The baganda (singular, muganda)
are the natives of the kingdom nation of Buganda, which has
existed since around 400 AD. Buganda is now part of the Republic
of Uganda.
The term Ganda refers
to things concerned with the Baganda. For example the culture
of the Baganda will be called the Ganda culture.
Probably the most important pillars of Ganda
culture and society, are:
Kabaka (Head of Ganda society and culture) and Abalangira;
Baganda clans and ancestry (ebika bya Baganda);
Baganda customs and cultural norms (obuwangwa n'obulombolombo);
Obutaka (the land and environment of the ancestors);
and
Luganda language.
Ganda Ancestry
Ganda ancestry is relatively straight forward because it
uses a simple but highly efficient and versatile verification
system, the Baganda clan system (or Buganda clan system).
There are fifty six (56) official Ganda clans or ebika
(singular, ekika), listed here
.
A person is a Muganda if he or she belongs to one of the Baganda clans (or Buganda clans). To belong to a clan your father must be a Muganda. Every Muganda takes on his or her father's clan.
A clan consists of a hierarchy of sub-groups, as shown in the figure below. Each is a collection of several masiga (singular, ssiga); each ssiga is a collection of mituba (singular mutuba); and each mutuba is a collection of nyiriri (singular, lunyiriri). The heads of the various groups in the clan hierarchy are called abataka (singular, omutaka).
A Muganda person can establish his or her Ganda ancestry
by simply proving the following evidence about themselves:
A Muganda father
The clan (ekika) to which the father belongs
Because every Muganda traces his or her ancestry through
the clan, he or she is technically a grandchild or muzukulu
(plural, bazzukulu) of the head of the respective clan.
Visit our Recommended Links
page for additional resources on Buganda, the Baganda, Kabaka, and Ganda
culture.
