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
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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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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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...
In today’s episode, we talk about the military of the pre-colonial African kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara.
For most of its history, Bunyoro did not have a standing army. Instead, they relied on the common man to take up arms when called upon by his chiefs. These armies were called Obwesengeze.
That was until the 1870s when Kabaleega created the Abarusura army, a force dedicated to the protection of the state.
Before the arrival of Christianity and Islam, the religion of Kubandwa was an East African spirit possession faith practiced by many groups in the great lakes region. It is still practiced today to a much smaller degree and has a terrible/unfair reputation of witchcraft like other indigenous african religions. In this episode, I discuss what the religion must’ve looked like in Pre-colonial Bunyoro. We will talk about ...
This episode is an attempt to reconstruct the pre-colonial society of Bunyoro. I discuss their clans, livelihoods, marriage and justice etc. Please note that the information presented was collected during the colonial period in Uganda. Therefore it is impossible to say with absolute certainty that everything was exactly the same as in pre-colonial times.
Enjoy.
PS: Banyoro, please excuse my butchery of your language. ...
The following episode is an examination of the kingship and authority in the pre-colonial Bunyoro state.
Sources
John Beattie, Bunyoro; An African Kingdom (New York: Holt Rinehart and Winston Inc, 1960) p181,
J.W. Nyakatura, Anatomy of an African Kingdom (New York: Nok Publishers, 1973) p26
Yolamu Ndoleriire Nsamba, Mystique In Sovereign Headgear (Wandsbeck: Reach Publishers, 2016), p 93,105,118...
Great Britain succeeded in forcing the submission of Bunyoro after the 1890's war of conquest.
In their wake was left an utterly dejected people who struggled more than their regional counterparts to adapt to the new status quo.
Their undeserved bad reputation plus their resistance of almost a decade, was reason enough to punish them for a war that had cost the invaders a lot of money.
This is an acco...
The death of Omukama(King) Kamurasi in 1869 triggered the customary succession war between 2 of his sons Kabigumire and Kabaleega.
The latter won the duel and went on to be Bunyoro’s greatest king. He initiated new political and military reforms unlike anything the kingdom had seen before.
Under him, Bunyoro began to regain the strength that it had been losing over the past century. Increased trade with the Arabs enric...
After the collapse of the Bachwezi empire, the Babiito took over as Bunyoro’s 3rd dynasty in the 16th Century. The precise year this happened is hard to pin down. However, the Babiito began their kingship differently from their predecessors. While the Bachwezi and Batembuzi were both healers and politicians, the Babiito stayed away from the ritual side of things.
Their rule extended into the 19th century when the king...
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