Mukasa, known as Mugasa in the Runyakitara/Rutara languages, is a member of the pantheon of gods or ''balubaale'' in

Baganda The Baganda (endonym: ''Baganda''; singular ''Muganda''), are a Bantu ethnic group native to Buganda, a subnational kingdom within Uganda. Traditionally composed of 52 clans (although since a 1993 survey, only 46 are officially recognised), th ...

traditional religion and is considered the god of

prosperity Prosperity is the flourishing, thriving, good fortune and successful social status. Prosperity often produces profuse wealth including other factors which can be profusely wealthy in all degrees, such as happiness and health. Competing notions ...

harvest Harvesting is the process of collecting plants, animals, or fish (as well as fungi) as food, especially the process of gathering mature crops, and "the harvest" also refers to the collected crops. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulses fo ...

fertility Fertility in colloquial terms refers the ability to have offspring. In demographic contexts, fertility refers to the actual production of offspring, rather than the physical capability to reproduce, which is termed fecundity. The fertility rate ...

, and

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. In several accounts, he is also associated with

divination Divination () is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic ritual or practice. Using various methods throughout history, diviners ascertain their interpretations of how a should proceed by reading signs, ...

and

prophecies In religion, mythology, and fiction, a prophecy is a message that has been communicated to a person (typically called a ''prophet'') by a supernatural entity. Prophecies are a feature of many cultures and belief systems and usually contain divi ...

. Mukasa was originally a

hero A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. The original hero type of classical epics did such thin ...

who ascended to become a deity. He is one of the highest ranked gods in the ''balubaale'', and in some sources, is known as its chief. Mukasa is also recognized as the guardian 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 ...

. His primary temple is located in Bubembe Island and is still present to this day.

Representation

Mukasa is depicted as a benevolent god or ''lubaale''. He is supposed to dwell in

lakes A lake is often a naturally occurring, relatively large and fixed body of water on or near the Earth's surface. It is localized in a basin or interconnected basins surrounded by dry land. Lakes lie completely on land and are separate from t ...

. According to Apollo Kaggwa's (1934) accounts of the Baganda people, Mukasa is one of the most important gods and is widely worshipped.

Family

Mukasa is the son of the god Wanema and is the grandson of Musisi, the personification of

earthquake An earthquakealso called a quake, tremor, or tembloris the shaking of the Earth's surface resulting from a sudden release of energy in the lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from those so weak they ...

. He has a brother, the god of war, Kibuka. He had three wives: Nalwaŋga, with whom he had two children (Lwaŋga and Musozi); Nadjemba, who also had two children (Buguŋgu and Kisituka) with him; and Naku, who bore three of his children (Kaumpuli, Nairuma, and Nanziri). His wives and children are also part of the ''balubaale''.

Myths

Ascension to godhood

When Mukasa was a boy, he suddenly disappeared. When people searched for him, they eventually found Mukasa sitting under a tree in an island far away from his home. Due to this odd occurrence, the people considered Mukasa as a superhuman being, and in his honor, built him a house. Mukasa lived there for a while, helping humans with issues regarding health and prosperity. It is said that Mukasa ate only the heart, liver, and blood of the animals. According to one source, the mortal Mukasa eventually died and became a god. Another source, however, said that Mukasa simply disappeared from earth.

References

{{Bantu African deities African gods African mythology Bantu deities Bantu religion Fertility deities Fertility gods Agricultural deities Agricultural gods Ugandan mythology