The African Kingdoms of the Great Lakes: the first humans to live on the Nile

Africans are blessed with a diverse group of people with different kingdoms. These kingdoms might have gone into extinction or out of radar, but one thing is common in all their tales; it sends shivers running down the spines of any African who truly comes across them. Among these tribes are Buganda and Rwanda people, who were one of the earliest humans on earth.

The Buganda and Rwanda kingdoms were the most popular and prominent of the kingdoms of the Great lakes. During the lower imperial time, the kingdoms of the Great Lakes were dainty and egalitarian kingdoms, famous for their leadership and social system.

Buganda And Its Origin

There are numerous historical origins of the kingdom, Buganda. Some say that the kingdom was born from a Kinta. According to the belief, he was the first of humans and his existence with the birth of the modern man in the Great Lakes region isn’t a coincidence.

Another said he was a warrior from the neighboring town who had come to subdue the lands, north of the Great Lakes called Nyanza, present-day Victoria. The tale further states that Kinta might have been the first Kabaka (King of Buganda). While the other posits that he was Kimera, prince of the neighboring kingdom, Bunyoro.

Of both accounts, one thing is germane, the Ganda are the descendants of the first humans and people have been known with the Great Lakes, which at same time is the origin of the Nile. Buganda only grew to become the most prominent of all the kingdoms in the 13th century, dominating Bunyoro and enlarging its boundaries to a point of covering an area twice as large as Belgium.

The Buganda system practiced the African matriarchal system. The Kabaka was placed under the guide of his mother, by his siblings. The queen mother as well as the kabakas sisters were held in high esteem.

The economy of the kingdom relied solely on its rich agriculture. The lands of the great lakes were very fertile lands. Their farmers fed 2 million people. The provincial heads supervised payments of tax, while officials managed the roads to the capital city. The proof of their rich economy is that Kabaka Kyabazu had porcelain wares and glasses in the 17 century. Also, the baGanda were also skilled metalworkers.

Buganda problems first started when the English explorer Speke, caused a division in the kingdom. Speke was able to convince the Kabaka that he is from Ethiopia and that his people were descendants of King David of Israel. Both the king and queen mother bought this lie, and that made the King want to convert to Christianity. It was this same scheme that caused to the genocide of 1994 in Rwanda.

Buganda defense system was considered to be fearless and strong. There was a battle that resulted in the visit of explorer Stanley. The King at the time was able to mobilize 125,000 men and 230 boats.

Although, Kabaka Mwanga was the last independent king of Buganda. The Kingdom was defeated after the English conquered it and gave the new colony which was in the North of Lake Nyanza, the Swahili name Uganda in 1894.  Although it had been occupied by the English, the kingdom remained strong and fearless.

The Kingdom Of Rwanda

The people were known as the baNyarwanda, just as the Egyptians called God Imana, they called God KiNyarwanda. Their origins can be traced to Northern Africa through tales from the Tutsi who were considered the dominant class. Furthermore, it is with the opinion that they most likely originated from Egypt having the same similarities with Egypt.

The nobles wore hairdressers that were the same in design to the military helmet of the Pharaoh. In other words, they were Northern people who mastered the Southern territories of Lake Nyanza.

There was a clear and accepted norm in the kingdom. The Tutsi people were the ruling class, and were determined by the number of cows they owned which was not less than 8 and their function in the country’s defense. On the other hand, the Hutu people were the farmers who owned less than 8 cows.

However, a Hutu could attain the height of the Tutsi class if the requirements are met and vice versa, but the dominant class remained the Tutsi. Both clans used the same language, served the same God, and ruled by the same king. The elites were involved in poetry and thinking and the poetic styles of the Rwandan kingdom were developed by the queen mother who was called Nyirarumaga.

The baNyarwanda were known for their intense disposition to war, with brave wrestlers in their custody, they were also known to respect women. According to Yolande Mukagasana, a war had once been temporarily halted because a woman soldier was found on the battlefield. Women were strongly discouraged from participating in these fierce exploits. Rwanda at some point became allies with Burundi, making their ties particularly strong.

The attempt made by the Belgian and German occupants of the land to separate Tutsi and Hutu being two different ethnic groups, unfortunately led to the Tutsi having a superiority complex that eventually lead to the infamous Rwandan genocide.

Africans are blessed with a diverse group of people with different kingdoms. These kingdoms might have gone into extinction or out of radar, but one thing is common in all their tales; it sends shivers running down the spines of any African who truly comes across them. Among these tribes are Buganda and Rwanda people, who were one of the earliest humans on earth.

The Buganda and Rwanda kingdoms were the most popular and prominent of the kingdoms of the Great lakes. During the lower imperial time, the kingdoms of the Great Lakes were dainty and egalitarian kingdoms, famous for their leadership and social system.

Buganda And Its Origin

There are numerous historical origins of the kingdom, Buganda. Some say that the kingdom was born from a Kinta. According to the belief, he was the first of humans and his existence with the birth of the modern man in the Great Lakes region isn’t a coincidence.

Another said he was a warrior from the neighboring town who had come to subdue the lands, north of the Great Lakes called Nyanza, present-day Victoria. The tale further states that Kinta might have been the first Kabaka (King of Buganda). While the other posits that he was Kimera, prince of the neighboring kingdom, Bunyoro.

Of both accounts, one thing is germane, the Ganda are the descendants of the first humans and people have been known with the Great Lakes, which at same time is the origin of the Nile. Buganda only grew to become the most prominent of all the kingdoms in the 13th century, dominating Bunyoro and enlarging its boundaries to a point of covering an area twice as large as Belgium.

The Buganda system practiced the African matriarchal system. The Kabaka was placed under the guide of his mother, by his siblings. The queen mother as well as the kabakas sisters were held in high esteem.

The economy of the kingdom relied solely on its rich agriculture. The lands of the great lakes were very fertile lands. Their farmers fed 2 million people. The provincial heads supervised payments of tax, while officials managed the roads to the capital city. The proof of their rich economy is that Kabaka Kyabazu had porcelain wares and glasses in the 17 century. Also, the baGanda were also skilled metalworkers.

Buganda problems first started when the English explorer Speke, caused a division in the kingdom. Speke was able to convince the Kabaka that he is from Ethiopia and that his people were descendants of King David of Israel. Both the king and queen mother bought this lie, and that made the King want to convert to Christianity. It was this same scheme that caused to the genocide of 1994 in Rwanda.

Buganda defense system was considered to be fearless and strong. There was a battle that resulted in the visit of explorer Stanley. The King at the time was able to mobilize 125,000 men and 230 boats.

Although, Kabaka Mwanga was the last independent king of Buganda. The Kingdom was defeated after the English conquered it and gave the new colony which was in the North of Lake Nyanza, the Swahili name Uganda in 1894.  Although it had been occupied by the English, the kingdom remained strong and fearless.

The Kingdom Of Rwanda

The people were known as the baNyarwanda, just as the Egyptians called God Imana, they called God KiNyarwanda. Their origins can be traced to Northern Africa through tales from the Tutsi who were considered the dominant class. Furthermore, it is with the opinion that they most likely originated from Egypt having the same similarities with Egypt.

The nobles wore hairdressers that were the same in design to the military helmet of the Pharaoh. In other words, they were Northern people who mastered the Southern territories of Lake Nyanza.

There was a clear and accepted norm in the kingdom. The Tutsi people were the ruling class, and were determined by the number of cows they owned which was not less than 8 and their function in the country’s defense. On the other hand, the Hutu people were the farmers who owned less than 8 cows.

However, a Hutu could attain the height of the Tutsi class if the requirements are met and vice versa, but the dominant class remained the Tutsi. Both clans used the same language, served the same God, and ruled by the same king. The elites were involved in poetry and thinking and the poetic styles of the Rwandan kingdom were developed by the queen mother who was called Nyirarumaga.

The baNyarwanda were known for their intense disposition to war, with brave wrestlers in their custody, they were also known to respect women. According to Yolande Mukagasana, a war had once been temporarily halted because a woman soldier was found on the battlefield. Women were strongly discouraged from participating in these fierce exploits. Rwanda at some point became allies with Burundi, making their ties particularly strong.

The attempt made by the Belgian and German occupants of the land to separate Tutsi and Hutu being two different ethnic groups, unfortunately led to the Tutsi having a superiority complex that eventually lead to the infamous Rwandan genocide.