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Baganda
The Baganda (endonym: (A)Baganda; singular (O)Muganda; in Luganda or plural Waganda in Kiswahili or Ganda in old English texts), are a Bantu ethnic group that share a common culture, history and language and clans, and are primarily native to Buganda, a subnational kingdom within Uganda. Traditionally composed of 52 clans (although since a 1993 survey, only 46 are officially recognised), the Baganda are the largest people of the Bantu ethnic group in Uganda, comprising 16.5 percent of the population at the time of the 2014 census.
A single individual is called a Muganda whereas several people are called Baganda. The word Abaganda refers to "The Baganda People" and Omuganda refers to "The Muganda person".
Sometimes described as "The King's Men" because of the importance of the king, or Kabaka, in their society, the Baganda number an estimated 16.3 million people in Uganda. In addition, there is a significant diaspora abroad, with organised communities in Canada, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Traditionally, they speak Luganda but each Muganda must belong to a clan.
The term Ganda means brotherhood and unity and comes from the noun "obuganda", which means bundles of stalks piled, wrapped, or tied together. it ultimately comes from the Proto Bantu word, "-ganda" (family).
The Baganda are organized in clans (Luganda: ebika (plural); ekika (singular)). The clan is a unit of social organization and in the past, was also a unit of political organization. Every Muganda must belong to a clan. This is usually his or her father's clan and so a "naturalized" Muganda person must pick a clan to belong to and therefore a surname or last name belonging to that clan. Each clan will have a list of at least 20 boys' surnames and 20 girls' surnames for one to pick from. Therefore, one's surname (last name) will give a clue to which clan they belong as well as their biological gender. The exceptions to this are a woman's married name (which she inherits from her husband) as well as unique names given to twins and their immediate siblings or Royals (the first-born son is called Kiweewa and the first-born daughter is called Nassolo), and gods' (lubaale) names.[citation needed]
All members of a clan are believed to have a common ancestor. This means that they are siblings and so it's taboo for them to marry each other (clan exogamy). This was held up in a court of law in the case of Bruno L. Kiwawu v. Ivan Serunkuma and Juliet Namazzi in May 2007. A few exceptions exist, especially among the members of the large Mmamba clan. On occasion, these have been known to intermarry.[citation needed]
Another taboo is that the members of a clan cannot eat or harm their totem animal, plant or thing. So a member of the Mmamba (lungfish) clan is forbidden from consuming a lungfish. However, members of other clans do eat lungfish.[citation needed]
The Baganda are organized around roughly 50 clans with the Kabaka (Ssaabataka) being the head of the clan heads (Abataka). Each clan has a hierarchical structure. The top (or roof) of this clan hierarchy is called Akasolya. So the Baganda are organized around the roughly 50 roofs (obusolya (plural); akasolya (singular)). The person who heads the clan is called Ow'akasolya. Below each roof (or Kasolya) are several units called amasiga, headed by Ow'essiga. Essiga is singular form of Amasiga. Under each ssiga are several units called ennyiriri (singular olunyiriri), headed by Ow'olunyiriri. Below the lunyiriri are several units called emituba, headed by Ow'omutuba. Omutuba is singular form of Emituba. Below each mutuba are several units called enzigya, headed by Ow'oluggya. Oluggya is singular form of Enzigya. The Luggya is the level of the paternal grandfather (of the family). Below the luggya are several units called ennyumba (houses), headed by Ow'ennyumba. The House is essentially the nuclear family and is headed by a father or, if he is dead, by his male heir. The heir is a cultural head not economic head and so for instance, in a household headed by a single mother or a widow, the family property is not owned by the cultural heir. Among the Baganda, an heiress is a biological female who inherits the cultural position of a deceased woman (i.e sister or mother). In ancient times, this heiress, if she were single, could become the widower's wife as it was assumed that she would love her deceased sister's children as if they were her own.[citation needed]
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Baganda
The Baganda (endonym: (A)Baganda; singular (O)Muganda; in Luganda or plural Waganda in Kiswahili or Ganda in old English texts), are a Bantu ethnic group that share a common culture, history and language and clans, and are primarily native to Buganda, a subnational kingdom within Uganda. Traditionally composed of 52 clans (although since a 1993 survey, only 46 are officially recognised), the Baganda are the largest people of the Bantu ethnic group in Uganda, comprising 16.5 percent of the population at the time of the 2014 census.
A single individual is called a Muganda whereas several people are called Baganda. The word Abaganda refers to "The Baganda People" and Omuganda refers to "The Muganda person".
Sometimes described as "The King's Men" because of the importance of the king, or Kabaka, in their society, the Baganda number an estimated 16.3 million people in Uganda. In addition, there is a significant diaspora abroad, with organised communities in Canada, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Traditionally, they speak Luganda but each Muganda must belong to a clan.
The term Ganda means brotherhood and unity and comes from the noun "obuganda", which means bundles of stalks piled, wrapped, or tied together. it ultimately comes from the Proto Bantu word, "-ganda" (family).
The Baganda are organized in clans (Luganda: ebika (plural); ekika (singular)). The clan is a unit of social organization and in the past, was also a unit of political organization. Every Muganda must belong to a clan. This is usually his or her father's clan and so a "naturalized" Muganda person must pick a clan to belong to and therefore a surname or last name belonging to that clan. Each clan will have a list of at least 20 boys' surnames and 20 girls' surnames for one to pick from. Therefore, one's surname (last name) will give a clue to which clan they belong as well as their biological gender. The exceptions to this are a woman's married name (which she inherits from her husband) as well as unique names given to twins and their immediate siblings or Royals (the first-born son is called Kiweewa and the first-born daughter is called Nassolo), and gods' (lubaale) names.[citation needed]
All members of a clan are believed to have a common ancestor. This means that they are siblings and so it's taboo for them to marry each other (clan exogamy). This was held up in a court of law in the case of Bruno L. Kiwawu v. Ivan Serunkuma and Juliet Namazzi in May 2007. A few exceptions exist, especially among the members of the large Mmamba clan. On occasion, these have been known to intermarry.[citation needed]
Another taboo is that the members of a clan cannot eat or harm their totem animal, plant or thing. So a member of the Mmamba (lungfish) clan is forbidden from consuming a lungfish. However, members of other clans do eat lungfish.[citation needed]
The Baganda are organized around roughly 50 clans with the Kabaka (Ssaabataka) being the head of the clan heads (Abataka). Each clan has a hierarchical structure. The top (or roof) of this clan hierarchy is called Akasolya. So the Baganda are organized around the roughly 50 roofs (obusolya (plural); akasolya (singular)). The person who heads the clan is called Ow'akasolya. Below each roof (or Kasolya) are several units called amasiga, headed by Ow'essiga. Essiga is singular form of Amasiga. Under each ssiga are several units called ennyiriri (singular olunyiriri), headed by Ow'olunyiriri. Below the lunyiriri are several units called emituba, headed by Ow'omutuba. Omutuba is singular form of Emituba. Below each mutuba are several units called enzigya, headed by Ow'oluggya. Oluggya is singular form of Enzigya. The Luggya is the level of the paternal grandfather (of the family). Below the luggya are several units called ennyumba (houses), headed by Ow'ennyumba. The House is essentially the nuclear family and is headed by a father or, if he is dead, by his male heir. The heir is a cultural head not economic head and so for instance, in a household headed by a single mother or a widow, the family property is not owned by the cultural heir. Among the Baganda, an heiress is a biological female who inherits the cultural position of a deceased woman (i.e sister or mother). In ancient times, this heiress, if she were single, could become the widower's wife as it was assumed that she would love her deceased sister's children as if they were her own.[citation needed]