Muhumusa

Last updated
Muhumusa and woman. Muhumusa (weiss).jpg
Muhumusa and woman.

Muhumusa (also spelled Muhumuza, Muhumsa, and Nyiragahumusa) [1] was a leader of the east African Nyabingi spiritual practice, which was influential in Rwanda and Uganda from 1850 to 1950. [1] Muhumusa is said to have been a medium of the spirit of a legendary African woman, known as Nyabinghi (also spelled Nyabingi [2] and Nyabyinshi [3] ).

Contents

According to some Rwandan sources, her original name was Muserakande, [2] and she was married to and had a son named Biregeya with Kigeri Rwabugiri, [4] the King of Rwanda from 1867 to 1895. [5] Following Rwabugiri's death in 1895 and the coup at Rucunshu in 1896, which was orchestrated by Rwabugiri's favourite wife, Kanjogera, to overthrow his chosen successor, Rutarindwa, and enthrone her son, Musinga, Muserakande allegedly fled north to Mpororo with her son to escape massacre. [6] Other sources, however, claim Muhumusa was originally named Nyakayoga and had been married to Rutarindwa prior to his death. [2]

Spiritual Leadership

Regardless of the specifics of her affiliation with the Rwandan court, soon after arriving in Mpororo, Muserakande became known as a popular umugirwa, or medium of Nyabinghi. [2] Oral traditions from the region recognise many possible origins for Nyabingi. The most prominent legends at present attributes Nyabinghi's origins to Kitami, an 18th century Queen of Mpororo kingdom (in modern-day southern Uganda / northern Rwanda), whose murder by her husband, Murari, was followed by a series of natural disasters and other catastrophic events. [7] After her death, any atrocities that happened were considered to be due to Nyabinghi's revenge, while any good things that happened were attributed to her positive interference which she exercised through mediums who had been possessed by her spirit. [8] These possessions led to the emergence of a new religious practice that European colonisers at the time widely referenced as a cult. Adherents provided gifts to Nyabinghi mediums, known collectively as abagirwa, who then spoke with (and for) Nyabinghi to convince the spirit to intervene positively in people's lives.

Colonial resistance

Muhumusa at the time of her capture by the British Muhumusa.jpg
Muhumusa at the time of her capture by the British

By claiming spiritual authority through Nyabinghi, Muhumusa was able to rally the Abakiga people of northern Rwanda behind her to challenge to Musinga's claim to the throne. [9] Over the next few years, she raised armies and organised a series of insurrections aimed at enthroning her son, Biregeya, who she claimed was Rwabugiri's legitimate successor. [4] She also encouraged her followers to pay tribute to her, rather than Musinga's court. [2] In response, Musinga asked the German colonisers for help defeating Muhumusa's movement. [10] The Germans arrested her in 1908 for 'witchcraft' and imprisoned her in Bukoba until her escape in 1911. [10] Once again, she fled north where she began rallying her supporters, but this time in defiance of the German and British colonisers who were laying claim to the region, in collaboration with an umutwa leader named Basebya. They were behind the first armed resistances against colonisation in the region, with Muhumusa encouraging their followers not to fear European guns because Nyabinghi would turn the Europeans' bullets into water. [11] Muhumusa's rebellion created a great deal of concern among the European colonisers in the region, and well as the European missionaries who were attempting to spread Christianity, [2] prompting the Germans and British to join forces. On September 29, 1911, they surrounded Muhumusa's forces and, after a short battle, arrested her. [10] The British escorted her to Kampala, where they kept her under house arrest until her death in 1945. [12]

Related Research Articles

Human occupation of Rwanda is thought to have begun shortly after the last ice age. By the 11th century, the inhabitants had organized into a number of kingdoms. In the 19th century, Mwami (king) Rwabugiri of the Kingdom of Rwanda conducted a decades-long process of military conquest and administrative consolidation that resulted in the kingdom coming to control most of what is now Rwanda. The colonial powers, Germany and Belgium, allied with the Rwandan court.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yoweri Museveni</span> President of Uganda since 1986

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Tibuhaburwa is a Ugandan politician, military officer and revolutionary who has been the ninth President of Uganda since 1986. His government is considered autocratic. After Museveni lost the election of 1980, he started the Ugandan Bush War which led to the removal of Milton Obote.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alice Auma</span> Ugandan Acholi spirit-medium and revolutionary

Alice Auma was an Acholi spirit-medium who, as the head of the Holy Spirit Movement (HSM), led a millennial rebellion against the Ugandan government forces of President Yoweri Museveni from August 1986 until November 1987. The primary spirit she purportedly channelled was that of a dead army officer called "Lakwena", meaning messenger, which the Acholi believe to be a manifestation of the Christian Holy Spirit. The combined persona of Alice Auma channelling the spirit Lakwena is often referred to as "Alice Lakwena". Auma's HSM was ultimately defeated in November 1987 by Ugandan forces led by Yoweri Museveni.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mansions of Rastafari</span>

Mansions of Rastafari is an umbrella term for the various groups of the Rastafari movement. Such groups include the Bobo Ashanti, the Niyabinghi, the Twelve Tribes of Israel, and several smaller groups, including African Unity, Covenant Rastafari, Messianic Dreads, SeeGold Empire, and the Selassian Church. The term is taken from the Biblical verse in John 14:2, "In my Father's house are many mansions."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingdom of Rwanda</span> Bantu state in southeast Africa from c. 15th century to 1961

The Kingdom of Rwanda was a Bantu kingdom in the modern-day Republic of Rwanda, which grew to be ruled by a Tutsi monarchy. It was one of the oldest and the most centralized kingdoms in the Central and East Africa region. It was later annexed under German and Belgian colonial rule while retaining some of its autonomy. The Tutsi monarchy was abolished in 1961 after ethnic violence erupted between the Hutu and the Tutsi during the Rwandan Revolution which started in 1959. After a 1961 referendum, Rwanda became a Hutu-dominated republic and received its independence from Belgium in 1962.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yuhi V Musinga</span> Mwami of Rwanda

Yuhi Musinga was a king of Rwanda who came to power in 1896 and collaborated with the German government to strengthen his own kingship. In 1931 he was deposed by the Belgian administration because of his inability to work with subordinate chiefs and his refusal to be baptized a Roman Catholic. His eldest son, Mutara III Rwanda, succeeded him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kigeli IV Rwabugiri</span> Mwami of Rwanda

Kigeli IV Rwabugiri was the king (mwami) of the Kingdom of Rwanda in the mid-nineteenth century. He was among the last Nyiginya kings in a ruling dynasty that had traced their lineage back four centuries to Gihanga, the first 'historical' king of Rwanda whose exploits are celebrated in oral chronicles. He was a Tutsi with the birth name Sezisoni Rwabugiri. He was the first king in Rwanda's history to come into contact with Europeans. He established an army equipped with guns he obtained from Germans and prohibited most foreigners, especially Arabs, from entering his kingdom.

Kiga people, or Abakiga, are a Bantu ethnic group native to south western Uganda and northern Rwanda.

The Hororo or Bahororo are a Bantu speaking ethnicity who live mainly in the north of the former Kigezi District of south-western Uganda. In 1905, they were described by a British officer as a "quiet, inoffensive people" who owned cattle. They are made up mostly of the Hima ethnic group and the Iru ethnic group. They reside mainly in Rujumbura in south-western Uganda and are related to the Banyankole, Banyoro, Batooro, Songora and Tutsi peoples respectively. Rujumbura was ruled by the BeeneKirenzi sub-clan with Omukama Karegyesa as their last king. The Bahororo speak a dialect of Nkore-Kiga, Ruhororo. They are subdivided into clans that are similar to those of the kingdom of Ankole. Unlike Ankole, which was ruled by the Hinda clan, Mpororo was led by the Bashambo clan.

Mibambwe IV Rutarindwa was Mwami of Rwanda between November 1895 and December 1896, having been made co-ruler by his father Kigeli IV Rwabugiri in 1889. Rutarindwa is sometime transcribed Rutalindwa.

The Banyarwanda (Kinyarwanda: Abanyarwanda, Umunyarwanda are a Bantu ethnolinguistic supraethnicity that comprises the dominant ethnic groups of Rwanda, namely the Hutu, Tutsi and Twa among others. The Banyarwanda are also minorities in neighboring Burundi, DR Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya.

Major General James Kazini (1957–2009) was a Ugandan army officer who served as commander of the Uganda People's Defense Force from 2001 to 2003.

KCB Bank Uganda Limited, also KCB Bank Uganda, is a commercial bank in Uganda. It is licensed by the Bank of Uganda, the central bank and national banking regulator.

Godfrey Mwene Kalimugogo was a novelist and diplomat from Uganda. He also served as a diplomat, representing Uganda in Tanzania and Ethiopia. He retired from the diplomatic service in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rwandan Revolution</span> 1959–61 period of ethnic violence in Rwanda

The Rwandan Revolution, also known as the Hutu Revolution, Social Revolution, or Wind of Destruction, was a period of ethnic violence in Rwanda from 1959 to 1961 between the Hutu and the Tutsi, two of the three ethnic groups in Rwanda. The revolution saw the country transition from a Tutsi monarchy under Belgian colonial authority to an independent Hutu-dominated republic.

Katuna is a town in the Kabale District of Uganda at the border with Rwanda. The town is also called "Gatuna" in the Kinyarwanda language.

Nyabinghi, also Nyahbinghi, Niyabinghi, Niyahbinghi, is the gathering of Rastafari people to celebrate and commemorate key dates significant to Rastafari throughout the year. It is essentially an opportunity for the Rastafari to congregate and engage in praise and worship. For example, on July 23 of each year, a Nyabinghi is held to celebrate the birth of Emperor Haille Selassie I. During a Nyabinghi celebration men and women have different roles and expectations. Men are expected to remove any hair coverings, whilst women must keep their hair covered. A group of men typically organise themselves in a line or semi-circle and are assigned to beat the drums throughout. The remaining congregation continue to sing well known songs or 'chants', some of which are Hebraic scriptural verses that evidence the divinity of Haile Sellassie. For example, 'I have a little light in I and I'm going to make it shine, Rastafariiii, shine' and 'Holy Mount Zion is a holy place and no sinners can enter there, so let the words of my mouth and the mediation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, of Rastafari'. Nyabinghi is a Rastafari tradition that promotes Rastafari unity, strengthens the Rastafari spirit with fellowship and raises the consciousness and presence of Rastafafari in the heart of those in attendance. At some points passages of the bible are read. Rastafari recognise the significance of Jesus Christ, due to Haile Sellassie I fulfilling the teachings and prophecy of scripture.

Nyabinghi or Nyabingi is a legendary woman in the culture of Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania, where religions or 'possession cults' formed around her.

Patricia OjangoleBCom, MBA, MPhil, PhD, FACCA, is a Ugandan accountant and bank executive. She is the chief executive officer of Uganda Development Bank, Uganda's only national development finance institution.

Events in the year 2021 in Uganda.

References

  1. 1 2 Freedman, Jim (1984). Nyabingi: The Social History of an African Deity. Tervuren: Musee Royal de l'Afrique Centrale.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Des Forges, Alison (2011). Defeat is the only bad news: Rwanda under Musinga, 1896–1931. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 103, 120–121. ISBN   978-0-299-28144-1.
  3. ↑ Anonymous (2007). "Nyabyinshi: The warrior virgin princess, her journey". The New Times. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  4. 1 2 Vansina, Jan (2004). Antecedents to Modern Rwanda: The Nyiginya Kingdom. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 137–138. ISBN   0-299-20120-1.
  5. ↑ Newbury, Catharine (1978). "Ethnicity in Rwanda: The Case of Kinyaga". Africa: Journal of the International African Institute. 48 (1): 18. doi:10.2307/1158708. JSTOR   1158708. S2CID   145171247.
  6. ↑ Rutayisire, Paul (2016). 'Rwanda Under German and Belgian Colonization' in History of Rwanda. Kigali: National Unity and Reconciliation Commission. p. 219. ISBN   978-99977-709-6-7.
  7. ↑ "Mpororo Court / Kitami Palace". Igongo Cultural Centre. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  8. ↑ Reh, Mechthild (1995). Gender and Identity in Africa. LIT Verlag Münster. ISBN   9783825821999.
  9. ↑ Mwambutsya, Ndebesa (2018). "Cited in 'Queen Muhumuza: Fighting Colonialism in East Africa'". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 Bessell, M.J. (1938). "Nyabingi". Uganda Journal. VI:2: 73–86.
  11. ↑ Murindwa-Rutanga (2011). Politics, Religion and Power in the Great Lakes Region. Kampala: Fountain Publisher. p. 169. ISBN   978-2869784925.
  12. ↑ Sheldon, Kathleen (2005). Historical Dictionary of Women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Lanham: Scarecrow Press. p. 160. ISBN   0-8108-5331-0.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.