Ssese Islands: The wealthy store for Buganda traditions

TOURISM   CULTURE

In November 2018, a Ugandan going by the names of Bujwenge Bukulu Kasirye wrote to President Yoweri Museveni and Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi demanding that the Constitution recognises him and crown him king of Ssese islands.

In his letter, Kasirye claims that his kingdom of Ssese dates back to the time before the Buganda Kingdom was created.

In his claim, Kasirye said Buganda was part of the Ssese kingdom.

Bukuku appointed Kintu as an administrator of the mainland, Obuganda, a subordinate of the kingdom, and gave him the ruling stick (sceptre), locally called Omulamula or Damula.

To date, it is unclear whether the kingdom of Buganda ever responded to Kasirye's claims. What is clear, however, is that the 84 islands that are referred to as Ssese Islands are still part of the Buganda Kingdom under the administrative unit of Kalangala district.

Bugala, the largest of 84 islands of Ssese that make up Kalangala, is located approximately 60km across the water, southwest of Entebbe on Lake Victoria. The second-largest island in East Africa is where the Kalangala District headquarters are found.

Formerly Ssese district in earlier regimes, it later became Ssese sub-district under greater Masaka district. In 1989, it was renamed Kalangala district. Ssese derived its name from the famous Ssese tree which is believed to have supernatural powers and is worshipped by the natives of the area, the ‘Basese'.

Steven Ssendagire, the Omutaka (landlord) of Buswa village on Bugala Island, tells a different story from Kasirye. In his narrative, the Basese are now a small tribe of people nearing extinction, whose ancestors were a very powerful lot with supernatural powers. So powerful that the earlier kings of Buganda used to consult the kings of Ssese for powers to rule.

The kabaka would visit Luggo Forest found in Buswa and they would be given the Damula, which is the instrument of power.

When our reporter visited Ssese, bodaboda riders knew the forest better as Damula forest rather than by its original name. To date, the Damula is passed on from one Katikkiro to another in Buganda Kingdom.

During the interview, Ssendagire reveals that he is in the process of reviving the Bassese language by documenting it through interaction with those few remaining natives that can still speak it.

Kalangala Resident District Commissioner Caleb Tukaikiriza confirms to our reporter that indeed the natives that can speak the language are very few.

Tukaikiriza adds that the tribe is so close to extinction, mainly because of the migration of people from other parts of the country to the islands, but also because many of the natives migrated from the island after the onset of tsetse flies that caused an outbreak of sleeping sickness, killing many and displacing others in the early 1900s.

The famous Ssese tree is located in Mugoye village, approximately 18km from Kalangala Town also on Bugala Island. The island derives its name from the Ssemugala family who were the first inhabitants of the island, a native of the island and a member of the Ssemugala family told our reporter.

The islands, to date, are still strongly grounded in tradition. One famous belief still practised is the one of not allowing sheep or sheep products on the islands. It is believed that if anyone carried a sheep or any product of sheep on them, lightning would strike them or the area where the person is on the islands. The tradition stems from history.

Legend has it that Nakibinge, a king of Buganda during the fierce war between Buganda and Bunyoro kingdoms, came to Ssese and asked the then king of Ssese, Wanema for his son Kyobe Omubazi to fight for Buganda. Wanema at that time asked for a prince from Buganda as collateral for his son.

Nakibinge returned to Buganda and sent his servant Kalyesubula with one of the princes. As Wanema handed over Kyobe to Kalyesubula, he instructed that during the war, Kyobe should never be exposed to any woman and should never be allowed to interact or sleep with a woman.

 During the war, however, Kalyesubula was pleased in one of the battles where they captured several beautiful girls from Bunyoro. As a reward, Kalyesubula allowed one of the girls to sleep with Kyobe, who the Baganda had renamed Kibuuka Omumbale because he fought while flying.

After that night, the girl reportedly returned to her tribemates, to whom she revealed Kibuuka's fighting secret. It is said the Banyoro fighters used this revelation to capture Kibuuka who was killed as he landed in a tree in present-day Mpigi.

Upon receiving news of his son's death, Wanema cursed and lightning struck every existing sheep, on the islands. Since then, it is believed that all sheep, which was Kalyesubula's totem, are struck by lightning when they set foot on the islands.

Traditional religion is widely practised in the islands of Ssese. According to local sources, most traditional gods are from the islands of Ssese. The traditional name of Lake Victoria, Nalubaale, stems from the god (Lubaale).

Nagadya, the mother of Kibuuka Omumbale, who today is a famous god among traditionalist in Buganda, comes from Ssese as does his father Wanema, also the father of Mukasa, the god of the lakes, Musisi the god of earthquakes, and Wamala.

It is said that Wamala left Ssese for Seganda (Buganda) with a pot of water to fight. When he arrived in Mityana, he placed his pot down and it broke, spilling the water in it, and this formed Lake Wamala.

Hospitality

Prominent on Bugala is the Lutoboka Bay. The bay is host to eight of Kalangala's biggest hotels; Victoria Resort on the extreme end of the pier where the ship from Entebbe docks, Ssese Habitat Resort, Kalangala Pearl Resort, Ssese Islands Beach Hotel, Panorama Resort, Mirembe Resort and Brovad Beach Hotel. The beach is an open bay where visitors can walk from one end to another, a 30-minute beach walk that is a famous tourist activity.

The Speke Forts are another tourist attraction on Bugala. Also located in Lutoboka, the forts were built by famous explorer John Speke, who is most known for discovering the source of River Nile on Lake Victoria.

Another kilometre away from Kalangala in one direction is Mwena landing site which hosts fishing communities. Most visitors to the landing site are from Kasenyi landing site in Entebbe on the mainland, Bukasa, Mazinga and Bunyana islands.

Approximately 26km still in a different direction is Mulabana landing site which hosts visitors from Lambu in Masaka district and others from neighbouring Mazinga Island. 

The busiest site is Bugoma which receives visitors from Nyendo in Masaka. In Bugoma the MV Pearl and MV Ssese make six trips to and from Nyendo every day. A ferry ride is approximately 30-45 minutes, making it easy to make several trips, unlike the 3-hour Entebbe-Lutoboka trip.

Infrastructure

Kalangala District is lit using solar energy, managed by Kalangala Infrastructure Services. Many tourists are mesmerized by the sight of the hundreds of solar panels at Bukuzindu Hybrid Solar power Station on Bugala Island. The solar panels generate 1.6MW of electricity that is converted at Bukuzindu and distributed to the community through a prepaid system.

About Kalangala

Of the total 91,030sqkm of Kalangala, 468.3sqkm are land and 8,634.7sqkm are water.

Where to go

Nanziri falls on Bukasa, one of the 84 islands of Kalangala District, are believed to have mysterious powers. It is believed the falls, located in Bubeke, unlike all others do not draw their water from a river but rather from a stream powered by Nanziri herself.

From Mwena Landing Site, a boat ride takes tourists to Namirembe Landing Site on Bukasa. This is also where Wanema's shrine is located.

Cultural rituals are performed at the falls and a small distance away at the mesmerizing caves. 

It is said that Wanema, meaning the lame one, was originally called Ssemusulo. He is said to have been bitten by a dog on the leg which made him lame. His father Musisi was very angry with the dog and its owner Wamala.

This anger caused the shaking of the earth, (earthquakes). To escape his grandfather's wrath, Wamala moved to Buganda with his pot but when he arrived, the earthquake caused his pot to break, forming Lake Wamala.

Nsiirwe Island is famous for hundreds of varieties of birds which draw tourists from across the globe to come and watch.

The mesmerising ridges and caves are another fascinating site in Kalangala located on Bujaana Island.

All the islands of Ssese are famous for the immense forest cover. With 50% of the 468.3sqkm of land on the islands having forests. A big chunk of these forests has been taken over by Palm oil producers BIDCO who grow oil palms. A big population of Kalangala is also employed as out-growers of oil palm.

Agrotourism is very popular. Hundreds of tourists go on forest walks every day on the islands.

The hills and valleys of Mazinga Island are a breathtaking adventure. When one descends into a valley, they are surrounded by water on all sides, giving the feeling of being on a real island unlike most other places where water can only be seen on one side, depending on where one is standing.