WHO ARE THE BANYORO
Empire of Kitara
According to historian Wainwright. Kitara is derived from the Bantu prefix Ki– and the Merotic(old Egyptian script) word Tar which means a King, hence Kingdom
The Kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara was a very prestigious, widespread and a great kingdom at the peak of its power. The region enjoys the rich history spanning over 1000 years.
The kingdom of Bunyoro is a remnant from the Empire of Kitara, when it was founded when Kyomya’s Twins, Insigoma Rukidi Mpuuga and Kato Kimera came to take over power from their Bachwezi Ancestors in the early 14th century.
Before that, it is claimed that Kitara, also known by other names, was a successor state to Meroe, Napata, Kush and Aksum.
When the Kingdom of Aksum disintegrated around 940 AD into kingdom of Makuria, the Zagwe kingdom, the Damot kingdom and the Shewa kingdom in Northeast of Africa, another kingdom broke away in the south to form the Empire of Kitara.
Kintu, his wife Kati, brought their cattle and a white cow(kitara). Kintu and Kati had three sons. The first son was called Kairu, the second Kahuma, and the third Kakama.
Starting at the later date of the 9 century, as per oral history, three dynasties had ruled over the area, from the time when it was an Empire of Kitara till present day kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara.
Origin of Bunyoro/Banyoro
(a) Bahuma or pastoral cow-men were the Original people belived to have invated Kitara, there were mainly cattle keepers and mostly very light skinned and believed to be an off short of the Axum empire of modern day Ethiopia. (c) the Bahera, agricultural people and artisans, who were regarded as serfs and are believed to have came from Kumba saley in the present day Cameroon, also the batwa are believed to be the original inhabitants of the great lakes region before the Bantu and Bahuma.
kuhuma is the sound made by a group cattle on the ground while moving in a large numbers.
Bahera comes from kuhera meaning to scold, its class system of the agriculturalist
Bahera were agriculturalists who spoke various dialects of the Bantu language. Their heartland was the savannah and rain forest regions around the Niger River of southern West Africa (modern Nigeria, Cameroon, and Gabon), they are belived to have migrated into Kitara in between 200 BCE and 1500 CE before the Kitara was formed
The intermarriage between the Bahuma and the indigenous Bantu lead to Bahima..
Okuhima means to darken.
The Bachwezi is a clan comprising the Ancestors of Bahuma, Bahima whereas Bahuma, Bahima are just class system not a clan.
Note: Kama means to milk. Abakama means those who milk. So that made the rulers of Kitara Abakama from Kama since they were mainly pastoral people.
The third group, which came into being later, was composed of (b) the Banyoro, or free-men, or the wealthy and important members of class or who had been raised from serfdom and might marry women from (a), the pastoral people, (c), the serfs, or (b) their own class, so long as they did not marry women of their own totemic clans.
The poorer members of the pastoral class(c), the herdsmen, allowed their daughters to marry these free-men, though they avoided intermarriage with their own members of class (c), the serfs.
Thus members of pastoral clans (a) might marry women of their own class, observing the rules of clan exogamy, or women from class (b), the free-men.
Men of class (c), the serfs, had to marry women from their own class, but again of different clans, unless they had been raised to class (b), the free-men, by the king, when they might marry from classes(a), (b), or (c), as they wished.
To Summarize, Bunyoro/Banyoro was a class system that was introduced by the Babiito kings, and since there were continuous disagreements between Buganda and Bunyoro, The Baganda used to refer to the freed or uplifted men as (Kanyoro/free man), hence the name stack and started being associated with the people and Kingdom
Current Territory and Location
Located in Mid-Western Uganda covering the present day districts of Hoima, Masindi, Kibaale, Buliisa , Kiryandongo, Kikuube, Kagadi, Kakumiro, Kyankawanzi, Mubende, Nakasongora, Nakaseke, Kiboga, Kayunga today referred to as “The Oil Land” due to the discovery of the Oil and Gas resource in the area, Banyoro people are soft spoken, down to earth, honest, hardworking and loyal in nature.
Banyoro people are quite welcoming and always eager to help. Banyoro work in unison incorporating other tribes and are quite cooperative in nature, Banyoro boast of adorable medium and tall beautiful light skinned and black beauty complexion girls and women who are well disciplined.
Beauty lies in the hands of the beholder-an old adage goes. In Bunyoro people not only celebrate striking beauty of the face but are blessed with a comprehensive beauty of the face, soul and heart, pleased to host the most intelligent exquisitely down to earth women in Uganda. Banyoro men are by looks muscular medium and tall and will always put family development as a priority.
Bunyoro was an Empire-Kitara Empire far much beyond a nation with vast borders up to Rwanda, Wanga in Kenya, the entire northern Tanzania and entire eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
This describes the Runyoro dialects called Runyambo which is spoken in Bukoba and Karagwe in Tanzania and Ruleega dialect spoken in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the Luhya of Kenya can easily be grasped and understood by a Munyoro, all the aforementioned were vast parts of the Kitara Empire.
The Banyoro people speak Runyoro language. It entails various dialects including but not limited to the following; Rugahya, Rugungu, Rucope, Rutiaba, Rukobya, Rugangaizi, Runyakibiro, Rusindi, Runyamwenge, etc some dialects like Rugangaizi emerged as a result of invasion of Bunyoro by other Kingdoms which is a mixture of Ruganda and Runyoro, millet is Banyoro’s stable food.
Banyoro have a unique and exciting cultural base notably Empaako and Empango. Regarding the Empaako, Banyoro bestow sweet praise names to their children called Empaako eg Amooti, Adyeeri, Akiiki etc Addressing a person by his or her Empaako name is a positive affirmation of social ties. It can be used as a greeting or a declaration of affection, respect, honour or love. Use of Empaako can diffuse tension or anger and sends a strong message about social identity and unity, peace and reconciliation.
Empaako is given at a naming ceremony performed in the home and presided over by the clan head. The paternal aunts receive the baby and examine its features. Any resemblance to existing relatives forms the basis of the choice of name. The clan head then declares the name to the child.
Empango is the first ritual the Omukama (King) performs as he is crowned. The reigning King of Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom-His Royal Majesty Rukirabasaija Agutamba Omukama Dr.Solomon Gafabusa Iguru 1, first performed this ritual on the 11th June 1994 thus it has been an annual remarkable day up to date.
Empango celebration is always punctuated by a series of activities which include among others (a) “Omujaato event” which entails bull roasting and various companies promote their brands throughout the night, (b) Sounding of the Royal Drum by His Majesty at 3:00 am on the eve of the anniversary, (c) then comes the main event on the 11th date of June which is graced by cultural dances from the Omukama’s subjects this all climaxes into the Grand Empango Dance which is opened by His Majesty by re-sounding the Royal drum at Nyamyaro at exactly 3:00pm and this continues until dawn.
In Bunyoro marriage is a sweet and highly respected institution. Unlike other cultures which grabs the “bride to be” on the way or at the well, in Bunyoro a girl of marriage age is respected she comes with bride price tag, dowry etc and a sumptuous ceremony. This creates mutual respect in the community and it promotes dignity amongst the women and men of Bunyoro
During harvest time families will exchange gifts inform of crops animals eg omuherya,enkoole, empaande,enkuuku etc. By so doing communities live in peace and harmony.
Bumper harvests are always attained in the last season of the year in December and many songs are heard across villages where local brew Etonto is brewed songs like “Ebigambo binsemerire nyalyana eeeh yiii nkolenta x2. Mundeke mbigambe, Ebigambo binsemerire nyalyana eeeh yiii nkolenta x2” are heard as village folks celebrate the dry season “ekyanda”.
*The various dialects in Bunyoro-Kitara*
- Rugahya (Bugahya/Hoima),
- Rusindi (Masindi),
- Ruruuli/Runyara (Buruuli/Nakasongola/Kayunga/Buleemezi),
- Ruchope (Kiryandongo)
- Rugungu-Rutiaba (Buliisa),
- Rutooro (Tooro/butuku/Busongora/Banyabindi/Batagwenda)
- Rugangaizi (Buyaga,Bugangaizi, Mubende, Kibogo, Kyankwanzi),
- Runyamwenge (Kyenjojo)
- Runyambo (Buloba and Karagwe)
- Ruleega (Baleega)
- Runyakibiro-Rukobya (shores of Lake Mwitanzige/Albert), etc.
Note: the Original Inhabitants who don’t have any connection to migration in the great lakes region are
The IK
The Tepeth and the
The Abatwa