Kibiro

Between Lake Albert and the steep wall of the western rift, Kibiro is known for salt drawn from the earth. Women spread dry soil over saline ground, collect it after it has absorbed salt, and wash it to produce brine. Boiling the brine leaves crystals, while the earth can be spread again. The narrow lakeshore offers little farmland, so salt and fish have been exchanged for food grown on the plateau above.

Archaeological remains suggest that salt-making here goes back many centuries. Deep deposits of broken pottery preserve traces of vessels used in the work, alongside ornaments and burials. These include iron bracelets and beads made from freshwater shell. Kibiro's salt formed part of the wealth of Bunyoro-Kitara, connecting the lakeshore to communities and rulers inland.