Basimba People
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The Basimba (alternatively BaShimba, Musimba, or MuShimba) are a Bantu-speaking community in
Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...
. The name ''Basimba'' ( Swahili for ''big lion'') is a label of shared identity that predates the 13th century. ''Basimba'' has been alternatively associated with the people or their place of origin. The early
Ovambo people The Ovambo people (), also called Aawambo, Ambo, Aawambo (Ndonga, Nghandjera, Kwambi, Kwaluudhi, Kolonghadhi, Mbalantu, mbadja), or Ovawambo (Kwanyama), are a Bantu peoples, Bantu ethnic group native to Southern Africa, primarily modern Namibia. ...
applied the name to the whole group of the leopard totem clan, known as ''Bena Ngo'' in
Zambia Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa. It is typically referred to being in South-Central Africa or Southern Africa. It is bor ...
and A''be Ngo'' in
Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...
.


Relations to Buganda

Before the creation of the Kingdom of Buganda, the area was initially known as ''Muwaawa''. With the support of 13 clans, including the Basimba/Leopard (Ngo) clan, Kato Kintu established the Kingdom of Buganda in the 14th century. He became the nation's first kabaka, the official title of the king of
Buganda Buganda is a Bantu peoples, Bantu kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Baganda, Baganda people, Buganda is the largest of the List of current non-sovereign African monarchs, traditional kingdoms in present-day East Africa, consisting of Ug ...
. The Leopard (Ngo) clan has historically experienced high levels of persecution due to their notable role in the cult of
Kintu Kintu is a mythological figure who appears in a creation myth of the people of Buganda, Uganda. According to this legend, Kintu was the List of first men or women in mythology and religion, first person on earth, and the first Muganda. ''Kintu'' ...
. Under the rule of King Kateregga of Buganda, 400 members of the clan were executed 1674-1680 in the current Butambala District, prompting survivors to conceal their cultural identity. Similar clan-based violence has been recorded during the rule of Kabaka Jjunju of Buganda as well.


Royal links

The Basimba are considered a ''ruling clan'' alongside other royal clans that migrated from the
Kingdom of Luba The Luba Empire or Kingdom of Luba was a pre-colonial Central African state that arose in the marshy grasslands of the Upemba Depression in what is now southern Democratic Republic of Congo. Origins and foundation Archaeological research shows ...
to the Luapula Valley in
Northern Rhodesia Northern Rhodesia was a British protectorate in Southern Africa, now the independent country of Zambia. It was formed in 1911 by Amalgamation (politics), amalgamating the two earlier protectorates of Barotziland-North-Western Rhodesia and North ...
. Multiple kingship groups are recognized within the Basimba including the Leopard (Ngo) clan. The Basimba kingship group was often persecuted due to its royal links. Among the many Leopard clan branches, one was eligible for the throne. Reigning kings of Buganda would capture this group and execute most of its men to reduce the risk of being overthrown. After the death of Kabaka Nakibinge of Buganda, his wife Nannono of the Leopard (Ngo) clan presided as Kabaka for eighteen months between 1554 and 1556 AD. After this event, the name Nabulya was introduced into the Leopard (Ngo) clan to remind other clans in Buganda that a woman from the Leopard totem clan once had power in Buganda Kingdom. "Nabuyla" means ‘I ate it,’ insinuating that the clan once took royal power.


Migration

Although there are few historical records regarding the Basimba (Big Lion) people, they should be discussed due to their close historical connection with the BaShimba, who all belong to the Leopard (Ngo) clan. Most Basimba people claim their origins lie in the Congo, among the Luba people of the
Kingdom of Luba The Luba Empire or Kingdom of Luba was a pre-colonial Central African state that arose in the marshy grasslands of the Upemba Depression in what is now southern Democratic Republic of Congo. Origins and foundation Archaeological research shows ...
. Little is known about these immigrants, but traces of their history are found in the legend of the Tabwa ancestor. Kyomba, a legendary ancestor of the Tabwa, lived on the eastern shores of
Lake Tanganyika Lake Tanganyika ( ; ) is an African Great Lakes, African Great Lake. It is the world's List of lakes by volume, second-largest freshwater lake by volume and the List of lakes by depth, second deepest, in both cases after Lake Baikal in Siberia. ...
. Faced with
Hamitic Hamites is the name formerly used for some North Africa, Northern and Horn of Africa peoples in the context of a Scientific racism, now-outdated model of dividing humanity into different races; this was developed originally by Europeans in suppo ...
pressures in the north and other people from the south, Kyomba and his companions crossed Lake Tanganyika, migrating to the western shores of the lake after a conspiracy mounted and hatched against him reached the shores of
Lake Kivu Lake Kivu is one of the African Great Lakes. It lies on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and is in the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift. Lake Kivu empties into the Ruzizi River, which ...
. Then they crossed the Ruzizi and arrived in
Maniema Maniema Province (''Jimbo la Maniema'', in Swahili) is one of 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its capital is Kindu. The 2020 population was estimated to be 2,856,300. Toponymy Henry Morton Stanley explored the area ...
on the banks of river Lualaba in the second half of the 16th century. Fanger, son of Kyomba, and his companions continued their migration up the river while others went elsewhere. The name Tumanya means “those that have followed the route by water,’’ and Bena Kilunga means “those who followed the path on land in their migration.” The Bena Kilunga group migrated to the eastern banks of the
Lualaba River The Lualaba River (, , ) flows entirely within the eastern part of Democratic Republic of the Congo. It provides the greatest streamflow to the Congo River, while the River source, source of the Congo is recognized as the Chambeshi River, Chambeshi ...
and Lukunga River together with Buanza, Mumba, and the Basimba people. The Tumanya group migrated to Ankori, or the Nkole people, and eastwards, following the Luvua (Lualaba), while their companions followed the Lualaba River to back the lagoons in Upemba Depression. It was around the 17th century when the gradual arrival of people in the mountains from the plains of Lualaba Kamalondo was named the "Kundelungu" Mountains. Finally, Tanga and his father Kyomba migrated further across the Luapula at the current location of the position of Kasenga and settled in southern Tanganyika, where they were joined by members of the Zimba Clan, avoiding quarrels with Movwe who migrated to the Marungu highlands. The Basimba or BaShimba immigrants seem to have come in
ethnic group An ethnicity or ethnic group is a group of people with shared attributes, which they collectively believe to have, and long-term endogamy. Ethnicities share attributes like language, culture, common sets of ancestry, traditions, society, re ...
s under the leadership of Mambwe, Mauwe, Katunku, Ngulya, Mwati, Kaabya, Ntembe, Namuyonjo, Kabolesa, Kitembwa, and Kooli, among others. When these people reached Luapula Valley in the current
Luapula Province Luapula Province is one of Zambia's ten Provinces of Zambia, provinces located in the northern part of the country. Luapula Province is named after the Luapula River and its capital is Mansa, Zambia, Mansa. As per the 2022 Zambian census, the ...
in Zambia, Mwanza Region, Northern Tanzania, and Butambala in Uganda, they decided to settle, and the leader became the family or clan head. As the Basimba or BaShimba settlement grew the original leader, after several generations, became a
mythical Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...
figure to his descendants. Basimba or BaShimba people are recognized to be
indigenous peoples There is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous peoples, although in the 21st century the focus has been on self-identification, cultural difference from other groups in a state, a special relationship with their traditional territ ...
because they were the first comers among the immigrants in Zambia or
Northern Rhodesia Northern Rhodesia was a British protectorate in Southern Africa, now the independent country of Zambia. It was formed in 1911 by Amalgamation (politics), amalgamating the two earlier protectorates of Barotziland-North-Western Rhodesia and North ...
by then and in Tanzania. According to local tradition, the original inhabitants were a clan called the Basimba who lived in the area of Busere on Ukara Island, in the southeast corner of
Lake Victoria Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. With a surface area of approximately , Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake by area, the world's largest tropics, tropical lake, and the world's second-largest fresh water lake by surface are ...
, but it is not known what language they spoke, and there are none of their descendants surviving. Tradition makes no mention of fighting between the Basimba immigrants and the people whom they found in Uhaya in Tanzania and at Butambala in Uganda. The Bashimba of the Leopard clan) successfully resisted Nkuba in Northern Rhodesia (Zambia).


Original homeland

The original homeland of the Basimba or BaShimba people, or their ancestry, is shrouded in myths and legends. They seem to have lost contact with their original ancestors in Congo among the Luba people, leading a cluster of Basimba (Big Lion) people to migrate north from Mweru-Luapula to Mwanza Region, eventually erecting
human settlement In geography, statistics and archaeology, a settlement, locality or populated place is a community of people living in a particular location, place. The complexity of a settlement can range from a minuscule number of Dwelling, dwellings gro ...
s among the Haya people in Tanzania, then at: * Butambala District in central Uganda, Buddu in Masaka District, *Ntakaiwolu in
Busoga Busoga (Soga language, Lusoga: Obwakyabazinga bwa Busoga) is a kingdom and one of four constitutional monarchies in present-day Uganda. The kingdom is a cultural institution which promotes popular participation and unity among the people of the ...
, *Mpogo in Sironko District, * Butaleja District and *Lupada, Naboa, * Budaka District, *among the Gwere people, in eastern Uganda. Other Bashimba people settled in Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) which was part of
Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...
.


Culture

The Basimba practice
ritual A ritual is a repeated, structured sequence of actions or behaviors that alters the internal or external state of an individual, group, or environment, regardless of conscious understanding, emotional context, or symbolic meaning. Traditionally ...
s and
ceremonies A ceremony (, ) is a unified ritualistic event with a purpose, usually consisting of a number of artistic components, performed on a special occasion. The word may be of Etruscan origin, via the Latin . Religious and civil (secular) ceremoni ...
of the Chishimba spirit similar to the Loa or Kongo Loa culture practiced by the Basimba people of Haiti, who were sold into slavery in Haiti from Congo. The Basimba (Big Lion) people in Uganda maintain the Basimba Spiritual Stone, which represents the Chishimba spirit and is related to the institution of kingship. Its absence constitutes the absence of political power. According to
traditional African religions The beliefs and practices of Demographics of Africa, African people are highly diverse, and include various ethnic religions.Encyclopedia of African Religion (Sage, 2009) Molefi Kete Asante Generally, these traditions are oral tradition, oral rath ...
, the Chishimba spirit is synonymous with kingship and similar to the Kintu cult practiced by the leopard (Ngo) Clan people in
Buganda Buganda is a Bantu peoples, Bantu kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Baganda, Baganda people, Buganda is the largest of the List of current non-sovereign African monarchs, traditional kingdoms in present-day East Africa, consisting of Ug ...
. The Chishimba is kept in a specially prepared basket called the basket of the nation or land. It is wrapped in bark cloth and kept in a specifically prepared shrine ( or ) dedicated to the spirit. Basimba people worked with the Bunyoro-Kitara kingdom's priest in charge of the sacred pool of Muntebere. Each year, the Bunyoro king sent a young slave woman, two cows, and a white sheep to the priest. The slave woman was given as a wife to one of the Abasimba clan who was a servant of the priest.


Traditional Beliefs

According to the Basimba tradition, an
afterlife The afterlife or life after death is a purported existence in which the essential part of an individual's Stream of consciousness (psychology), stream of consciousness or Personal identity, identity continues to exist after the death of their ...
does take place in another world in another form of existence. The Basimba attitude towards dead ancestors is like their attitude towards living parents and grandparents. A ritual to contact dead ancestors is practiced by the Basimba people. It is similar to Haitian Vodou art, related to Loa, a
Haitian Vodou Haitian Vodou () is an African diasporic religions, African diasporic religion that developed in Haiti between the 16th and 19th centuries. It arose through a process of syncretism between several traditional religions of West Africa, West and ...
religion practiced by the Basimba people of
Haiti Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and south of the Bahamas. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican ...
, an island that was proclaimed an independent republic in 1804 and often lasts all night.


The ''abasimba'' dance

The A''basimba'' dance of the Basimba people is a hunting dance performed by the Wajita or Jita people of Ukerewe Island. Their clan names of Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia are named after their lineal ancestors.


Beliefs

Today, between 40% and 50% of the Basimba people are Christians and 50% are
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
. Besides that, traditional beliefs are very widespread among them. The most important features are ancestor worship (the term is called inappropriate by some authors) and totemism. The Basimba of
Kisangani Kisangani (), formerly Stanleyville (), is the capital of Tshopo, Tshopo Province, located on the Congo River in the eastern part of the central Congo Basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the country's fifth-most populous urban a ...
, who martyred Dr. Paul Carison of the Christ Church during the
Congo Crisis The Congo Crisis () was a period of Crisis, political upheaval and war, conflict between 1960 and 1965 in the Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville), Republic of the Congo (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo). The crisis began almost ...
of 1964–1965, participated in the Simba Rebellion, which was later defeated.


Totems

Basimba totems (M''uziro'') have been in use among the Basimba people since the initial development of their culture. Totems identify the different clans among the Basimba people that historically made up the dynasties of their ancient civilization. Seven different totems have been identified among the Basimba (Big Lion) people in
Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...
, Congo,
Zambia Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa. It is typically referred to being in South-Central Africa or Southern Africa. It is bor ...
, and
Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...
, such as the Basimba among the Haya Tribe in
Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...
. People of the same clan use a common set of totems usually animals or birds. Examples of animal totems include Ngo/mbwili (
Leopard The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant cat species in the genus ''Panthera''. It has a pale yellowish to dark golden fur with dark spots grouped in rosettes. Its body is slender and muscular reaching a length of with a ...
),
Leopard Cat The leopard cat (''Prionailurus bengalensis'') is a Felinae, small wild cat native to continental South Asia, South, Southeast Asia, Southeast, and East Asia. Since 2002 it has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List as it is widely di ...
, Genet Cat, which in the
Lega language Lega is a Bantu language, or dialect cluster, of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There are two major varieties, Shabunda Lega, Mwenga Lega. Mwenga Lega, with about 10% of speakers, finds Shabunda difficult to understand. Variant spellin ...
is known as Musimba and also known as Kasimba in the Luganda language and known as Zimba in the Luba language, Nshimba in the Bemba language, Lion (Mpologoma), Mbwa (Dog), Kikere (Frog) and Nkoko (
Rooster The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated subspecies of the red junglefowl (''Gallus gallus''), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is now one of the most common and w ...
). People of the same totem are the descendants of one common
ancestor An ancestor, also known as a forefather, fore-elder, or a forebear, is a parent or ( recursively) the parent of an antecedent (i.e., a grandparent, great-grandparent, great-great-grandparent and so forth). ''Ancestor'' is "any person from ...
(the founder of that totem) and thus are not allowed to marry or have an intimate relationship. The totems cross-regional groupings and, therefore, provide a wall for the development of
ethnic groups An ethnicity or ethnic group is a group of people with shared attributes, which they collectively believe to have, and long-term endogamy. Ethnicities share attributes like language, culture, common sets of ancestry, traditions, society, rel ...
among the Basimba. Basimba chiefs are required to be able to recite the history of their totem group, right from the initial founder before they can be sworn in as chiefs.


Orphans

The totem system is a severe problem for many
orphan An orphan is a child whose parents have died, are unknown, or have permanently abandoned them. It can also refer to a child who has lost only one parent, as the Hebrew language, Hebrew translation, for example, is "fatherless". In some languages ...
s, especially for Basimba or BaShimba women married to members of other clans. The Basimba people are afraid of being punished by ghosts if they violate rules connected with the unknown totem of a foundling. Therefore, it is difficult to find adoptive parents for such children. If the foundlings grow up, they have problems getting married and, on their deaths, are not buried in the Basimba ancestral grounds.


Burials

Identification by totem has important ramifications in traditional ceremonies such as the Basimba burial ceremony. A person with a different totem cannot initiate the burial of the deceased. Only a person of the same totem, even when coming from a different tribe, can initiate the burial of the deceased. For example, a Muganda of the Ngo (Leopard) totem can initiate the burial of a Musimba of the Leopard totem and that is perfectly acceptable in Basimba tradition. However, a Musimba of a different totem cannot perform the ritual functions required to initiate the burial of the deceased. If a person initiates the burial of a person of a different totem, he runs the risk of being asked to pay a fine to the family of the deceased. Such fines were traditionally paid with cattle or goats, but nowadays substantial amounts of money can be asked for. If they bury their dead family members, they will come back at some point to cleanse the stone of the burial.


Basimba clan groups

The Basimba people consider themselves subjects of the Chishimba, the Basimba's single paramount Chief. They live in villages of 50 to 100 people and numbered 100,000 in 2016. There are seven Basimba (Big Lion) people. Clan groups named after animals: # The
Leopard The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant cat species in the genus ''Panthera''. It has a pale yellowish to dark golden fur with dark spots grouped in rosettes. Its body is slender and muscular reaching a length of with a ...
, (Ngo)
clan A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, a clan may claim descent from a founding member or apical ancestor who serves as a symbol of the clan's unity. Many societie ...
# The
Leopard Cat The leopard cat (''Prionailurus bengalensis'') is a Felinae, small wild cat native to continental South Asia, South, Southeast Asia, Southeast, and East Asia. Since 2002 it has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List as it is widely di ...
clan # The Genet Cat (Kasimba) clan # The Lion, (Mpologoma) clan # The Frog clan # The Dog clan # The
Rooster The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated subspecies of the red junglefowl (''Gallus gallus''), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is now one of the most common and w ...
clan Some of the Basimba people migrated northwards from Luapula Valley after the disintegration of the Shila states, and others remained in Northern Rhodesia, currently known as the BaShimba or Abeena Ngo (Leopard) totem clan. The BaShimba Leopard totem clan is a ruling clan among the Lungu and Bemba.


Geographic distribution

The Basimba people exist in
Zambia Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa. It is typically referred to being in South-Central Africa or Southern Africa. It is bor ...
, formerly known as Northern Rhodesia,
Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...
,
Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...
, Haiti, the
DR Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...
, and
Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...
. The word "Basimba" or "BaShimba" has several meanings. It may designate people of Basimba origin regardless of where they live, e.g., whether they live in urban areas or in the original rural Basimba areas of Mpogo, Sironko, Lupada, Naboa in Budaka District or Butambala District, Mooni, Mbale District in
Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...
, Luapula Valley in Zambia or Northern Rhodesia and
Kagera Region Kagera Region (''Mkoa wa Kagera'' in Swahili language, Swahili) is one of Tanzania's 31 Regions of Tanzania, administrative regions. The region covers an area of . The region is comparable in size to the land area of the Netherlands. Kagera Reg ...
among the Haya tribe in Bugorora Ward or County of Missenyi District in
Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...
. The original language of the Basimba people is unknown. The BaShimba people living in Zambia's Northern Province, among the Lungu and Bemba tribes, speak the language that is most closely related to the
Bantu languages The Bantu languages (English: , Proto-Bantu language, Proto-Bantu: *bantʊ̀), or Ntu languages are a language family of about 600 languages of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern, East Africa, Eastern and Southeast Africa, South ...
, the Lungu and
ChiBemba Bemba (natively known as ''Chibemba, Ichibemba'' and ''Chiwemba''), is a Bantu language spoken primarily in north-eastern Zambia by the Bemba people. History Bemba is spoken in rural and urban areas of the region, and is one of Zambia's sev ...
(in Zambia and the DRC), Haya (in Tanzania), and
Luganda Ganda or Luganda ( ; ) is a Bantu language spoken in the African Great Lakes region. It is one of the major languages in Uganda and is spoken by more than 5.56 million Ganda people, Baganda and other people principally in central Uganda, includ ...
of the Baganda and Lugwere of the Gwere people (in Uganda). In Uganda, Luganda is spoken in the central and eastern parts of the country and has become the most widely spoken language in the Country, although not always as a first language.


Genealogy

The history or
genealogy Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kin ...
of the Basimba (Big Lion) people has given rise to numerous debates among historians as to whether the Basimba people of the Leopard (Ngo) Clan in Uganda came with
Kabaka Kabaka is the title of the king of the Kingdom of Buganda.Stanley, H.M., 1899, Through the Dark Continent, London: G. Newnes, According to the traditions of the Baganda, they are ruled by two kings, one spiritual and the other secular. The s ...
and Kato Kintu in the 14th century or migrated either directly from the Congo or the Luapula valley to Uganda. Some historians,
anthropologist An anthropologist is a scientist engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropologists study aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms, values ...
s, and sociologists, including David William Cohen
Ian George Cunnison
Hans Cory, Mwelwa Chambika Musambachine, Gideon Were, Stephen Kyeyune, Tausir Niane, Mary Douglas, M. Hartnoll, Dr. Schinz, and Fisher A. B., among others, have written books about Basimba people but have not stated the names of the Basimba
ancestors An ancestor, also known as a forefather, fore-elder, or a forebear, is a parent or ( recursively) the parent of an antecedent (i.e., a grandparent, great-grandparent, great-great-grandparent and so forth). ''Ancestor'' is "any person from w ...
who left the Luba people in Congo and migrated to places like Zambia, Zimbabwe,
Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...
, and
Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...
. Some historians who have written histories of Africa use imprecise narrative documents to make estimates, which must be treated with caution. Societies such as the
Anthropological Society of London The Anthropological Society of London (ASL) was a short-lived organisation of the 1860s whose founders aimed to furnish scientific evidence for white supremacy which they construed in terms of polygenism. It was founded in 1863 by Richard Francis ...
and the Ethnological Society of London have also not yet published physical or cultural aspects of the Basimba people, due to the pronunciation of the name Basimba as
Vazimba The Vazimba (Malagasy ), according to popular belief, were the first inhabitants of Madagascar. While beliefs about the physical appearance of the Vazimba reflect regional variation, they are generally described as smaller in stature than the aver ...
who migrated from
East Africa East Africa, also known as Eastern Africa or the East of Africa, is a region at the eastern edge of the Africa, African continent, distinguished by its unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape. Defined in varying scopes, the regi ...
and settled in
Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...
. The Vazimba are kinsmen of the Ba-Simba.


References


External links


List of the kings of Buganda

› Africa › Zambia (Lusaka) › North-western
{Dead link, date=October 2019 , bot=InternetArchiveBot , fix-attempted=yes
''Tabwa'', Encyclopedia Britannica

University of Iowa article
Bantu peoples History of Africa