Amabera ga Nyinamwiru

Amabeere ga Nyinamwiru - Mabere ga Nyinamwiru - Amabeere Ga Nyina Mwiru - Breasts of Nyinamwiru

Useful Information

Location:	Fort Portal, western Uganda. (0.523395, 30.313777)
Open:	All year daily. [2009]
Fee:	Foreigners UGS 5,000, Locals UGS 2,500. [2009]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	bring torch.
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Amabera ga Nyinamwiru.
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History

Description

The cave Amabera ga Nyinamwiru (Breasts of Nyinamwiru) is named after Nyinamwiru or Nyina Mwiru. Some say she was a demi goddess, other say she was a princess of the Chwezi Kingdom (Bachwezi). She was the daughter of Bukuku, a very rich man and King of the Batembuzi dynasty, the predecessor of the current Babito kings of Tooro and Bunyoro kingdoms. She was a girl of famed beauty, and as always in this stories she was not willing to marry the man her father chose for her. As a result she was punished by cutting off her breasts which then grew into rock dripping with milk. Other versions of the legend tell, she cut off her breasts herself.

One chamber of the cave contains stalactites which resemble in form female breasts. The dripping water from the stalactites deposited white calcite, so the water looks whiteish. This is why the loacls call it breast milk. However, the guides are well-educated and tell the scientific background as well as the legend.

The cave is visited with a local guide, who is included in the entrance fee. This is rather important, not because the cave is closed, but because its entrance is closed, but because it is covered by undergrowth and hard to find. The entrance is also low and narrow and requires some stooping. The cave is mostly big enough to walk upright, but there are some low and narrow spots. Actually visitors will get dirty and it is recommmended to wear suitable clothes and bring clothes to change afterwards.

Several legends are told about the cave. One chamber is said to have been the resting place of the Bachwezi dogs, and the ceiling shows pits resembling dog paws. A waterfall called Natural Shower is said to have been used by the Bachwezi to take showers. The visitors are also allowed to do so if they wish.