Those Who Came Before Us
Most of us are aware of how badly represented Africa is. The continent is too often reduced to a number of degrading stereotypes. But Africa has a rich and diverse history. A history that is usually ignored or poorly understood not just by the world but by (sometimes) its own people. A certain British historian once referred to its past as darkness.
Well, I hope to be among those who hold a lantern to this so-called darkness of a history. Take my hand, as I guide you down the pathways of Africa’s supposed night covered past. Allow me to show you her numerous and diverse people, their perspectives, religion, and their stories.
Hosted by David Ibanda( a devoted student of African history with a penchant for Corny jokes)
Follow podcast instagram page at @twcbupod.
Those Who Came Before Us
Sibling States: The Forgotten Micro-Kingdoms of Bulamogi and Bukono
In this installment of "Those Who Came Before Us," we explore the intertwined pre-colonial histories of Bulamogi and Bukono. These are not just neighbouring states; they are "sibling states" founded by the AbaiseNgobi—the royal clan whose lineage defined the sovereignty of Busoga.
Tracing their journey up to 1900, we dive into the unique bond between these two houses and how they maintained their identity within the larger Busoga collective. From the sacred authority of the Mukama to the strategic traps of their kings, this is a deep dive into the political maneuvers and family rivalries that shaped northern Busoga.
Youtube Video Link: https://youtu.be/7alaiwIcOBw
Words to Note.
Zibondo - Title for King of Bulamogi Kingdom
Kabaka - Title for King of Buganda Kingdom
Nkono - Title for King of Bukono Kingdom
Tabingwa - Title for King of Luuka Kingdom
SOURCES
David William Cohen, “Emergence and Crisis: The States of Northern Busoga in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries” , in D. DENOON, ed., History of Uganda, vol. II (Nairobi: East African Publishing House).
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)
Lloyd Fallers, “Bantu Bureacracy” ( The University of Chicago Press, 1965)
Minah Nabirye and Gilles-Maurice De Schryver, “Enkaana” , Fieldwork Texts Compiled by David William Cohen on the history of the Basoga people, (Kampala, Menha Publishers, 2022)
Y.K. Lubogo ESQ, “History of Busoga”(Kisubi,Uganda: Marianum Press Ltd, 2020)(Translated and reprint from original written in Luganda)