Reading Challenge: Exploring the Early Histories of Southern Uganda’s Kingdoms скачать в хорошем качестве

Reading Challenge: Exploring the Early Histories of Southern Uganda’s Kingdoms

In this video, I introduce a new reading challenge for the channel: exploring the history of the kingdoms of southern Uganda and the wider Great Lakes region. My focus is on pre-colonial and early colonial history—an area I feel I know little about, but one that deeply shapes who we are today. The books I’ll be reading (and later reviewing) were mostly written in the 1960s and 1970s, close to independence, when many authors still had direct access to oral histories and people who lived through the late pre-colonial and early colonial eras. Here are the books featured in this video: Bunyoro • A History of Bunyoro-Kitara – A. R. Dunbar (1965) o Written by Archibald Ranulph Dunbar, a colonial officer, this book traces Bunyoro from its origins to independence. The early chapters are especially valuable for understanding pre-colonial Bunyoro. Ankole • The History of Ankole – H. F. Morris (1962) o Morris, a district officer fluent in Runyankore, relied heavily on oral traditions gathered from Ankole elders. • A History of the Kingdom of Nkore up to 1896 – Samwiri Rubaraza Karugire o A detailed and authoritative history by one of Uganda’s most respected historians. • History and Culture of the Kingdom of Ankole – Patrick G. N. Kirindi o Focuses on the cultural life and court traditions of the Ankole kings (Abagabe). • Mbarara Genesis: Early European Travellers in Ankole and the Founding of Mbarara by African, Asian and European Initiative – David Weekes (1973) o A fascinating account of Mbarara’s origins, drawing on local and colonial interactions. • Not All the King’s Men: Inequality as a Political Instrument in Ankole, Uganda – Martin R. Doornbos o Explores Ankole’s caste system and its political implications. Buganda • A History of Buganda: From the Foundation of the Kingdom to 1900 – Semakula Kiwanuka (1972) o A foundational text covering Buganda’s rise up to the pivotal 1900 Agreement. • Mwanga II: Resistance to the Imposition of British Colonial Rule in Buganda, 1884–1899 – Samwiri Lwanga Lunyiigo o Reassesses Kabaka Mwanga II’s legacy, portraying him not simply as a villain but as a ruler resisting colonial encroachment. Wider Uganda & Great Lakes • Beyond Ethnicity: A New Regional History of Buganda, 900–1930 – David L. Schoenbrun o An academic, interdisciplinary study combining archaeology, linguistics, and history to reconstruct early Ugandan societies. • A History of Kigezi in South-West Uganda – edited by D. Denoon (1972) o Emerged from a 1970 Kabale conference blending oral traditions with historical research; includes 21 chapters by different contributors. • Kigezi and Its People – Paul Ngologoza (1968 English edition) o An elder’s perspective on Kigezi’s history, based on his earlier work in Rukiga. • The Karagwe Kingdom: A History of the Banyambo of North-West Tanzania o While about Tanzania, it links closely to Ankole and Bunyoro as part of the wider Kitara world. • Conflict and Collaboration in the Kingdoms of Western Uganda o Examines how different kingdoms responded to the onset of colonial rule—who resisted, who collaborated, and why. • Antecedents to Modern Rwanda: The Nyiginya Kingdom – Jan Vansina o A classic study of Rwanda’s pre-colonial history, included here because of the deep historical ties between Rwanda and southwestern Uganda. ________________________________________ 🌍 Why this challenge? This reading journey is about grounding my content in solid research. I’ll be reviewing these books as I go, tying their insights into broader discussions about migration, culture, and the historical roots of contemporary Uganda and the Great Lakes region. 👉 Have a recommendation for another book on Uganda’s pre-colonial or early colonial history? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to expand this collection. Thanks for watching, and stay tuned for the first reviews!