Public Story
Statelessness: The Benet
2,627
Statelessness: The Benet
Location: Kampala, Uganda
Nationality: Ugandan
Biography:
Esther Ruth Mbabazi is a photographer based in Kampala, Uganda. Esther uses storytelling and photojournalism to address issues in her society. Coming from a humble background, her work explores changing conditions on the African continent, with a...
MORE
Focus:
Documentary
Covering:
Africa,
Skills:
Photojournalism
The Benet are Indigenous inhabitants of the slopes of the Mount Elgon ranges since time immemorial. In 1936, the British colonial government gazetted their homeland as a forest reserve. The Benet had to leave their land and were formally resettled in 1983. Their homeland was turned into a protected National Park in 1993.
The community's challenges continue as they are stateless and not recognised as a tribe or Indigenous group of Uganda. This means if they stick to their cultural identities, they aren't able to access legal documents like National IDs and Passports, which restricts their movements and access to some social services.
Being in a remote mountainous area, the Benet community lacks major social infrastructure like schools, hospitals and roads. They can no longer access the forest for food and resources like bamboo stems as crossing into the forest for any resources is not allowed and punishable if caught.
Being stateless and unrecognised by a country that one's ancestors have called home for generations causes challenges with one's sense of belonging and identity. I used double exposures to try and visualise this historic period and its impact on generations still to come.
This work was done while on assignment for UNHCR.
The community's challenges continue as they are stateless and not recognised as a tribe or Indigenous group of Uganda. This means if they stick to their cultural identities, they aren't able to access legal documents like National IDs and Passports, which restricts their movements and access to some social services.
Being in a remote mountainous area, the Benet community lacks major social infrastructure like schools, hospitals and roads. They can no longer access the forest for food and resources like bamboo stems as crossing into the forest for any resources is not allowed and punishable if caught.
Being stateless and unrecognised by a country that one's ancestors have called home for generations causes challenges with one's sense of belonging and identity. I used double exposures to try and visualise this historic period and its impact on generations still to come.
This work was done while on assignment for UNHCR.
1 of 16
© 2023 Esther Ruth Mbabazi
Portrait of Moses Mwanga Kapchekwengu, a Benet Elder, aged 77.
“I went to school by accident. I was with my young siblings and we were walking downhill with my mother to exchange baskets for food. Downhill I saw children going to school, I was especially interested because of the uniform, it was a beautiful one and I wanted one for myself. It got me interested in school. I went to live with our relative downhill and started going to school in 1956 at around age 13.
After primary school, I went for training as a primary school teacher. I came back to my community and encouraged parents to take their children to school. But it was hard for the children to access school from up the mountain as we didn’t have a school up there. We still don't have a school up the mountains, and many children."
“I went to school by accident. I was with my young siblings and we were walking downhill with my mother to exchange baskets for food. Downhill I saw children going to school, I was especially interested because of the uniform, it was a beautiful one and I wanted one for myself. It got me interested in school. I went to live with our relative downhill and started going to school in 1956 at around age 13.
After primary school, I went for training as a primary school teacher. I came back to my community and encouraged parents to take their children to school. But it was hard for the children to access school from up the mountain as we didn’t have a school up there. We still don't have a school up the mountains, and many children."
2 of 16
© 2023 Esther Ruth Mbabazi
Babu Enock, 47, Herbalist in Tolowo village, Kween District.
As a herbalist, he used to get the plants from the forest but now he is not comfortable going there because of the Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers. “They say it’s trespassing to collect plants in the forest. If we could go back to our ancestral grounds - we could get our resources for free. We used to co exist with the animals in the forest because most of them were treated as our totems, so, we didn’t hunt them.”
“We need to be known in Uganda as a native indigenous community. I am Ugandan, belonging to the Benet Indigenous community. We have been displaced from our ancestral lands. Without recognition, we don’t have representation, we aren’t able to access the same opportunities as Ugandans.”
As a herbalist, he used to get the plants from the forest but now he is not comfortable going there because of the Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers. “They say it’s trespassing to collect plants in the forest. If we could go back to our ancestral grounds - we could get our resources for free. We used to co exist with the animals in the forest because most of them were treated as our totems, so, we didn’t hunt them.”
“We need to be known in Uganda as a native indigenous community. I am Ugandan, belonging to the Benet Indigenous community. We have been displaced from our ancestral lands. Without recognition, we don’t have representation, we aren’t able to access the same opportunities as Ugandans.”
3 of 16
© 2023 Esther Ruth Mbabazi
Kokop Brenda, 50, from the Benet community is photographed in a barley garden in Yatui, one of the resettlement areas bordering the forest that used to be the ancestral land for the Benet community.
4 of 16
© 2023 Esther Ruth Mbabazi
Yesho Alex, an elder in the Benet community.
“Recognition is important. All we need is recognition by the government - as a tribe of Uganda. We have been here since time immemorial. Without the recognition, we don’t have the basic legal ties to this country, like National Identity Cards.”
“Recognition is important. All we need is recognition by the government - as a tribe of Uganda. We have been here since time immemorial. Without the recognition, we don’t have the basic legal ties to this country, like National Identity Cards.”
5 of 16
© 2023 Esther Ruth Mbabazi
Cheptai Benice, 69, a Traditional Birth Attendant in Kapkween village, Kween District.
“I have been helping women in labor and during their maternity times. I collect herbs and give them. These herbs help them get ready for birth. If a woman is having trouble with labour, I know which herbs to give them to induce labour. We use the herbs to strengthen the health of the mother and the baby. I also give honey, various mushrooms and black night shade. I have assisted so many women to give birth.
We used to give herbal medicines to cure diseases, even here now, we still use the herbs for treatments. Because I was already helping women deliver in the forest, I continued doing so when we were resettled here.
I am training young girls on how to help women in labour, like my grand parents taught me - so we can continue helping each other as women.
The medicinal herbs I use I collect from the neighbouring part of the forest, I only pick them at the edge as I’m not allowed into the forest."
"Uganda doesn’t know us. What I know I was born in the forest, grew up there and was displaced to my current location. I don’t even know if the forest is in Uganda or not, I am told I am not Ugandan."
"I am not happy, my friends are dead, most of the elders are dying because of stress - we miss our home, fruits, food, honey, traditional governance, and our relationship with our ancestors."
"I do not have a National ID because my tribe couldn’t be registered. I can not access the senior citizen grant, because I’m not known by the government.”
“I have been helping women in labor and during their maternity times. I collect herbs and give them. These herbs help them get ready for birth. If a woman is having trouble with labour, I know which herbs to give them to induce labour. We use the herbs to strengthen the health of the mother and the baby. I also give honey, various mushrooms and black night shade. I have assisted so many women to give birth.
We used to give herbal medicines to cure diseases, even here now, we still use the herbs for treatments. Because I was already helping women deliver in the forest, I continued doing so when we were resettled here.
I am training young girls on how to help women in labour, like my grand parents taught me - so we can continue helping each other as women.
The medicinal herbs I use I collect from the neighbouring part of the forest, I only pick them at the edge as I’m not allowed into the forest."
"Uganda doesn’t know us. What I know I was born in the forest, grew up there and was displaced to my current location. I don’t even know if the forest is in Uganda or not, I am told I am not Ugandan."
"I am not happy, my friends are dead, most of the elders are dying because of stress - we miss our home, fruits, food, honey, traditional governance, and our relationship with our ancestors."
"I do not have a National ID because my tribe couldn’t be registered. I can not access the senior citizen grant, because I’m not known by the government.”
6 of 16
© 2023 Esther Ruth Mbabazi
Ayeko Moses, 55, from the Benet community on the slopes of Mount Elgon in Uganda.
7 of 16
© 2023 Esther Ruth Mbabazi
Chemtai Betty, 37, from the Benet community. A mother of 3.
“I had to apply for a National ID under a different tribe because my tribe isn’t recognised and yet I needed the card to access social services.”
“I had to apply for a National ID under a different tribe because my tribe isn’t recognised and yet I needed the card to access social services.”
8 of 16
© 2023 Esther Ruth Mbabazi
Chemitai Violet, 50, from the Benet community is photographed in a barley garden in Yatui, one of the resettlement areas bordering the forest that used to be the ancestral land for the Benet community.
9 of 16
© 2023 Esther Ruth Mbabazi
Members of the Benet community in the resettlement area of Yatui, Kween District bordering the forest that used to be their ancestral land showcase their culture through traditional music, dances, wrestling, crafts making and making a fire.
10 of 16
© 2023 Esther Ruth Mbabazi
One of the main economic activities of the Benet community is cattle keeping.
11 of 16
© 2023 Esther Ruth Mbabazi
The Benet community lacks major social infrastructure like schools, hospitals and roads. Most of the roads are impassable when it rains.
12 of 16
© 2023 Esther Ruth Mbabazi
Ndiwa Chemunumwa, 61, from the Benet community in Kabarak village, Kween District.
13 of 16
© 2023 Esther Ruth Mbabazi
Children visit and play in Arkak/Muukuuso cave. This is historical grounds for the Benet community and is thought to be the largest cave in Mount Elgon.
14 of 16
© 2023 Esther Ruth Mbabazi
Landscape of part of the Mount Elgon ranges in Uganda.
15 of 16
© 2023 Esther Ruth Mbabazi
The Benet are Indigenous inhabitants of the slopes of the Mount Elgon ranges since time immemorial. In 1936, the British colonial government gazetted their homeland as a forest reserve. The Benet had to leave their land and were formally resettled in 1983. Their homeland was turned into a protected National Park in 1993.
The community's challenges continue as they are stateless and not recognised as a tribe or Indigenous group of Uganda. This means if they stick to their cultural identities, they aren't able to access legal documents like National IDs and Passports, which restricts their movements and access to some social services.
Being in a remote mountainous area, the Benet community lacks major social infrastructure like schools, hospitals and roads. They can no longer access the forest for food and resources like bamboo stems as crossing into the forest for any resources is not allowed and punishable if caught.
Being stateless and unrecognised by a country that one's ancestors have called home for generations causes challenges with one's sense of belonging and identity. I used double exposures to try and visualise this historic period and its impact on generations still to come.
The community's challenges continue as they are stateless and not recognised as a tribe or Indigenous group of Uganda. This means if they stick to their cultural identities, they aren't able to access legal documents like National IDs and Passports, which restricts their movements and access to some social services.
Being in a remote mountainous area, the Benet community lacks major social infrastructure like schools, hospitals and roads. They can no longer access the forest for food and resources like bamboo stems as crossing into the forest for any resources is not allowed and punishable if caught.
Being stateless and unrecognised by a country that one's ancestors have called home for generations causes challenges with one's sense of belonging and identity. I used double exposures to try and visualise this historic period and its impact on generations still to come.
Close
