The Ab’engo (People from the Leopard Clan)

Just like the Chwezi who were believed to have had oblong shaped heads, one African writer, claims that Kintu who is recognised by the Banyoro as the first king of the Batembuzi, and the Baganda as the first person on earth, had an oblong shaped head. The African writer claims that that is why he was called Kintu which means ‘thing’ in Luganda.  The Batembuzi reign was from 1100 to 1500 and they are believed to have been gods coming from heaven. The same African writer believes that the Batembuzi and the Chwezi Kings ruled for hundreds or thousands of years because they had age defying DNAs.

It is said that Kato Kintu, the first king of Buganda named himself ‘Kintu’ after the first person on earth according to Buganda mythology. There are about four theories as to the origin of Kintu.  One theory claims that he was born in Bukasa Village in the Ssese Islands, which were known as the islands of the gods.  The other three versions hold a different story about Kintu and where he came from.   

The Lion (Mpologoma) clan is believed to have begun with Kintu and his son after the two ate lion meat and fell sick.  This made them put themselves under an oath, declaring that they and their descendants would never eat lion meat.

Although Kato Kintu came from the Mpologoma clan, today, this clan is not officially recognised as the royal clan. One is counted a royal if they are direct descendants of Kimera who is claimed to have been the third king of Buganda. However, according to the Banyoro, Kimera was Kato Kintu and was the twin brother of their King Isingoma Rukidi Mpuga and so they regard him as the first king of Buganda and not the third.

As a result of the royal link between the Mpologoma clan and Kato Kintu, many members of this clan were persecuted.  This led to some of them fleeing to Bunyoro and some parts of Buddu.  Others hid themselves under other clans. My maternal maternal great grandfather was one such person.

During the reign of Ssekabaka Kateregga from 1644 – 1674, four hundred members of the Ngo (leopard) clan were killed because of their royal links and eligibility to the throne. This is because the Ngo clan was one of the 13 clans that came with Kintu to Buganda. This oppression continued during the reign of Ssekabaka Jjunju from 1780-1797.

I once read about the Basimba or Bashimba of the leopard clan on Wikipedia, where it is mentioned that Basimba is a Kiswahili word meaning big lion and that the Basimba of the Leopard Clan means (The Big Lion Clan of the Leopard Totem). Today, the Basimba live in the Luapula Valley and Copper Belt Provinces of Zambia, Mwanza Region, northern Tanzania, northern Zimbabwe, eastern Uganda among the Bagwere and Haiti. They claim to have come from the kingdoms of Luba and Lunda which was found in what is now the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

After I learnt that the Basimba people found among the Lungu and Bemba of Zambia and the DRC speak a language that is similar to the Haya language (in Tanzania), Luganda and Lugwere (in Uganda), I became interested in listening to various Zambian YouTubers who spoke Bemba.  I was struck by the similarities between Bemba, Luhya, Kiswahili and a bit of Luganda. In fact, I noticed the same similarities in many other Southern Bantu languages. (By the way, the Luhya language is closely related to my late father’s Gishu or Lumasaaba language).  This similarity made me wonder whether the people in Buganda once spoke Luhya or rather, the Luganda language evolved from Luhya to what it is now.

Here are some examples that I found on the internet:

In the Nyanja language of Zambia & Malawi:

‘What is your name?’ - ‘Dzina lanu ndani?/Dzina lanu ndi yani?’ – In Kiswahili ‘Jina lako ni nani?’

‘See you later/We shall meet’ – ‘Tionana’ - In Kiswahili  ‘Tutaonana.’

‘Night’ - ‘usiku’ just like in Kiswahili.

In the Bemba language of Zambia:

‘Ishina lyandi ni’ - ‘My name is’ - in Lugisu, ‘Lisina lyase.’

‘Nga’ - ‘like/as’ and this is the same word used in Luganda.

‘Iwe’ - ‘you’ just like in Runyankore. It is similar to the Luganda ‘gwe.’

‘Isa kuno’ - come here - in Lumasaaba ‘Itsa hano.’

In the Sotho language of Lesotho & South Africa:

‘Ntate’ - ‘father’ which is akin to the Luganda ‘Taata.’

‘O dula kae?’ - ‘where do you live?’ This is close to the Luganda  ‘Osula wa?’

‘Se lebale’ - ‘don’t forget’. This almost sounds like the Luganda ‘towelabila.’

In the Tonga language of Zambia & Zimbabwe:

‘Chakulya’ - ‘food.’ Except for the spelling, this is identical with the Luganda ‘kyakulya’ and related to the Kiswahili ‘chakula.’

‘Atwende’ - ‘let’s go.’ In Kiswahili  - ‘twende’ and Luganda  - ‘tugende.’

‘Banakazi’ – ‘women.’ This sounds a lot like the Luganda ‘abakazi.’

‘Meso’ - ‘eyes.’  In Luganda - ‘amaaso’ and Kiswahili - ‘macho.’

‘Seka’ - ‘laugh.’  This is the exact word used in Luganda and is close to the Kiswahili ‘cheka.’

In the Tswana language of Botswana & South Africa:

‘Gana/gannê - ‘refuse’ which is much the same as the Luganda ‘gaana.’

‘Lwala/lwetse’  - sick, just like the Luganda ‘lwala.’

‘Bolêla/boletse’ - ‘tell.’ No different from the Luhya ‘bolela.’

‘Leba’ - ‘look’ which is close to the Luganda ‘laba.’

‘Botsa’ - ‘ask.’ In Luganda - ‘buza.’

‘Batsadi’ - ‘parents’ which almost sounds like the Luganda ‘bazade.’

In the Xhosa language of South Africa:

‘Ndiyeke!’ - ‘leave me alone!’  In Luganda - ‘ndeka!’

 

The Heroes of Old

In the past, I read with interest many stories about the Bachwezi and Ab'engo who are people from the leopard clan of Buganda.  I have also read about the history of the Ssese Islands with less enthusiasm even though I wanted to know more about these Islands for the sake of my maternal grandfather Katumba and grandfather Kafeero who were brothers and who are said to have come from there.

After discovering that General Katumba Wamala came from the Ssese Islands, I began reading more about the people of these Islands.  As I read about them, I learnt that Kibuuka (the god of war) of Buganda came from these Islands.  This reminded me of how my late mother and I used to wonder about the similarities between Kibuuka’s death story and that of Luanda Magere of the Joluo of Kenya.  My mother used to joke about this saying that maybe we were once Luo.

Both men were great warriors who died after giving away the secret to their power on the battlefield to their wives. The stories of these two heroes are actually very similar to that of Samson and Delilah, where after the wives found out where the secret to the power of these men lay during battle, they spilled the secret to their people and their people were able to defeat these men and kill them.  While Samson’s secret lay in his long hair, Kibuuka’s lay in his ability to fly and hide in the clouds, while that of Luanda Magere lay in his shadow.

Now Luanda Magere's wife was from the Nandi people who are a sub-community of the Kalenjin ethnic group and who were enemies of the Joluo. Kibuuka's wife was from the Banyoro people who were enemies of the Baganda.

After reading about these two heroes, I realised that the two men might not be the same because Kibuuka is said to have lived during the time of Ssekabaka Nakibinge, a King of Buganda who is said to have reigned in the 16^th century from 1524 – 1554.  It is said that Luanda Magere was born in the 18^th century in 1720 and fought his battles against the Nandi between 1750 and 1770.

According to legend, hundreds of years ago, the Bassese people of the Ssese Islands were a race of super humans famous for their impressive size and strength and also for their connection to the supernatural world. 

Since Kibuuka who is referred to in Buganda as the god of war, was able to fly like a bird during battle, he is believed by some to have been a supernatural being.  Someone even called him one of the sons of God mentioned in the Bible, who fell for the daughters of men.  In other words, he meant to say that he might have been a Muchwezi and the Bachwezi might have been the Nephilim.

Apart from ruling the empire of Kitara between the 14^th to the 16^th century, one African writer claims that the Bachwezi were tall supernatural beings with oblong shaped heads and dark brown skin.  They are said to have had supernatural powers such as the power to instantly disappear and then reappear in a different place, the ability to move objects with their mind, the ability to read thoughts, fly and to see into the future.  These abilities helped them to avoid danger.

The origin of the Bachwezi is still under debate.  Some claim that they were descendants of the Kush, Nubian, and Khamitian (ancient Egyptian) royalty.  Incidentally, the Kalenjin people are also believed to have been from the military clan of Ancient Egypt. 

There are two legends that explain how the Bachwezi disappeared. One claims that after being overpowered by the Luo-Biito, the Bachwezi disappeared into Lake Wamala which was named after the last Chwezi king called Wamara. The second one has it that they disappeared into Lake Albert.  There is a belief held among scholars that the Bachwezi dispersed and mixed up with the indigenous people who became the Hima, Tutsi, Hinda clan, Kiga, Nyambo of Tanzania, Basoni of Zimbabwe, Baganda and related tribes on the northern banks of Lake Victoria.  This theory held among scholars might be closer to the truth.

References:

Young, Sarah P. “The Cwezi: Ancient Race of Mystical People and the Modern-Day Cwezi Cult Accused of Black Magic.” Ancient Origins, Ancient Origins, 1 July 2019, www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-africa/cwezi-cult-0012220.

Jenkins, Dr. Orville Boyd. Tutsi and Chwezi:  History and Pre-History, orvillejenkins.com/peoples/tutsihistoryandprehistory.html.

 

 

Our Children are not Us

Our children don't have to be friends with our friend's children no matter how great the friendship because our children are not us. In fact, none of our children may be anything like us.

Wadudu ni Hatari and other Songs

I remember this advert song that used to play on VOK. (Cavalier, do you remember it)? 

Hii ni nyumba yako 

Wewe na jamii yako 

Usikaribishe wadudu kuishi na wewe 

Wadudu ni hatari 

Wadudu ni wachafu 

Waue mara moja 

Doom, doom, doom! 

Dawa doom! 

Then at lunch time it would be 'kuleni mayai, pia maharagwe. Hivi ndivyo vyakula bora vya kujenga mwili.' 

As we prepared to go to school in the morning we had: '...jiepushe na uvivu tujenge taifa. Mwanangu, kumekucha amka wende shule. Elimu ndiyo msingi wa maendeleo.'

Descendants of Nimrod?

Just came across strange information about a sub-tribe of the Luhya called the Kabras that live in Malava. It is interesting to know that that their name 'Kabras' comes from ‘Avalasi’, which refers to the warriors or Mighty Hunters they once were. As to the claim that they are descendants of Nangwiro associated with the Biblical Nimrod, I am flabbergasted.

The Kabras were originally Banyala (different from the ones in Kayunga). Nimrod was a mighty ruler and nation builder who founded many cities, including the great Babel or Babylon. 

In other news, my Mom says she heard a story told in Western Kenya about the Buganda Prince who became ruler of the Wanga Kingdom. Now I may have mixed up a few things about the story she heard but this is what I remember her telling me.

“It is said that when the Prince arrived in Western Kenya, some lady noticed that whenever it was time for him to bathe, he would hide himself from the others. Later on, she discovered the reason why the Prince did this. He had the mark of a snake on his body, which he was trying to conceal. After her discovery, the woman went and told her father who said, ‘That is the mark of royalty. Wherever this boy may have come from, he must be from a royal family.’ Thus, the boy was made king over the Wanga.”

Pure Speculation?

I read somewhere on the internet that some Luhyas came from Egypt and so did some Baganda and oba Banyoro. I thought all Bantus came from Congo or Cameroon. Speaking of Congo, I read somewhere that the Ethiopia referred to in the bible included the area stretching from the Congo basin.

Another mind boggling thing I read on the internet is about the Wanga (a tribe of the Luhya). I read that the Wanga came from Egypt as part of the migration that settled in Kampala area that formed the Buganda Kingdom. A muganda Prince called Kaminyi, who was Kabaka Mwanga I's cousin and Kabaka Mawanda's son, fled to Tiriki in Western Kenya. (Incidentally, I lived in Tiriki with my parents for 8 years) The Prince fled because as the king's cousin, he posed a threat to the reigning monarch.

On reaching Western Kenya, the Prince became a ruler and was succeeded by his son Wanga who established the Wanga Kingdom with the title of Nabongo in the 18th century.

Thou shall not eat of the swine

Our neighbour rears some pigs. There are 3 huge ones and 6 piglets. Often times, they set themselves loose and walk into our compound, much to our chagrin.

My mom does not like pork.

When she told me that sometimes pigs barked like dogs, at first I did not believe it until I heard one pig bark last week.
“When I first heard these pigs bark that is when I said to myself ‘Surely! People are not supposed to eat pigs’,” she said.

I mean, think about it. Eating something that can bark is like eating a dog.

Then on Sunday, one of them clucked like a chicken. I have not heard them go ‘ee-I, ee-I, oh’ like the ones in Old MacDonald’s farm. I guess my neighbours pigs are of a Japanese-Polish breed.

http://www.bamfield.eu/sounds.php mentions how pigs make different sounds in different countries:
Pigs in Britain, Spain and Italy are thought to say 'oink, oink'.
Portuguese pigs go 'roncar'.
Japan, they go 'buu, buu'.
French pigs go 'groin, groin'. German pigs, in contrast, go 'grunz'.
Mandarin Chinese pigs say 'Zhu' and in Cantonese, 'Jul'
South Africa, Africaans pigs say 'snork'.
Polish pigs go 'chrum, chrum'
The largest pork exporter, Denmark, has pigs that go 'øf-øf'.
The Netherlands' pigs go 'knor, knor' (NL is the second largest pork exporter). The noise made by pigs is 'knorren' in Dutch and Piglet (Winnie the Pooh) is called 'Knorretje' in The Netherlands.
Finnish and Swedish pigs say 'nöff, nöff'.
Russian Pigs go 'hrgu, hrgu'.
Pigs in Lithuania say 'kriu-kriu'.
Turkish pigs may say 'hoink, hoink' but we are not sure.
Jogoslav/Serbo Croat pigs just say 'Hrrrrrr'.