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Gwere people

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Bagwere

The Gwere people, or Bagwere, are a Bantu ethnic group in Uganda.

Location

They live in the eastern Uganda, mostly in Budaka District, Pallisa District and Kibuku District, where they make up over 80% of the population. They have the Bagisu, the Basoga, the Balamogi and the Iteso, the Banyole and the Jopadhola (Badama) as their neighbors. The city of Mbale, one time reputed to be the cleanest city in Uganda is home to some Bagwere. Bagwere are also found in the following towns in Eastern Uganda: Pallisa, Budaka, Kibuku, Kagumu, Kamonkoli, Kadama, Kabweri, Iki-Iki, Bulangira, Kaderuna, Tirinyi, Butebo, Kakoro and kanginima,[kadama],[mugiti],[naboa].

The Bagwere are said to have emigrated to their present area from Bunyoro and Toro, and travelled along Lake Kyoga, crossing River Mpologoma. For this reason all the tribes that settled along the shores Kyoga like; Baluli, Bakenye, Balamogi have a similar language to Lugwere. Their initial area of settlement has shrunk considerably as the Iteso and the Bagisu have pushed the Bagwere's frontiers inwards.

Language

The language of the Bagwere is Lugwere. It is the unifying language spoken by People of different Clans from different tribes livng together in Pallisa,Budaka and Kibuku Districts. The language is very similar to Lulamogi, Lusoga, Bagungu and other tribes found in Western Uganda.

Cultural structure

The Bagwere have many clans originating from different tribes including the following:

•Mubbala Kinyu Samuku Balamu Balalaka-Bengoma Clan •Tazenya Henry Kamu Bakomolo-Nkobyokobyo Clan •Kiore George William Bangwere Clan •Kagino Obadia Bakaligwoko-Banamei Clan •Tawonia Wilson Bapalama Clan •Maiso Jonathan Kwiri Badeuke Clan •Mulaiguli J. Samson Bakatikoko-Katikati Clan •Mutono Eriamu Balunde Clan •Wanzige Abel Balocho Clan •Namoni Nathan Balalaka-Bakomba Clan •Kirya Badru Babulanga Clan •Gabbengere Christopher Balemeri (Nkembo) Clan •Mwereza Gastavas Bakabweri Clan •Kirya Geoffrey Bakaligwoko-Bakituti Clan •Wagombolya Amos Banyekero Clan •Gwaku Yeku Esau Badaka Clan •Padere K. Claudius Basobya Clan •Kaali Akabu Bagolya Clan •Mongosi Yokolamu Basikwe Clan •Kanku Francis Bakaligwoko-Bagolo Clan •Wasugirya Fred Bob Baikomba Clan •Kabala Malijani Baganza Clan •Dr. Kiryapawo Tomasi Baloki Clan •Mwanika Kirizanto Banghole Clan •Muwandiki Jamada Balumba Clan •Bulolo Patrick Bakawolya Clan •Kamusaiza Stephen Balalaka-Bayumbu Clan •Waletelerya Abudu Badoba Clan •Mbulambago James Bagema Clan •Nabbola Abimereki Badukulo Clan •Mbulakyalo Alozio Balabya Clan •Tazenya Tomasi Bakatikoko-Bakidi Clan •Muluga John Bosco Baigembe Clan •Musayenka Dominic Bakyesa Clan •Okou Danieri Bakamugewo Clan •Guloba Peter Balefe Clan •Abenga Kamya Abed Bakomolo-Bombo Clan •Hajji Nfunyeku Jafali Balemeri Clan •Kirya Felix William Banongo Clan •Talyankona Yokosani Bawunga Clan •Mukonge Issa Babeera Clan •Seebe Twaha Bakyabulya Clan •Nduga Wilson Banaminto Clan •Kapisa Michael Bakaligwoko-Barweta Clan •Hajji Nabwali Saibu Bafukanyi Clan •Sisye Joram Bakalaga Clan •Gantwase Efulaimu Baluba Clan •Kadugala Isaa Balalaka-Bakidi Clan •Wabwire Lala James Balala Clan •Gole Nicholas Banamwera Clan •Kisense Samuel Bansaka Clan •Ochola Ben Baibere Clan •Wadugu George Baseta Clan •Taaya Peter Bagamole Clan •Mugoda Ahamada Banyolo Clan •Mivule Nimrod Balinda Clan •Sajjabi S. Sulaiman Abengo Clan •Wulira Abudalla Batego Clan •Kasinyire Peter Bamango Clan •Keni Bulasio Basobya Clan •Mbulakyalo Geresom Baumo Clan •Mugoya Samuel Bakoolia Clan •Ntawo Boniface Balomi Clan •Nakibbe Peter Bagoye Clan •Onyait Zerubaberi Bakatikoko-Izima Clan •Mujere Hamuzata Bakambe Clan •Okurut Nikanoli Balalaka-Abanyana Clan •Nabesya Jafali Banswenza Clan •Tudde Abuneri Bakinomo Clan •Napoma Christopher Bamesula Clan •Onepuru Amuza Bangokho Clan •Bonyo Talikula Stephen Bakaduka Clan •Mukidi Moses Banyulya Clan •Wakamba Samwiri Bakone Clan •Wampula Rovers Bakaligwoko-Bayesi Clan •Mudenya Sowali Baerya Clan •Kitebe Twaha Boluko Clan •Ochomo Michael Bakaligwoko-Baseta Clan •Kamiza Abudu Basuswa-Abampiti Clan •Yusufu Sadi Baisanga Clan •Kidimu Bruhan Batenga Clan •Igandi Ben Balemo Clan •Mbulakyalo Alozio Balabya Clan •Wenge Anthony Bayangu Clan

All clans of Bagwere are headed by a clan leader or the chief and one of the clan leaders is elected to be the "IKUMBANIA" and 86 Clans leaders of Bugwere subscribed to the Constitution of the "OBWA IKUMBAANIA BWA BUGWERE" of 14 November 2009 and elected the first chief cultural leader of the Bagwere His Higness KINTU SAMUKU BALAMU.

The Basimba Leopard Clan is one minority Clan among the Bagwere tribe which traces its ancestry roots to Buddu in Masaka, Busere, Ukala, Ukerewe District in Mwanza Region Northern Tanzania, Luapula Valley in Northern Zambia and Buluba in Congo.The Basimba among the Haya tribe in Bukoba Tanzania share the same ancestors with the Basimba Leopard Clan and Bashimba Leopard Clan in Luapula Valley in Northern Zambia and in Zimbabwe

Intermarriage among members of the same clan is prohibited, as is the custom in most Bantu cultures.[1]

Music

Their traditional music is called Namadu,a set of seven drums as one of the famous traditional musical instruments. The Bagwere are also identified with Tongoli, a five-stringed handheld instrument, modeled along a twenty one-string instrument,elsewhere in Africa known as the Kora. However, with the modernisation of the music industry, there are young upcoming artists in Bugwere who are manoeuvring to break through to the top like AREA *B* , Juliewex (kidumbulu) and waikere , who have really tried to bring up the bagwere on the music scene.

Education

The Bagwere are very proud of their heritage, especially as they are few in number but many are very well educated. Over fifty of them hold either PhD or Master's degrees,degrees and Diplomas from world-class reputable universities , other Universities and Institutions. Some notable Bagwere personalities over the years include:

  • Professor George Kirya, Chairman, Uganda Health Services Commission, former Vice Chancellor Makerere University and former High Commissioner to UK
  • William Mukama, the renowned teacher and politician
  • Jennifer Namuyangu, former State Minister for Water Resources (2006–2011) & former MP for Pallisa District Women's Representative (2001–2011)
  • Dr. Jeremiah Twatwa - Physician & politician, the elected Member of Parliament for "Iki-Iki County", Budaka District (2011–2016)
  • Nduga Ambrose Kagaire,[Budaka district,Kakule sub county],heavenly talented creative writer for poetry,screen plays and a professional micro finance specialist who has done vivid research and written on Islamic banking in his book THE BASICS IN ISLAMIC BANKING,a book recommended by Mr Omeke Micheal a senior micro finance lecturer at Kyambogo University.
  • Mzee Zerubabel Kengo|Renown Teacher
  • Dr. Asahel Namwoyo Tukei consultant ophthalmologist at ministry of health, Uganda. Currently consultant Regional ophthalmologist (Teso and Karamoja sub region), based at Soroti Regional Referral hospital
  • Katunku Edith Mary , (Budaka District, Nabaoa Sub-County)(Agriculturalist) the first Woman in Bugwere to graduate in Agriculture at Bukalasa (1967) & (Politician), the first Woman Resistance Council IV representative for Budaka at Tororo Resistance Council (1988-1989).
  • Wasugirya Fredrick Boaz, (Kibuku District,Kabweri Sub-County)(graduated at Makerere University Scientist 1974) (Politician) the elected (Resistance Council IV representative for Budaka at Tororo Resistance Council (1988-1989), [Chairman Local Council IV (Pallisa District) (2002–2007)( Resident District Commissioner Abim District) (2007-2012)

Economic activities

The main economic activity of the Bagwere is subsistence crop agriculture and animal husbandry. To a lesser extent, fishing, fish farming and bee keeping are increasingly practiced in Pallisa District.[2] The major crops include:

Cattle, goats, sheep, poultry, pigs, are some of the animals raised in the district. The district is further blessed with nine (9) minor lakes that comprise part of the Lake Kyoga system. The following are the nine lakes:

There are nine (9) stocked fish farms in the district. Fish farming offers a big potential to increase the supply of fish for the population and hence improve on the nutrition of the population. Fish species include:

See also

References

  1. ^ Intermarriage within Any Clan is Prohibited
  2. ^ Economic Activities in Pallisa District

Tanganyika Notes and Records - Issues 38-50 - Page 167 https://books.google.co.ug/books?id=rKsaAQAAMAAJ 1955 - Snippet view - More editions According to local tradition the original inhabitants were a clan called the Basimba who lived in the area of Busere on the south-east of the island, but it is not known what language they spoke and there are none of their descendants surviving ... Tanzania Notes and Records - Issues 42-45 - Page 54 https://books.google.co.ug/books?id=xxIOAQAAMAAJ 1956 - Snippet view - More editions According to local tradition the original inhabitants were a clan called the Basimba who lived in the area of Busere on the south-east of the island, but it is not known what language they spoke and there are none of their descendants surviving ...

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