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.
Episodes
At Kagei the crucial port on the southern shore of Lake Victoria and the main gateway to Buganda by canoe, James Hannington finally steps free after his detention by King Romwa of Buzinza. But just as the last stretch of his journey comes into view, sickness overwhelms him. Too weak to continue , Hannington realizes his long-awaited mission is slipping away. Buganda lies just across the water from Kagei yet it has nev...
After a brutal trek across the interior, James Hannington and two fellow missionaries finally reach the lands of Romwa of Buzinza, exhausted, sick, and desperate for canoes to cross Lake Victoria. But with empty hands and no tribute to offer, they quickly learn that Romwa is no simple chief. He is a wary monarch guarding his sovereignty in a world where strangers mean danger… and nothing comes for free.
Youtube Episode...
Frail and fevered, James Hannington reaches the caravan’s camp only to find them seized by dread. Beyond the horizon lies Mirambo’s domain, a land few dare to cross. His name moves through Central Africa like a storm: the warrior-king who defied the Arabs and reshaped the trade routes. When the caravan finally leaves Uyui without him, they are forced to turn back. And when they return, Hannington rejoins them on the ...
The missionary James Hannington crosses the harsh Ugogo Plains of Tanzania’s Dodoma region, home of the Wagogo people. Battling wind, dust, and disease, his faith is tested in one of the most unforgiving stretches of the 19th-century East African caravan routes.
Sources
- Ashe, Robert Pickering. Chronicles of Uganda. London : Hodder and Stoughton, 1894
- Bennett, Norman Robert. Mirambo...
Today marks 140 years since the death of Bishop James Hannington of the Church Missionary Society, killed on his way to the Buganda Kingdom on October 29, 1885.
What many don’t realize is that this was actually his second attempt to reach Buganda. By then, the kingdom had become a prime destination for European explorers, missionaries, and Arab traders especially after H. M. Stanley’s famous letter to Europe, declaring...
Enkai is the creator god of the Maasai people. He reveals himself in three colors: white, red, and black. Among them, red and black speak the loudest.
Inspired by the oral traditions of the Maasai, this episode follows a lone Maasai woman as she offers a series of prayers, pleas for life, for mercy, for a child. Her voice becomes a bridge between the earthly and the divine.
The story is told in a poetic, haiku-like form...
The king may be gone but his wives remain.
At the royal tombs of Kasubi, a small community of women continues to serve long after death.
They are the royal widows of Buganda: chosen from different clans, bound to the king in life… and still present in his death.
From sweeping the tombs to preparing rituals, they carry out their roles with quiet dignity.
Not as relics of the past, but as part of a living royal tradi...
What if a king never truly dies?
In Buganda, power doesn’t end with a funeral. It transforms.
Today, the royal palace is modern, more European in design than ancestral. But at the Kasubi Tombs, the old world still breathes. This episode traces how the king’s presence moved from palace to tomb, how his body became spirit, and how his home became sacred ground. We step inside a world where the roof was measured to t...
In this episode, I dive into the chilling legends of the cannibal night dancer said to feast on human flesh and embody the darkest fears of African folklore. But beyond the myths, how did accusations of cannibalism shape perceptions of morality, justice, and otherness? I explore the psychology behind these stories, the real-life consequences of being labeled a night dancer, and how law and society have dealt with thos...
In this debut episode of the African Book of Monsters series, we unravel the haunting legend of the night dancer. What makes these figures so feared across communities? And what deeper truths do their stories reveal about the societies they haunt?
Join me for a blend of history, mythology, and cultural insight as I explore the night dancer’s place in African folklore. Whether you’re here for a thrill or to learn more a...
The Uganda Martyrs incident that resulted in the deaths of 45 christian converts in 1886 is widely known to christians worldwide.
Unbeknownst to many, there is another martyrdom incident that occurred 10 or so years prior. In fact, there are 2 events that interestingly happened around the same time.
These obscure episodes in Buganda and African history ironically feed into each other and are what I present t...
Busiki and Busambira are among the many small nations that came under the umbrella of the current Busoga kingdom.
Unlike most of the well known busoga states ruled by the AbaiseNgobi clan, these 2 are headed by the lesser known AbaiseIgaga clan.
Follow me as I talk about their pre-colonial history starting with their founder the meat giver Nemwe all the way to the end of the 1900s when they were incorporated...
Happy Mother's day to all mothers in the world. Queen - Mothers were vital to the power structures of the intralacustrine region. They were often the rallying points around which clans gathered to defend their candidate of choice. Here is a list of 5 pre-colonial Queen-Mothers of Uganda. Enjoy!!
Sources
Buganda
Laurence Schiller, “The Royal Women of Buganda” The International Journal of African Hist...
Today, I cover the pre-colonial history of the Bulamogi and Bukono states of the AbaiseNgobi clan up to 1900. The AbaiseNgobi are the royal clan of Busoga that ruled various states that eventually came to be known collectively as Busoga.
Bukooli was one of the many states that came to make up the modern traditional kingdom of Busoga in Uganda, East Africa.
Words to Note.
Zibondo - Title for King of Bu...
Today, I cover the pre-colonial history of the Bukooli state of the AbaiseWakooli clan up to 1900.
Bukooli was one of the many states that came to make up the modern traditional kingdom of Busoga in Uganda, East Africa.
I start with the origin of their founder Okali who travelled with and was brothers with Kakaire of the Abaisemenha clan from Episode 3.
Bukooli grew into a state that attempted to do...
Bugweri is one of the chiefdoms that make up the current kingdom of Busoga.
It is ruled by the AbaiseMenha clan.
Imbued with the authority of Mukama from Bunyoro kingdom in the 18th century, their founder Kakaire established himself in the southern part of Bugweri where he took power from the AbaiseMusuubo clan. Their rulers are given the title of Menha.
This is their pre-colonial history.
Follow me o...
This is a morbid cautionary tale from Busoga in Uganda. It was told by Christopher Baseuse from the AbaiseKiranda clan. It was recorded by historian David Cohen at Baseuse's home on 7 October 1966.
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Tiktok at ThoseWhoCameBeforeUs
Twitter at ThoseWhoCameBeforeUs
Watch the Youtube version at the link below.
https://youtu.be/TKlc2SDHiRw
The AbaiseNgobi are the clan from which the Kyabazinga(king) of Busoga will be picked.
They are the royals of the kingdom. There were many states which were under their leadership.
Today I discuss the pre-colonial history of the AbaiseNgobi of Kigulu chiefdom.
FYI, I happen to be a prince from there. ;)
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Instagram: TWCBUpod
Tiktok: Those Who Came Before Us
Youtube: Those W...
This story is based on the folklore called "The famine" which was collected by Mrs George Baskerville. I think the name change is more fitting. lol.
The name of the book it was published in is called "The Flame Tree and other folklore."
Like and Subcribe.
Check out my instagram page @twcbupod and Youtube channel for the video version.
https://youtu.be/S64Z0Dfmj3I
I am working on...
The Busoga kingdom is located in Eastern Uganda. It's one of the 5 monarchies of Uganda.
Today I talk about the pre-colonial beginnings of Busoga.
Kintu and Mukama are two men mentioned as being the fathers of the people who founded the many states that comprised this kingdom. Enjoy. :)
There is a youtube version of today's episode if you would like to check that out. There are slight variation...
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