Every Muganda person must belong to one of the more than 52 clans of Baganda. A Muganda is therefore expected to know his or her paternal clan (and totem) as well has his or her mother's clan. As part of one's formal introduction or greeting (especially at traditional ceremonies), one must be able to say their last name (surname), their father's surname, their paternal grandfather's name, their mother's clan, their clan Totem and clan motto or slogan (omubala) and finally their lineage in terms of the Akasolya, Ssiga, Mutuba, Lunyiriri and Nnyumba or Nju (House). This is generally called okutambula ng'Omuganda ("to walk like a Muganda" in Luganda).
The clans are social units and in the past were political units as well.
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). Akasolya is the singular form of Obusolya. The person who heads the clan is called Ow'akasolya. Below each roof (or Kasolya) are several units called amasiga (or pillars in English), headed by Ow'essiga. Essiga is singular form of Amasiga. Under each ssiga are several units called ennyiriri, headed by Ow'olunyiriri. Olunyiriri is the singular form of ennyiriri. 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) or enju, headed by Ow'ennyumba (Ennyumba is singular form of Ennyumba). The House is essentially the nuclear family and is headed by a father or if he is dead, then it's headed by his heir (always a biological male). For instance, the members of Mr. Nsubuga's nuclear family would be called ab'enju ya Mwami Nsubuga if he is alive or Ab'enju y'Omugenzi Nsubuga if he's deceased. Omugenzi is the Luganda word for "The Late".
Represented at Kabaka's (King's court). Location of the clan's seat (obutaka) and/or land. Responsibilities of the clan at the Kabaka's palace (Lubiri).
Every Muganda must belong to a clan (Ekika).[1][2]
This is usually his or her father's clan. The only exception to this is the Kabaka who belongs to his mother's clan. This ensures that every clan has a chance to produce the next Kabaka. The names of the Baganda vary depending on one's biological gender (male or female).
Therefore, each clan will have a list of at least 20 boys' surnames and 20 girls' surnames from which one can pick a surname.[3] 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 (first born sons and first born daughters).
For instance, the name Nsubuga is given to a male from the Mmamba Gabunga clan and the name Nansubuga is given to a female from the Mmamba Gabunga clan.
Also a "naturalized" Muganda person must pick a clan to belong to and therefore a surname or last name belonging to that clan.
All members of a clan are believed to have a common ancestor. This means that they are siblings if they are from the same generation (roughly same age) or can be considered parents or children if they are from different generations, and so it's taboo for them to marry each other. They are therefore expected to marry someone from another clan, clan Exogamy, (or tribe or nationality as long as they are not a Muganda of the same clan). This has even been held up in a court of law (i.e. there's a precedent in law) in the famous case of Bruno L. Kiwawu vs Ivan Serunkuma and Juliet Namazzi in May 2007.[4] All three people involved, the girl's father, Kiwawu, the "boy", Sserunkuuma and the "girl", Namazzi belong to the same clan, the Ndiga (Sheep) clan. A few exceptions exist especially among the members of the large Mmamba clan. On occasion, these have been known to intermarry. This taboo on marrying someone who belongs to the same clan as you normally supersedes religious, national and international marriage laws.
The heir (omusika in Luganda) 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.
This list is limited to cultural taboos related to the clan.
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.
Members of the same clan cannot marry each other. So a male from the Ffumbe clan cannot marry a female from the Ffumbe clan.
A cultural court called Ekkooti ya Kisekwa (Kisekwa's court), handles disputes including those among the clans or member of the clan. For instance, disputes related to who becomes the next clan head (Omutaka) when the previous one dies or becomes incapacitated. The title of the head of this court is Kisekwa.
If someone is not satisfied with the court's ruling, then they can appeal all the way up to the Kabaka who is the final arbiter of cases coming out of this court.
Below Kisekwa's court are usually courts at the Ssiga and at times Lunyiriri and Mutuba levels. At each one of these levels a cultural court's decision can be appealed to the higher level.
Although these courts have some power. Ultimate judicial power lies with the Judiciary of the country. In Uganda's case, that would be the Magistrate's court, High court, etc. From time to time, one who is not satisfied by the cultural courts will sue in a national high court.
The oldest clans trace their lineage to Bakiranze Kivebulaya, who is supposed to have ruled in the region from about 400 AD until about 1300 AD. These seven clans are referred to as the Nansangwa, or the indigenous:[5]
The Abalasangeye dynasty came to power through the conquests of Kabaka of Buganda ssekabaka Kintu,[6][7][8][9] which are estimated to have occurred sometime between 1200 and 1400 AD.[10][11][12][13]
The descendants of the Basimba people (also known as Bashimba) which is a Bisa and Ambo nickname of the Clan of the leopards, the bena Ngo in Zambia, who settled at Mpogo, Sironko District, are among the Ngo Clan group that come along with Kabaka Kato Kintu in his immigration.
Around 1370 AD another wave of immigration began, assisted by Kabaka Kimera,[14] who was the son of Omulangira Kalemeera. Kabaka Kimera was born in Kibulala, and returned to Buganda with Jjumba of the Nkima clan and other Buganda elders.
^ abKiingi, K (2009). Enkuluze ya Oluganda eya e Makerere [Makerere Luganda Dictionary] (in Luganda) (2nd ed.). Kampala: Fountain Publishers. p. 92. ISBN978-9970-02-613-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
