology and Uganda’s Economic War, 1972-1979

Abstract

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