Ugandan Knuckles: 2018’s First Global Meme

If you are still confused about this red fellow below, then, you’ve landed to the right site. Allow me to explain this meme as best as I can.

This new meme is called “Ugandan Knuckle”, from the African country Uganda and Knuckle a character from the Sonic the Hedgehog universe. I will explain first the second element because the first contains some sensitive issues.

Knuckles the Echidna is a anthropomorphic character in Sega’s game franchise introduced in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 last 1994. As the name suggests, he is based on an echidna which somehow looks the same with a hedgehog but they are totally different species in the animal kingdom. Know more the differences in this link.  Knuckles poses a striking resemblance with Sonic, including the game movements, but apparently, his spiked knuckles are his most distinct feature. Character design changes throughout time too within gamers and memers.

Obviously the first three are designed by Sega. The last one looks like Jolibee retracting after flattened by a hydraulic press.

Before I explain the “Do you know de wey” reference. Let’s talk about where this meme emerges.

Ugandan Warrior came from a online game called, VRChat. It is a virtual reality game that aims to create a community that transcends international borders by interacting through avatars. The avatars could be anything that expresses ones personality like The-Sims-like graphics, anime characters, memes, and any pop culture reference. Like any computer game, VRChat immerses the player to another world where he/she can be someone else.

The community is super funny; I tell you. Here is a glimpse.

Now, as promised, let me explain now the “Ugandan” element. You have to be open-minded and critical on the same time because we are going to racist territory. The main reason why the meme is called such is because VRchat players who use the meme as an avatar (or derivation of the avatar) speaks in English in a fake Ugandan accent. Watch the video below.

Racist gestures does not end with the manner of speech alone. Players joining the wave act like tribesmen, as if Ugandans are not civilized. They hiss around female avatars, particularly the sexy ones, and lauds at them “my queen”. Then, they “applause” at anyone they appreciate by producing a clicking sound in the mouth — trying hard to pronounce an incomprehensible character in the Bantu tongue. While for those they despise, the “non believers”, they generate an annoying spitting sound broadcast-ed to their microphones.

“Do you know DE WEY?” or rather, “Do you know the way?” is probably the most popular tagline of this meme by now. Players act like unruly savages but zealous as a fundamentalist Christian in imposing this trend among the VRchat community. They call themselves “brothers” and elect a leader whom they address as “commander”. Sometimes they are funny, asking “Do you know the way to the devil?” question out of the blue.

Since Youtuber Stahlsby uploaded his VRchat video, what’s supposed to be a VRchat-exclusive amusement spread to the mainstream community. The meme is also called “Ugandan Knuckle Tribe” since, by now they infested the internet in legions, spawning funny pictures that cross over other social media memes.

I cannot deny that it’s fun, but stereotypical. I wonder what the Ugandan government, or any person of Sub-Saharan African descent react to this. In fact, the creator of the Knuckles 3D avatar creator regrets it, expressing his worries in his Deviant art post:

“Please do not use this to bug the users of Vrchat. Its community means a lot to me and it would hurt me to see the rights of other users taken away and possibly restricted because of how out of hand it can get. Showing off their creativity and what they are capable of. For me….. I’m in college and don’t have a lot of time to get on like I would like to anymore… I remember making this and thinking… Well it could be funny to show off to my friends and possibly mess with users. But I’ve learned what kind of things I’m really capable of making. Its always fun to be the one with models no one else has access to. Because I can make anything that I want to be. Its like….. Its like that special place for me. To get away from the real world and be someone I’m not….. But right now. Vrchat has become a meme ground and I feel I have helped to dig a grave for Vrchat. Soon enough people are gunna get tired of all the memes that now pollute the servers. And with 500 people trying to just enjoy an event, they cant because there just isnt enough moderation to hold down the rampant amounts of memers. So please…. Think about the users that you’re playing with. Before they are all gone… Don’t let it be a second Second Life.”

As his post get’s updated, it appears that he deleted his sentiments above. Perhaps, he realize the prestige of the person who give life to 2018’s global first meme.