Religious tourism is a growing sector in Uganda and the various religious sites across the country, each with a unique history and religious heritage, are key in the sector whose progress and dynamics over the recent years are on an upward trajectory.
According to the Uganda Tourism Satellite Account, in 2019, the major purpose of visit for domestic visitors within Uganda was to visit friends and relatives (33.3%), followed by spiritual and religious related visits at 24.1%.
Apart from renowned sites like the Bahai Temple in Kampala, the Uganda Martyrs Shrines, the Katoosa Martyrs shrine among others, the Polish site, which hosts Our Lady Queen of Poland Catholic Church and cemetery in Nyabyeya, Masindi is a cradle of religious heritage, history and a symbol of Uganda’s open door refugee policy.
Highlighting the significance of such a less known site yet a gem in the tourism industry is one of the objectives of the domestic tourism campaigns under the Explore Uganda series conducted by the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities. During the just concluded Explore North tour, hundreds of tourists learnt about how the site came into formation, many confessing to never have heard about it before,
In a small village of Nyabyeya, Masindi District, an ancient church structure rests on a small hill, an elevation of 1,134 metres. White walls with grey on the lower side blend in with the doors- a darker shade of grey, complemented by the wide arches, typical of a classic catholic church.
A cross towers over the minaret at the intersection of the T structure, 3 others atop the main entrance while another rests at the left side. In the front yard of the church is a cemetery that hosts 51 tombs, recently given a facelift, sheltered off by a similarly white, concrete wall fence.
Just a glance at this kempt site, intrigue, curiosity and a pool of questions arise. Who are the people buried here? What catastrophe befell them? How old is this church?
Like many others who somehow stumble upon this Polish site, its history couldn’t have satiated my longing any more thoroughly. This Church was built by Polish refugees, mostly women, who sought refuge in Uganda following severe unrest in their home country during the Second World War.
Apart from being a testament of faith and resilience exhibited by the Poles, Our Lady Queen of Poland Catholic Church carries rich history which encompasses many aspects that tourists will be pleased to learn about.
A fountain of rich history
While the broad effects of the World War II might seem a bit far-fetched for audiences in a country like Uganda, for people who live in Nyabyeya, the Polish site, is a constant reminder of gross impacts of the war; displacement of people, disintegration of families, exposure to disease and death, and overwhelming numbers of refuge seekers in countries whose security wasn’t as shaky.
Nyabyeya was, in the 1940s, a solace for about 4,000 Polish refugees, mostly women, children and elderly men, who arrived from Kenya, following the unrest in Europe.
Between 1942 and 1952, about 7000 Polish refugees settled in two camps, Nyabyeya, in Masindi district and Koja (Mpunga) in Mukono district. In Nyabyeya, the refugees had to hack a place they could call home, from the dense Budongo Forest.
A mark of women’s resilience
German troops invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, prompting the World War II. In response to German aggression, Great Britain and France declared war on Nazi Germany. Despite the union of the two, Nazi Germany still had military superiority over Poland.
While women, children and elderly men fled their homes in search of refuge, the strong, youthful men had to sign up to join their respective armies to fight against the Germans whose hunger to finish off Poland grew severe by the day.
Alone and in a foreign country, the Polish women who had been welcomed to Western Uganda by the then reigning king of Bunyoro Omukama Solomon Gafabusa IV, stood strong in faith, nurturing and keeping households alive. Irrespective of the possible misfortunes their relatives were facing back home trying to defend Poland, the Polish women kept their faith alive and what better way to demonstrate this resilience than the church, built between 1943-1945, which is still standing and in use!
A touch of Polish Culture
The Poles occupied 6 villages in Nyabyeya and one of them is still recognizable with sturdy housing structures that have weathered the storms, the heat and stood the test of time.
Unique about the housing is the semi-round outing, a contrast to the modern housing that has rectangular or square formation. The Polish style of building, according to Fr. Peter Wasswa, the Polish Organization in Uganda Country Director who is the priest at the Polish church, was banked on security reasons.
When the Poles returned home after the war, the villages were taken over by locals in the area and other refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo. In fact, the common language in Nyabyeya today is Kiswahili, thanks to the Congolese who dominate the area.
Tourist Attraction
To this day, descendants of the Poles who once called Nyabyeya home, still visit the site. Those whose fore fathers lay beneath the white graves visit the cemetery and perform rituals like lighting candles. These numbers are a great addition to the foreign tourists who jet into Uganda for various interests.
Next to the site is the Nyabyeya Forestry College, another touristy spot with ancient elements used by the Polish refugees like a fuel pump from the 1940s and other landmarks like a large tree planted by former President Idi Amin Dada among other valuables of rich history.
On the south of the site is Budongo Forest, a moist, semi-deciduous tropical rain forest which is home to chimpanzees and other primate species like the red-tailed monkeys, the black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons and night primate species like pottos.
A symbol of Uganda’s open door refugee policy
Uganda’s interaction with refugees is as old as time and over the decades, the country has been recognized for her progressive refugee policies. In addition to hosting more refugees than any other country in Africa, it allows refugees the right to work and significant freedom of movement.
In contrast to many refugee-hosting countries, Uganda’s ‘self-reliance’ policy allows refugees the right to work and freedom of movement. This was accorded to the Poles who eventually left the country in 1948 after the war.