The restoration of the Kingdom of Buganda, in our contemporary time, was accentuated by the encyclical letter addressed by His Majesty Ssaabataka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi to the people of Buganda on March 6, 1991. [Sekeba 1993:32-33].

In the letter, His Majesty the Ssaabataka made it categorically clear that the restoration of Buganda Kingdom would not be complete without the revitalization of the clans of Buganda. For that purpose, in the encyclical letter, he encouraged the people of Buganda to get up and intensify their education about the clans of Buganda, in general, and about their individual clans in particular.

In the same spirit this presentation intends to address the notion of the clans of the Baganda and the historical context of the Monkey Clan. It is intended to consider the structural elements of the Monkey Clan, as well as give some pertinent information about the preeminent members of the Monkey Clan whose roles and contributions to the kingdom, enlivens unity and the progressive spirit of Buganda.

ON THE NOTION OF BAGANDA CLANS

Like human beings are by nature rational, religious and political, so are they, also by nature, social. As social beings they organize themselves in units which enable them to live efficiently and effectively. In that respect, for centuries, the societal existence of the people of the Kingdom of Buganda has been reflected in organized ancestral units known as clans.

In Luganda, a clan is called Ekika The clan is the top level of the hierachically totemic stratification of the people of Buganda. While Eka means home of origination in as far as individual Baganda are concerned, Ekika is what brings together members of homes acknowledging the belongingness to the same totem in a way which reflects a communal feeling at home, as it were, in the great mansion of the nation and/or Kingdom of Buganda.

In that sense, a clan, that is Kika in Luganda, is a group of persons, by consanguinity, regarding themselves as related by descent through males from a common ancestor. Clans are particularized by means of totems. Totems as exemplified in the heritage of the Baganda are symbols of social units.

These symbols , usually in form of animals, plants and other objects, are identified in relation to the symbolization of a common origin, differentiation, influence, prohibition and endearment. In anutshell this is a notional background of the clans of the Baganda of which the Monkey Clan is by no means an insignificant part.

THE MONKEY CLAN IN HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Chronologically the clans of the Baganda are in three clusters. The first cluster includes the clans of the aboriginal people who inhabited the region known as Muwawa which is today called Buganda Prior to Buganda, the inhabitants of the area were called Abalasangeye.

Thsese were organized in five clans which included, the civet cat, the pangolin, the reedbuck, colobus monkey, and bird clans. The second cluster includes clans of the people who are said to have arrived to Buganda in company of Ssekabaka Kintu. It is among this cluster that people of the Monkey Clan are counted as to have arrived in Buganda for the first time.

The third cluster includes those people who arrived in Buganda in company of Ssekabaka[the late king] Kimera. Among these leaders of the Monkey Clan played such a role that has brought the Monkey Clan to its preeminence in Buganda.

The historically factual origin of the Monkey Clan depends on the determination of where Kintu, as the first King of Buganda, came from . The varied version of the origin of Kintu, namely from Heaven, from Gallaland, from Bunyoro, from Masaaba and from Ssese Islands renders the origin of the Monkey Clan to have been Buggala in Ssese Island most plausible.

As by way of summarizing his position, to this Michael Nsimbi adds, that " Since the times of Ssekabaka Kintu, till those of Ssekabaka Chwa II the kings of Buganda did not appoint chiefs from the main land to administer Ssese Islands even if since time immemorial Ssese was a domain of the king of Buganda.

Ssese is not a part of Buganda as a result of a conquest. Ebyo bifaanana okulaga nti e Ssese eringa y'eri Obujjajja bwa Bakabaka n'Abaganda wawu. [ All these things appear to show that the ancestral origin of the Kings of Buganda and that of real Baganda is in Ssese [1990:152]. However substatiation of any of the above suggestions still demands more research on the issue.

According to Apolo Kaggwa [1905:2] Ssekabaka Kintu established his key capital city at Magonga in Busujju county. Balasi of the Monkey Clan was one of those people who had arrived in the country with Kintu. Balasi built a home in Malangala village in the county of Busujju.

It is there that he got his son Bwoya. Balasi brought his son Bwoya, now an adolescent, and committed him to the domestic service of Kintu. Later Bwoya was appointed a Ssaabawaali chief, which is the chief in charge of the bachelor servants of the king. During his service as Ssaabawaali Bwoya got a son by the name of Mulegeya.

However, Nsimbi [1990:273] without mentioning the name of Balasi is of the opinion that Ssebukyu came to Buganda with Kintu, that when they arrived at Nnono, Kintu gave land to Ssebukyu to build a home for himself at Malanagala as well as appointing him to the chieftainship of Ssaabawaali.

There Ssebukyu had a son whom he dedicated to the service of the king. At the moment of the dedication Ssebukyu introduced his son to the king with with the metaphorical phrase of Akange bwoya, meaning "mine and my real son.". From these words of introduction his son came to be known by the name of Bwoya. Ssebukyu had another son whose name was Miyingo.

When Miyingo left his father's home, he moved to the place of the king of Bunyoro at Kibulala. It was at Kibulala that Miyingo bore Mulegeya who in turn produced Katumba the kingpin of the first restoration of the Kingship of Buganda.

Prior to the above described developments, Ssekabaka Kintu disappeared. His son Chwa was made to succeed him. Chwa got a son by the name of Kalemeera. Fearing that his father Chwa could also disappear like his grandfather Kintu did.,

Kalemeera followed his father keeping watch over him wherever he went. Chwa was not happy with his son's solicitude. By some trumped -up charge Kalemeera was sent off to Bunyoro, to work for the acquisition of a fine which was imposed on him. The fine was supposed to be in form of hoes and salt, commodities which were mostly available in Bunyoro.

In Bunyoro his uncle the king Winyi lodged Kalemeera with his Principal wife Wannyana of the Grasshoper clan. Kalemeera found himself in a situation of becoming too intimate with Wannyana he committed adultery with her. A conception took place. The incidence was discovered.

Kalemeera escaped. The child delivered by Wannyana was the Kimera, was preserved by the ruse of Mugema. On the run Kalemeera died before reaching home. Meanwhile, Chwa had disappeared. And there came an interregnum in Buganda which lasted for about twenty five years.

"After Wannyana's conception a state of consternation arose. Wannyana sought advice from Katumba who was Wannyana's potter. Katumba was more than willing to give advice. While Wannyana was still pregnant Katumba got an audience with king Winyi to communicate to him the message he had presumably received from a deviner.

Katumba said to the king that " The diviner has ordered me to inform you that if ever you hear of a pregnant woman in your court, do not see her but build a house for her among the commoners and let her live there in isolation.

And if she delivers a child do not see that child and do not let that child to be killed, the child should be thrown alive in a clay pit. If you would do that you would be saved of the danger which appears to be facing your house." [Nsimbi 1990:39 -translatione is mine]

It is this message that saved the lives of both Wannyana and Kimera. After Kimera was born, thrown in the clay pit like Moses of old was thrown in the marsh, he was picked up nursed and raised up by Katumba of the Monkey Clan. It is this process of immunizing Kimera from danger that earned Katumba and his posterity the respectability of a Mugema.

No sooner than Kimera became of age to reign than delegations were prepared both in Buganda and in Bunyoro to care for the safe journey from Bunyoro to Buganda. In company of Katumba and other elders the young adult prince came to Buganda where he took over Buganda at Gganda with the local assistance of Lady Nakku.

After the new prince had been stabilized as the Kabaka of Buganda those in Bunyoro who were aware of the circumstances of his journey to the Kabakaship, openly called him Kimera. And those who were aware of the circumstances of Katumba's role in all this they called him Mugema meaning the great Immunizer.

Thus he earned the qualification of being symbolically the King's father, that is the Nnakazadde and by consanguineous connection earning for the mebers of the Monkey Clan the name of Bannakazadde that is parents of parents in as far as their role in the Baganda clan system is concerned.

After he had that much participated in the restoration of the kabakaship in agreement with the Kabaka who had now established his capital at Masanafu, Katumba settled in a place called Wambaale at Bbira from where he would continue to care for the wellness of the Kabaka.

In addition to being the Archparent of Buganda since the accession of Kimera to the Buganda throne Mugema is the overall head of the Monkey Clan whose hierarchically structural make up is being considered next.

THE HIERACHICAL STRUCTURE OF THE MONKEY CLAN

Introductory Note

The structure of the clan hierachy from the highest numerical level to the lowest numerical density may be looked at by groupings and headships. Thus the Monkey Clan is part of the solidality of clans which forms a nation and/or kingdom of Buganda at the head of which is the Ssaabataka/Kabaka of Buganda that is the Archhead of Clans/ King of Buganda. Next is Ekika ky'Abenkima.

that is the Monkey Clan, which is headed by Omutaka Owaakasolya, the supreme Head of the Clan. Segments of the clan include Masiga that is Sub-clans at the head of which are Bajjajja b'Amasiga, literally meaning Grandparents of the Sub-clans.

Next are Mituba the consanguinity groupings in the hierachical progression after the Sub-clans. The headship of Mutuba which is the singular of Mituba is shouldered by Jjajja w'Omutuba as the grandparent of such a segment.

Following is the Nnyiriri the singular of which is Lunyiriri a sub-consanguinity subdivision of the clan at the head of which is Jjajja w'Olunyiriri as the Grandparent of the the sub-consanguinity segment.

At the base of it all is the Luggya literally meaning courtyard with the applied sense of household and/or nuclear family. Given the special position Katumba the Mugema has come to hold in Buganda as the supreme head of the Monkey Clan, by the sanctioning of Ssekabaka Kimera a section of monkey clan heads was raised to the rank of Balangira/Princes.

The Clan Structure

The Clan Pinnacle: Mugema of Wambaale at Bbira in the county of Busiro

Balangira/Princes

Katumba's children who were born in Bunyoro and grew up together with Kimera in the same household, after he had become the King of Buganda, with a variety of privileges, Kimera raised them to the status of princes. These included:

1. Jjumba of Bunjakko in the county of Mawokota 2. Kisambu of Busambu in the county of Bulemeezi 3. Mmande of Kabembe in the county of Kyaggwe 4. Mwanga of Kyamuwooya in the county of Bulemeezi

Bajjajja b'Amasiga/Heads of Sub-clans

1. Jjumba of Bunjakko in the county of Mawokota 2. Kinyolo of Kisugu in the county of Kyaddondo 3. Kisambu of Busambu in the county of Bulemeezi 4. Lujumba of Bulenga in the county of Busiro 5. Mmande of Kabembe in the county of Kyaggwe 6. Mwanga of Kyamuwooya in the county of Bulemeezi 7. Ssebukyu of Malangala in the county of Busujju 8. Ssemuggala of Buggala in Ssese Islands

Bajjajja b'Emituba/Grandparents of Consanguinity and Bajjajja b'Ennyiriri/Grandparents of consanguinity

With regard to Emituba and Ennyiriri it is important that pertinent members of different clans take heed of the message of His Majesty Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II which was mentioned above.

He wished to inculcate it on the minds of his people that the study of clans at all levels should seriously be embarked upon. Many of us know very little about the Emituba and Ennyiriri of our clans.

There is little written beyond Amasiga. There is also the possibility of a mix up in as far as the proper designation of segments in some clans is concerned. Research should be heightened.

Here I would like to give an example of a Monkey Clan Mutuba of the Babango which has had very little exposure for the rest of the country to know. What the writer has for many years known about his Mutuba has depended on oral transmission of information on casual basis until a manuscript was brought to his attention some 47 years ago. This concerns:

Lugira Jjajja w'Omutuba gw'Ababango/Grandparent of the Babango consanguinity whose Butaka is on the hill of Buzindwa in the Kannabulemu region of the county of Buddu, who is also close to Nnamutula one of the nine Bakojja of the Kabaka of Buganda [ Nsimbi 1990: 51] whose Butaka is at Mugambazzi in Buddu County.

The name Lugira originates in the circumstances which are reflected in a maritime provibe which says that Ennyanja y'omukopi olugira nti Awungukidde awo

The designation of Babango originates in what one may describe as an incident caused by superhuman forces. When Bbuga of the Monkey clan arrved in the Kannabulemu region coming from Buggala of the Ssese Islands, he found that Lugira and his entourage had established himself on Buzindwa Hill. Bbuga established his home on another hill by the name of Kinyiga.

As his family extended Musaakiriza of Bbuga's extended family was charged with the practice of mediumship in relation with the spirit of the neighboring hill called Bbanga. Trespassing on Bbanga was a well known taboo in the area. However one member of the Monkey clan in the area disregarded the interdiction and dared to parade around the hill.

He was punished by growing a hunchback, known as Bango in Luganda. As if this was a collective punishment inflicted on members of the mokey clan in the region, that is how they came to be known as Babango from then to the present day.

The primary written source on this Mutuba is found in the handwritten book whose title is: Ekitabo ekyekika ekyawandikibwa Kiwagu nga 13 Ap. 1913. Abakulu benatula nabo bebano= Kasa, ne Malinzi ne Ssenkima ne Musa Ddungu Nze Kiwagu Omukulu w'Ekika

The opening page of the book translated from Luganda says the following:

"These are our grandparents who came from Ssese. They are the children of Kikungwe at Nkoma of the Monkey clan. Lugira and his young brother Kabango they came directly from Ssese. They came in their boat Nnakajugo.

They arrived at the harbor of Lukunyu. There they stayed for a night. The following day they set off and arrived at the harbor of Nkoma. There they left their boat and ascended the hill of Buzindwa. The hill was an open uninhabited and uncultivated land. They built on the hill which has become their ancestral home from then to the present day.