The Biharwe Eclipse Monument aka 1520AD Biharwe Eclipse Monument is a monument that was built in commemoration of the total eclipse of the sun which took place on April 17, 1520. [1] [2] [3] It is located in Biharwe town in Mbarara District, Uganda. [1] [2] [4] [3]
The monument was unveiled by the Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on 30 August 2014. [5] [6] [3] It is the only scientifically dated event in the early history of the Great Lakes Region. The eclipse is mentioned in the folktales of Bunyoro, Buganda, and Ankole; this helped historians to know the royal ancestors of those kingdoms. [2] [3] [7] [8]
On his way back to his kingdom in Bunyoro, when the eclipse occurred, the King of Bunyoro, Olimi I Rwitamahanga, was forced to abandon all his loot, which included cows, women, and slaves that he had looted from Rwanda during the reign of Umwami Ruganzu II Ndori. The loot that was left behind was inherited by Ntare I Nyabugarobwera, who was the king of Nkore at that time. The cows were named "Empenda ya Munoni" and "Enduga Mwiguru", which are translated as "cows from heaven". [9] [1] [2] [4] [7] [8] [10]
Some legends have it that because he could not go back to his kingdom empty handed, Olimi I Rwitamahanga (the king of Bunyoro) chose to invade Buganda kingdom under the reign of Ssekabaka Nakibinge. During the battle in Bulemezi, Ssekabaka Nakibinge and his commander Kibuuka were killed after Kibuuka's Munyoro concubine betrayed him. Nakibinge was succeeded by his son Mulondo. [2] [4] [7] [8]
The Biharwe monument was constructed with the help of a grant from UNDP that was given to Igongo Cultural Centre and Country hotel under the Business Enterprise Innovation Challenge in December 2019.
Joseph Sematimba, a creative director and lecturer of art and design at Makerere University in Kampala, designed the Biharwe Eclipse Monument. [2] [4] [7] [8]
The three pillars on the monument represent the three kings (Olimi, Ntare, and Nakibinge) who were affected directly by the Biharwe eclipse. The fourth pillar was not added, as this symbolised the instability amongst the kingdoms that is the cattle raids, famine, and tribal wars of that era. [2] [4] [7] [8]
The sphere represents the moon that is uniformly offset along a circular void on top to create a ring void that surrounds the base of the globe. The gap was designed to simulate the eclipse with its shadow on the ground as long as there is sunshine. The simulation is a transforming shadow that is cast at the base of the monument that keeps evolving from a crest shape shadow in the morning sunrise to a ring-shape shadow at mid-day and finally to a fading crest shadow at sunset. [2]
The pictorials include drums, shields, spears, and other symbols that represent aspects of different cultures such as community values, lifestyles, beliefs, and tools that were used for different purposes. They are derived from the patterns that were used on the traditional Hima huts.
Buganda is a Bantu kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Baganda people, Buganda is the largest of the traditional kingdoms in present-day East Africa, consisting of Uganda's Central Region, including the Ugandan capital Kampala. The 14 million Baganda make up the largest Ugandan region, representing approximately 16% of Uganda's population.
Sir Edward Frederick William David Walugembe Mutebi Luwangula Mutesa II was Kabaka, or king, of the Kingdom of Buganda in Uganda from 22 November 1939 until his death. He was the 35th Kabaka of Buganda and the first president of Uganda from 1962 to 1966, when he was overthrown by Milton Obote. The foreign press often referred to him as King Freddie, a name rarely used in Uganda. An ardent defender of Buganda's interests, especially its traditional autonomy, he often threatened to make the kingdom independent both before and after Uganda's independence to preserve it. These firm convictions also later led to conflicts with his erstwhile political ally Milton Obote, who would eventually overthrow him.
Bunyoro, also called Bunyoro-Kitara, is a traditional Bantu kingdom in Western Uganda. It was one of the most powerful kingdoms in Central and East Africa from the 13th century to the 19th century. It is ruled by the King (Omukama) of Bunyoro-Kitara. The current ruler is Solomon Iguru I, the 27th Omukama.
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Mbarara City is a city in the Western Region of Uganda and the second largest city in Uganda after Kampala. The city is divided into 6 boroughs of Kakoba Division, Kamukuzi Division, Nyamitanga Division, Biharwe Division, Kakiika Division, Nyakayojo Division. It is the main commercial centre of most of south western districts of Uganda and the site of the district headquarters. In May 2019, the Uganda's cabinet granted Mbarara a city status, which started on 1 July 2020.
Rukirabasaija Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, commonly known as King Oyo, is the reigning Omukama of Tooro, in Uganda. He was born on 16 April 1992 to King Patrick David Mathew Kaboyo Olimi III and Queen Best Kemigisa Kaboyo. Three and a half years later in 1995, Oyo ascended the throne and succeeded his father to become the 12th ruler of the 180-year-old Kingdom of Tooro.
The Anglican dioceses of Buganda are the Anglican presence in the Central Region, Uganda ; they are part of the Church of Uganda. The remaining dioceses of the Church are in the areas of Eastern Uganda, of Northern Uganda, of Ankole and Kigezi, and of Rwenzori.
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The Baganda also called Waganda, are a Bantu ethnic group native to Buganda, a subnational kingdom within Uganda. Traditionally composed of 52 clans, the Baganda are the largest people of the Bantu ethnic group in Uganda, comprising 16.5 percent of the population at the time of the 2014 census.
Buhweju District is a district in Western Uganda. It is one of the districts that constitute the Ankole sub-region. Its 'chief town', is Nsiika.
River Rwizi is a river located in South Western Uganda in district called Mbarara. River Rwizi is a river located in southwestern Uganda. It is the second-longest river in Uganda, after the Nile River. The river originates in the hills of Buhweju District and flows through the districts of Sheema, Bushenyi, Ntungamo, Rwampara, Mbarara, Isingiro, Kiruhura, Lyantonde, Rakai, and Kyotera. It eventually empties into Lake Victoria. Many swamps feed river Rwizi, including Nyakafumura, part of the Mushasha water basin, and Kanyabukanja wetland. These marshes function as water reservoirs or catchments, gently releasing water into the river to support the surrounding population.
Biharwe Division is one of the six administrative divisions that make up Mbarara Municipality of Western Uganda. The six divisions that make Mbarara Municipality include, Kamukuzi Division, Nyamitanga Division, Kakoba Division, Biharwe Division, Kakiika Division and Nyakayojo Division.
Karagwe Kingdom was a historical Bantu state in present-day Karagwe District of Kagera Region in northwestern Tanzania, between Rwanda and Lake Victoria. East Africa's influential Karagwe Kingdom was ruled by a hereditary monarchs whom were reputed to be Bachwezi descendants. By the end of the 20th century, it had thriving trade with traders from all parts of East Africa, especially slave trading Arabs. Bweranyange served as the Karagwe kingdom's capital.
Basil Kiiza Bataringaya was a prominent Ugandan politician in post-independence Uganda. He was the Leader of the Opposition at the beginning of the Apollo Milton Obote government, and then he changed parties and was appointed to the powerful role of Ugandan Minister of Internal Affairs. He was imprisoned, tortured, and was one of the first political prisoners to be executed by the Idi Amin regime.
The Anglican dioceses of Ankole and Kigezi are the Anglican presence in (roughly) the ancient Ankole kingdom and the old Kigezi District; they are part of the Church of Uganda. The remaining dioceses of the church are in the areas of Buganda, of Eastern Uganda, of Northern Uganda, and of Rwenzori.
Julia Kibubura was the first woman to take up a political leadership position as Gombolola (County) chief in Western Uganda. The locals addressed her as Omwami which is translated as Sir in English. She was appointed as a Gombolola chief by Harry St. George Galt who was a sub commissioner in charge of the western region in 1905. In honor of her memory, Kibubura Girls' Secondary school was named after her because she was an advocate for mass education, especially for girls. She was a former diviner of the King of Ankole.
