for the treatment of body pains and spirit possession. The bark of the forest tree
Canarium schweinfurthiiwas used for the treatment of diseases caused by bad spirits
or snakes. The most frequently used species was the forest herb,Vernonia amygdalina,
used by 55 respondents for the treatment of malaria and eight other ailments. This is of
interest because in some parts of E. Africa chimpanzees use this herb for medicinal
purposes; curiously in Budongo they use a different one,Aneilema aequinoctiale, which
was not listed by Johnson as being used by local people. Johnson (1993: 74–6) lists
65 forest plant species used medicinally. We shall return to consider health issues below.
Plant products are also used extensively in house construction. An average of 25–35
poles are needed for the construction of a traditional thatch roofed house: 71.6% of
Johnson’s respondents obtained their poles from the forest. Spear grass Imperata
cylindricumwas used for thatching and collected from the bush. Pennisetum pupureum
grass was used to weave poles together. Sawn wood of a variety of species, e.g. Maesopsis
eminii, was used for windows and doors and was obtained from pitsawyers, mostly
illegally, involving some expense. Vines were used for binding parts of the house together.
Inside the house forest products are used to make pestles, spoons, stirrers, grinders,
baskets, sleeping and other mats, mattresses, pillows, furniture, musical instruments,
brooms and soap, and outside the house in the construction of pit latrines and bath houses.
Many species are used, each with particular properties. Small baskets are made from the
forest herb Marantochloa leucantha.
Perhaps the most important use of the forest in all households is for fuel. Nearly all
cooking is done using wood. Old branches are preferred. They are brought to the house by
adults (larger pieces) and children, and chopped up by both sexes using an axe. Even heav-
ily pregnant women about to deliver will take up an axe and spend 15–20 min chopping
firewood with a long-handled axe; this is considered perfectly normal. Many households
try to build up a reserve of firewood. In recent years bundles of firewood have been offered
for sale at the roadside, another indication of the increasing scarcity of essential materials.
Animals, as we have seen in Chapter 9, are obtained from the forest to supplement
the mainly vegetarian diet, and a few domestic animals may be kept. These consist of
chickens, goats and pigs. Cattle are not kept around Budongo, perhaps on account of the
tsetse fly. Domestic meat is eaten only on special occasions. Hunting is particularly
common among the families from West Nile and the DRC (Johnson 1996a,b). The
following wild animals are eaten: cane rats (Thryonomys swinderianus), bush pig
(Potamochoerus porcus), duiker (Cephalophusspp.), bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus)
and squirrels of various species. In addition the groups from DRC hunted and ate
primates, mostly baboons (Papio anubis) but also all local species of monkeys: blue
monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis), redtail monkeys (Cercopithecus ascanius), black and
white colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza), but not, I am glad to say, chimpanzees.^78
Tumusiime (2002) conducted a survey of 240 households around Budongo Forest to
collect socio-economic data on snaring and hunting. Factors positively associated with
196 The human foreground
(^78) Since Johnson’s study, cases have come to light in other parts of Uganda of Congolese traders hawking
chimpanzee meat for sale as food. In one case a successful prosecution followed.