Bachwezi people of UgandaWho were they and all you need to know about Bachwezi people of UgandaIf you are interested in knowing about Bachwezi people and their culture in Uganda, here is the site for you. My grand mammy used to tell us that when we move at night,the Bachwezi people will take us to unknown places. We grew up knowing that these people move only at night.But when we could insist to show us one during day time, no one was able to show us the exact Muchwezi person. 
On this page i have tried to look for information on these people so please stay here and enjoy yourself because the Bachwezi people have been surrounded with obscurity. There is no agreement among historians about who they were, where they came from, what they brought, where they went, and where they are now. span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">The Bachwezi dynasty was followed by the Babiito dynasty of the current omukama (king) of Bunyoro-Kitara. The Bachwezi are credited with the founding of the ancient empire of Kitara; which included areas of present-day central, western, and southern Uganda; northern Tanzania, western Kenya, and eastern Congo. Very little is documented about them. Their entire reign was shrouded in mystery, so much so that they were accorded the status of demi-gods and worshipped by various clans. Many traditional gods in Batooro, Bunyoro and Buganda have typical kichwezi (adjective) names like Ndahura, Mulindwa, Wamara, Kagoro, etc.The Bachwezi dynasty must have been very short, as supported by only three names of kings documented by historians. The Bachwezi kings were Ndahura,Mulindwa and Wamara; in this order.
Oral traditions from Bunyoro, Toro, Ankole, Rwanda and Karagwe where the Bachwezi people are supposed to have settled, assert that they were demi-gods because even if they were born of men and women, they did not die. They simply disappeared. They are portrayed as having had one leg in this world and another leg in the under world. The Bachwezi people are said to have assumed characteristics of human beings and the first Muchwezi, Ndahura, who ruled over a large empire called Kitara, is also venerated as the god of small pox. Some historians like Fr. Craxxolara assert that the Bachwezi were Luo. There is not much sense in that assertion because traditional attributes of the Bachwezi do not portray any connection between them and d the Luo. Wrigley dismissed the whole idea of the Bachwezi people and says that they never existed at all except in the minds of men. This makes the traditions about the Bachwezi absurd and yet they are remembered as traditional rulers of the empire of Kitara. Some historians believe that the Bachwezi people might have been real people and their descendants are the present Bahima of Ankole, Bahuma of Bunyoro and Toro and the Batusi of Rwanda. In appearance, they are said to have been tall and light skinned. They were great sportsmen, magicians and hunters. Presently the Bachwezi are worshipped in western Uganda. The Bachwezi people are said to have ruled the Kitara Empire after the Batembuzi. The era of the Batembuzi in Bunyoro and Ankole is conceived as a period of creation. The Batembuzi are said to have been the first people on earth. They are believed to have been super-humans because they did not die. They simply disappeared into the underworld. The dynasty of the Batembuzi is said to have been founded by Ruhanga (the creator). Tradition says that Ruhanga was succeeded by his brother Nkya and Nkya was succeeded by his son Kakama. Bada succeeded his father Kakama and he is said to have been in turn succeeded by his son Ngonzaki. Ngonzaki was succeeded by his son Isaza, the last of the Batembuzi rulers. Before he disappeared in the under world, Isaza is said to have impregnated Nyamate, the daughter of Nyamiyonga, king of the under world.
Nyamate gave birth to Isimbwa who in turn was the father of Ndahura, the first Mukhwezi. This tradition presupposes that the Bachwezi were related to the Batembuzi. The Bachwezi people are said to have founded the empire of Kitara. This empire is said to have covered the whole of central, western and southern Uganda; northern Tanzania; western Kenya and eastern Zaire. Their capital is said to have been on Mubende hill and then at Bigo Bya Mugenyi in Masaka district. In all traditions, Bigo is linked to Mugenyi who is said to have been a Muchwezi prince. Excavations at Bigo have revealed the existence of findings which are also associated with the ancient capital sites of Ankole and Buhaya such as Bwegorere and Bweranyangi respectively. These have also been excavated by archeologists. This proves at least, in part that the Bachwezi were real people. However, the exact extent of the Kitara Empire could not have stretched as far as is usually assumed. What can be said is that the Bachwezi had a loosely organized empire, not very small but at least not as big as is assumed; perhaps slightly bigger than the present central, western and southern Uganda, north western Tanzania, northern Rwanda and eastern Zaire. It was based in Bwera and along the middle banks of River Katonga.When the Luo invaded Bunyoro at the beginning of the 16th century, the Bachwezi are said to have migrated southwards and left the Luo to establish their Babitto dynasty over the former Bachwezi Empire of Kitara. According to traditions, the Bachwezi disappeared to an unknown destination. Some historian assert, however that the Bachwezi might have been absorbed within the local populations and might in effect be the present Bahima and Batutsi of southern Uganda. The actual truth is yet to be established but the Bachwezi were pastoralists and are said to have had some physical features similar to those of Bahima.When the Bachwezi left, Bwera territory was left to a Mwiru smith called Kihesi. Kihesi is said to have made a drum called Rushama from waterbuck skin. Until recently, this drum was kept at Makore a few miles from Bigo. Kihesi is said to have acquired the name of Bararemwa Kihasha Nantomu and established the Kingdom of Bwera.
As the exact origin, nature and presence of the Bachwezi is still open to question, their introductions and other attributes are also still questionable. It is said that they introduced the long horned Ankole cattle, the cultivation of coffee, and the skills of iron smelting, games like wrestling and mweso and more importantly, the idea of kingdoms or centralized states in Uganda. They are supposed to have brought with them the idea of the kingship and kingly regalia and introduced building of palaces and the employment of women at the King’s courts. A lot has been said for and against such assumptions but the Bachwezi are said to have inherited the Batembuzi dynasty. Wamala is said to have been the last Muchwezi King. Tradition says that Wamala and the remaining Bachwezi disappeared into a lake in Singo named after his name. Other historians simply state that the Bachwezi moved south and founded the kingdoms of Nkore, Rwanda and the Bahinda states of Karagwe. Baganda People and their Culture Banyankole People and their Culture Bakiga People and their Culture Batooro People and their Culture Acholi People and their Culture The Bachwezi People and their Culture Bafumbira or Banyarwanda People and their Culture Bagishu People and their Culture Bagwere People and their Culture Bakonjo and Bamba People and their Culture Banyole People and their Culture Banyoro People and their Culture Basamia-Bagwe People and their Culture Basoga People and their Culture Batwa or Bambuti People and their Culture Japadhola People and their Culture Kakwa People and their Culture Karimojongo People and their Culture Kumam People and their Culture Langi People and their Culture Lugbara People and their Culture Okebu People and their Culture Sebei People and their Culture
Click to return back to Home Page
Do you have a great story about this? Share it!
|
