Those Who Came Before Us

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The death of Omukama(King) Kamurasi in 1869 triggered the customary succession war between 2 of his sons Kabigumire and Kabaleega. 

The latter won the duel and went on to be Bunyoro’s greatest king. He initiated new political and military reforms unlike anything the kingdom had seen before.

Under him, Bunyoro began to regain the strength that it had been losing over the past century. Increased trade with the Arabs enriched and allowed him to modernize the state. He handled multiple crises back to back and sometimes at the same time. These included his country’s age-old rivals the Baganda, the Arab slavers, and the Egyptian Equatoria empire. 

But by far it is his 6 year war of resistance against Great Britain that makes him popular.

Tune in and learn about the man whose defiance caused the biggest military deployment of troops in East Africa during the colonial conquest era of the late 1800s.
Transcript is available at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1180802 if you would like to read along.                                                                 
                                                                Sources

Yolamu Ndoleriire Nsamba, Mystique In Sovereigns’ Headgear (Wandsbeck: Reach Publishers, 2016), p208 - 210

G.N. Uzoigwe, Revolution and Revolt in Bunyoro- Kitara (Kampala, Longman Uganda, 1970) p 8

Shane Doyle, Crisis & Decline in Bunyoro; Population & Environment in Western Uganda 1860 - 1955, (Kampala: Fountain Publishers, 2006) p 42 - 61

J.W. Nyakatura, Anatomy of an African Kingdom (New York: Nok Publishers, 1973) p 138 -153

G.N. Uzoigwe, Succession and Civil War in Bunyoro - Kitara, The International Journal of African Historical Studies ( Boston University African Studies Center, 1973) p66

John Beattie, Bunyoro; An African Kingdom (New York: Holt Rinehart and Winston Inc, 1960) p 18-20

Kihumuro Apuuli, 1000 Years of Bunyoro- Kitara Kingdom - The People and the Rulers (Kampala; Fountain Publishers, 1994)

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Isolated Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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After the collapse of the Bachwezi empire, the Babiito took over as Bunyoro’s 3rd dynasty in the 16th Century. The precise year this happened is hard to pin down. However, the Babiito began their kingship differently from their predecessors. While the Bachwezi and Batembuzi were both healers and politicians, the Babiito stayed away from the ritual side of things. 

Their rule extended into the 19th century when the kingdom was experiencing long term decline due to various circumstances. Bunyoro was no longer the number 1 regional power. That spot went to their neighbour and age old rivals… Buganda. 

Sources

Yolamu Ndoleriire Nsamba, Mystique In Sovereigns’ Headgear (Wandsbeck: Reach Publishers, 2016), p174, 186, 192, 193, 

David Schoenbrun, A Mask of Calm: Emotion and Founding the Kingdom of Bunyoro in the 16th Century, Comparative Studies in Society and History (Northwestern University, 2013) p 634, 

G.N. Uzoigwe, Revolution and Revolt in Bunyoro- Kitara (Kampala, Longman Uganda, 1970) p 9

Shane Doyle, Crisis & Decline in Bunyoro; Population & Environment in Western Uganda 1860 - 1955, (Kampala: Fountain Publishers, 2006) p14, 43

Ruth Fischer, Twilight Tales of the Black Baganda( London: Marshall Brothers, 1938),  p120, 159

J.W. Nyakatura, Anatomy of an African Kingdom (New York: Nok Publishers, 1973) p 41, 57, 84 -95

G.N. Uzoigwe, Succession and Civil War in Bunyoro - Kitara, The International Journal of African Historical Studies ( Boston University African Studies Center, 1973) p66

John Beattie, Bunyoro; An African Kingdom (New York: Holt Rinehart and Winston Inc, 1960) p 18-20

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Energizing Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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In this episode, we discuss police brutality in Africa. A slight detour from the Kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara series. #BLACKLIVESMATTER
                                                      
                                                            Sources

Glasman,Joel. 2017. What is the Concept of Professionalization Good For? An Argument From Late Colonialism. Police in Africa:The Street Level View, NY, USA: Oxford University Press

 Steinberg, Jonny. 2017. Policing During and After Apartheid: A New Perspective on Continuity and Change. Police in Africa: The Street Level View, NY, USA: Oxford University Press

Faull, Andrew. 2017. Fighting for Respect: Violence, Masculinity and Legitmacy in the South African Police Service. Police in Africa: The Street Level View, NY, USA: Oxford University Press.

Kyed, Helene Maria. 2017. Inside the Police Stations in Maputo City: Between Legality and Legitimacy. Police in Africa: The Street Level View, NY, USA: Oxford University Press.

Lar, Jimam. 2017. Historicizing Vigilante Policing in Plateau State,Nigeria. Police in Africa: The Street Level View, NY, USA: Oxford University Press.

Thurmann, Laura. 2017. Somewhere between Green and Blue: A Special Police Unit in DR Congo. Police in Africa: The Street Level View, NY, USA: Oxford University Press.

International Crisis Group. 2017. “Double Edged Sword: Vigilantes in African Counter Insurgencies” Accessed August 13. https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/west-africa/sierra-leone/251-double-edged-sword-vigilantes-african-counter-insurgencies

The Conversation. 2017. “Vigilantism is Flourishing in Nigeria- with Official Support” Accessed August 13 https://theconversation.com/vigilantism-is-flourishing-in-nigeria-with-official-support-86867

Livingstone, Steven. 2013. Africa’s Information Revolution: Implications for Crime, Policing, and Citizen Security, Washington DC, USA: African Center For Strategic Studies.

Forrest, Kally. 2015. Bold Recommendations Embedded in Timidity: International Union Rights, Vol. 22, No. 3 (2015), pp. 6-7:  International Centre for Trade Union Rights

De Mesquita, Bruce Bueno. 2007. Leopold II and the Selectorate: An Account in Contrast to a Racial Explanation, Historical Social Research / Historische Sozialforschung, Vol. 32, No. 4 (122), Neue Politische Ökonomie in der Geschichte / New Political Economy in History, pp. 203-221. Gesis - Leibniz  - Institute for the Social Sciences, Center for Historical Social Research.

NTV Fourth Estate.2020. “How the Media Covered Emmanuel Tegu’s Death” Accessed August 10

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Digya Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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Energizing Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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The Bachwezi attract a lot of attention because of their grandiose claim of an empire.
Many theories abound of their supposed identity. Were they Banyoro? Were they Portuguese? Egyptian? Greeks? Or simply a figment of a society’s imagination.
The answer is of course much closer to home. Join me in this episode as I talk about the real history behind the Bachwezi.

Kitara map link
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19odGsKU1EsxbXoXE9q37M_zRKoGavLot/view?usp=sharing

Bachwezi Lineage Tree Link
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wfkxR3Trcl0knlwhXKUWfqs3phU5fK4b/view?usp=sharing

Night Runners (Night Dancers) Link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wCfTAa-w4Y&t=118s   

Roc(Middle Eastern Mythical Bird)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roc_(mythology)                       
               
                                                         Sources                                            

Yolamu Ndoleriire Nsamba, "Mystique In Sovereigns’ Headgear "(Wandsbeck: Reach Publishers, 2016), p 52, 80-83,131, 146-147, 155, 163-167, 175

Christopher Wrigley, “Some Thoughts on the Bacwezi” The Uganda Journal, The Journal of the Uganda Society Vol 22 No. 1”( London: Headley Brothers Ltd, 1958) p 14

E.C. Lanning, “The Identity of the Bachwezi” The Uganda Journal, The Journal of Uganda Society Vol 22 No.2” ( London: Headley Brothers Ltd, 1958) p 188

Ruth Fischer, Twilight Tales of the Black Baganda( London: Marshall Brothers, 1938), p97, 103

Edith Sanders, “The Hamitic Hypothesis; It’s Origin and Functions in the Time Perspective”  The Journal of African History, Vol. 10, No. 4 ( London: Cambridge University Press,1969), p 521

B.A Ogot, “The Great Lakes Region” General History of Africa volume 4: Africa from the 12th to the 16th Century (Berkley : University of California Press, 1984) p500,502

Shane Doyle, “From Kitara to the Lost Counties: Genealogy, Land and Legitimacy in the Kingdom of Bunyoro,Western Uganda” Social Identities Vol. 12, No. 4 (London: Routledge Taylor & Francis, 2006) p 459

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Gregorian Chant Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Infados Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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The Bachwezi are the second dynasty in Bunyoro-Kitara's history.  This family is the most revered due to the fact that they are credited with the creation of the legendary empire of Kitara.
In this episode, we'll talk about the Bachwezi as told by Bunyoro oral tradition.
Their stories have it all,

1, Family drama -check
2, Forbidden love - check
3, Prophecies - check check check

Sources
Yolamu Ndoleriire Nsamba, Mystique In Sovereigns’ Headgear (Wandsbeck: Reach Publishers, 2016), p 65

J.W. Nyakatura, Anatomy of an African Kingdom (New York: Nok Publishers, 1973) p 21 - 44

John Beattie, Bunyoro; An African Kingdom (New York: Holt Rinehart and Winston Inc, 1960) p 15-16

Lukyn Williams, Ankore Folktales, Journal of the International African Institute Vol. 21 No.1 ( London: Cambridge University Press, 1951) p 40

Christopher Wrigley, “Some Thoughts on the Bacwezi” The Uganda Journal, The Journal of the Uganda Society Vol 22 No. 1"( London: Headley Brothers Ltd, 1958) p 14
Ruth Fischer, Twilight Tales of the Black Baganda( London: Marshall Brothers, 1938), p86

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Constance Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Teddy Bear Waltz Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Rising Game Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Firebrand Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Mystery Bazaar Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Bunyoro-Kitara is a prestigious kingdom in Uganda. One that is said to be the heir to the legendary empire of Kitara. Join me, as I go through the birth of this esteemed kingdom that is known as the father of all kings in the African great lakes region.