Those Who Came Before Us
Those Who Came Before Us is an immersive journey into African history, oral traditions, and the pre-colonial kingdoms of the Great Lakes. From Buganda and Bunyoro to the mysteries of the Bachwezi and the spirits of Lake Victoria, each episode blends history and myth to reveal the emotional and spiritual world of East Africa. Together, we hold a lantern to the darkness of the past. So that the stories, fears, and ambitions of those who came before us are never forgotten.
New episodes explore African mythology, Buganda history, and the hidden worlds of pre-colonial East Africa.
Those Who Came Before Us
The King Who Refused to Rule: The Forgotten Micro-Kingdom of Bugweri
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Discover the hidden history of Bugweri, a powerful pre-colonial micro-kingdom within the modern-day Busoga region of Uganda. In this episode of "Those Who Came Before Us," we trace the rise of the AbaiseMenha clan and their legendary founder, Kakaire.
In the 18th century, Kakaire arrived from the Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom, carrying the divine authority of the Mukama. We explore the dramatic political shift where the AbaiseMusuubo clan lost their sovereignty to this newcomer, leading to the birth of the "Menha" title and a new era of governance. From sacred lineages to the strategic "breaking" of old traditions, this is the definitive pre-colonial history of the AbaiseMenha of Bugweri. Learn how this micro-state maintained its identity and authority in the heart of East Africa long before the maps of the colonial era were drawn.
Youtube Video Link: https://youtu.be/y64-Qvz7wUY
Buymeacoffee: buymeacoffee.com/twcbuchannc
Sources
David William Cohen, “The Historical Tradition of Busoga; Mukama and Kintu” ( London: Clarendon Press, 1972)
Federick Peter Batala-Nayenga, “An Economic History of the Lacustrine States of Busoga, Uganda: 1750-1939” ( University of Michigan, 1976)
Minah Nabirye and Gilles-Maurice De Schryver, “Enkaana” (Kampala, Menha Publishers, 2022)
Below are the specific stories from Enkaana that were used.
- Benyamenyi Menha, mwiseMenha, recorded at his home at Namakunhu, Bugweri, 22 September 1966. Text 331
- Miss Kitimbo Lukiya Kitimbo, mwiseMenha, recorded at her home at Busesa, Bugweri. Text 330
- Kibedi Y.M. Zirabamuzale, mwiseMenha, recorded at his home at Bugembe, Butembe-Bunya, 21 September 1966. Text 333
Y.K. Lubogo ESQ, “History of Busoga”(Kisubi,Uganda: Marianum Press Ltd, 2020)(Translated and reprint from original written in Luganda)
Follow
Music Used
Ntajermwa
Okwidhibana
Endhala Yomusana