by Nakato from Kampala asks Santa about a movie, learns about the source of the Nile at Lake Victoria, and hears about Uganda’s Christmas goat roast tradition
Dear Santa, my name is Nakato and I am nine years old. I live in Kampala, Uganda, where my jjaja says our hills are so green and so many that visitors sometimes lose count trying to admire them all.
Dear Nakato, I have tried counting those hills myself from the sleigh, and your jjaja’s warning about losing count is entirely fair.
Santa, I have three questions.
My first question is, have you seen Christmas with the Campbells? My auntie abroad mentioned it during our phone call last December, but I never got the full story.
I have not caught that particular one myself, Nakato, though I am always glad to hear about the movies families enjoy discussing across long-distance phone calls at Christmas.
My second question is about our lake. My teacher says the world’s longest river actually begins right near us. Is that true?
It is, Nakato. Lake Victoria is widely considered the primary source of the Nile River, the longest river in the world, and flying over that vast, shimmering lake each Christmas Eve is a genuinely spectacular part of my African route.
My third question is about our Christmas goat roast. My whole extended family gathers to roast a goat together every December 25th. Why is that meal so important here?
A shared goat roast is a cherished tradition in many Ugandan Christmas celebrations, Nakato, bringing extended families together around one communal meal prepared and enjoyed as a group. I think that kind of shared effort, everyone contributing to one big meal, captures something wonderful about the whole spirit of the season.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Nakato Namutebi
Kampala, Uganda
P.S. Do you like roasted goat too?
Very much, Nakato. I have gotten quite good at pacing myself around it.
