Category: Kitara
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Who were the Bacwezi ?
When the subject of Kitara history is adressed, a name always came back in the discussion : Cwezi. Oral accounts recall the Cwezi (or Abacwezi/Bacwezi) as the ruling dynasty of the Kitara empire during his most glorious period. However the traditions are scanty and unclear : who were the Bacwezi ? Gods, heroes,…
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The Kitara empire in external sources – The legend of Monemugi
When we study the history of East Africa, several legends and testimonies recall an important kingdom which has existed in the interior of the continent several centuries ago, and goes by the name « Monemugi » or « Kingdom of the Zanj ». Are these testimonies only myths or is there some historical reality…
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Umuganura, an African sacred festival
In East Africa, nowadays, religious communities celebrates differents religious days and feast : Christians celebrate Easter, Muslims celebrate the Ramadan, Jewish communities celebrates Pessah. But few generations ago, in the Great Lakes region, there was a major festival whose significance and importance were comparable to those celebrations : the Umuganura,…
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The Mwami, sacred king of Kitara
The Great Lakes region, by the end of the 19th century, comprised a large number of kingdoms headed by powerful kings. Generally bearing the titles Mwami, Mukama, Mugabe, or Kabaka, these men were not merely war chiefs or figures of authority, but sacred kings. Throughout the region, one finds the…
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The Ngoma, symbol of Kitara
When we study African societies, we found drums among many of them : Ceremonial drums, war drums, communication drums… In Kitara, the drum is more than a musical instrument, it’s a sacred symbol. For the peoples of the region, the Universe is a total, spiritual reality in which everything is…
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Muntu, the African Adam
According to Great Lakes region oral tradition, who were the first man and first woman ? Who were the first humans ? What are our origins and where do we come from ? We found different stories about the first man of the first couple in the region, each one specific to each…
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Bantu series 10 – Who is responsible for the ancient prehistoric cultures in the Bantu area ?
In this article, we will consider the material elements related to Bantu populations to see if it matches the Bantu expansion model, and we will investigate to understand who are the responsibles for these ancient cultures. Sangoan industry : This is one of the first lithic industry of Subsaharan Africa,…
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Bantu series 5 – Where are found the most archaic Bantu languages ?
The classical Bantu theory present the homeland of Bantu populations as the area of Mount Cameroon – Nigeria-Cameroon border. This place is supposed to be the home of most archaic Bantu languages (the “Proto-Bantu” language). This proposal of the Mount Cameroon as the place of origin of Bantu languages is…
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Bantu series – The Bantu theory is false
In the following series of articles – called the Bantu series – we are going to challenge the common theory of Bantu expansion. The Bantu expansion theory states that current Bantu populations inhabiting Central, Eastern and Southern Africa originate from Mount Cameroon area (near the Nigeria/Cameroon border) and have spread…
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Geography of the Kitara Empire
The history of Kitara empire and its associated cultures (which altogether can be called Kitara civilzation) is closely linked to its unique geography. In this article, we will see how the localisation of the Kitara civilization influence its destiny. The craton, an old part of the earth crest. The East…
Empire of Kitara 