RG ST 12 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Warumbe, Buganda, Kabaka Of Buganda
11/30/17
● Sub-saharan africa, 1500-1800 Ce
● African Ancestors
○ Unlike creator gods, ancestors have direct impact lives of human families, clans
○ Ancestors aid families, in return for which expect to receive sacrifices
○ Cause misfortune when not worshiped
● The double soul (mwaba of Togo)
○ Before birth, human soul comprises two “spirit families” living far apart in heaven
○ One “family” concerned with biological life, the other with the life of the human
MIND
○ At birth, both spirit families compressed into single body to become his double
soul (“dark shadow”/”light shadow”)
○ At death/transformation into ancestor, “dark shadow” returns to heaven, while
“light shadow” remains on earth among the living
● Offerings to ancestors
○ Living born indebted to ancestors
○ Offerings made when ancestors shows dissatisfaction
○ Cause of affliction diagnosed by diviner
○ Diagnosis includes name of ancestor, appropriate sacrifice
● Dogan female ancestor, MALI
● Lengola ancestor, CONGO
● Gandan, bagandan, buganda, uganda
○Bagandan people bearers of Ugandan culture
○ Concentrated around kampala, uganda’s capital
○ Heirs to kingdom of buganda
○ Became a portion of uganda in 1900
● Ronald muwenda mutembi, 36th kabaka of buganda
● Kabaka
○ Title of bugandan king
○ Different from other humans
○ See-kabaka, the divinized former king, “lives” in a shrine that is
■ His “palace”
■ An opening onto “forest” of the dead
■ A temple for living royal family
■ Place of divination
● The story of kintu, 1
○ Kintu (earth) x nnabi, daughter of ggulu (sky)
○ Nnabi commits fault, pursued by brother walumbe (death)
○ Kintu and nnabi have 3 children
○ Walumbe asks for 1
○ Kintu and nnabi refuse 3x
○ Walumbe kills child(ren): origin of death
○ Walumbe lord of the dead
Document Summary
Unlike creator gods, ancestors have direct impact lives of human families, clans. Ancestors aid families, in return for which expect to receive sacrifices. Before birth, human soul comprises two spirit families living far apart in heaven. One family concerned with biological life, the other with the life of the human. At birth, both spirit families compressed into single body to become his double soul ( dark shadow / light shadow ) At death/transformation into ancestor, dark shadow returns to heaven, while. Light shadow remains on earth among the living. Diagnosis includes name of ancestor, appropriate sacrifice. Became a portion of uganda in 1900. Ronald muwenda mutembi, 36th kabaka of buganda. See-kabaka, the divinized former king, lives in a shrine that is. An opening onto forest of the dead. Kintu (earth) x nnabi, daughter of ggulu (sky) Nnabi commits fault, pursued by brother walumbe (death) The descendents of kintu will never be finished. Syncretism: story of kintu x genesis 2-3.
