ETHNIC GROUPS IN EAST AFRICA

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TRIBAL GROUPS;(ETHNIC GROUPS)

ETHNIC GROUPS IN EAST AFRICA

  • An ethnic group is a large group of people who share a common origin and almost speak the same language.
  • A tribe is a group of people with the same beliefs, cultures origin and speak the same language.

MAJOR ETHNIC GROUPS OF EAST AFRICA.

i) Bantu

 ii) Nilotics  

iii) Cushites (Hamites)

BANTU

  • Bantu is the largest groupof people in East Africa and occupy the largest part of the region.
  • They speak related languages, characterised by the word NTU. When talking about a person.
  • They are believed to have entered East Africa around 1000A.D and originated from Cameroon highlands through the Congo basin to East Africa.
  • Their mainocccupation is farming.

EXAMPLES OFBANTU IN EAST AFRICA

UGANDAKENYATANZANIA
Bagisu BanyoroAbagusii KikuyuNyamwezi Yao
Bagisu BanyankoleAkamba EmbuChagga  Hehe
Batoro BakigaAmeru PokomoGogo Makonde
Basoga BambaMbere MyikendaSukuma Ngoni
Basamia BanyoleLuhyaZaramo Pogoro
BasamiaMijikendaWakuru, Bahaya
Baruli Bagwere Washamba

NOTE;

  • The Bushmen were original inhabitants of East Africa.

Questions;

  1. What is an ethnic group?
  2. What was the original homeland of the NTU people?
  3. Mention four Bantu groups in each of the following.
  4. Uganda    
  5. Kenya  
  6. Tanzania.
  7. What was the main occupation carriedout by the Bantu?

MIGRATION AND SETTLEMENT OF BANTU.

  • Review of the definitionthe migration and types.
  • The Bantu groups were given different names depending on their entry and settlements.

WESTERN   BANTU / INTERLACUSTRINE BANTU.

  • They entered East Africa through north western Tanzania and settled in North and central Tanzania.
  • They include Baziba, Sukuma, Nyamwenzi, and Bahaya. Later some   of them moved to central Tanzania moved east wards to the coast.
  • However those who entered Uganda between Lake Edward and L.Albert like the Baganda, Basoga, Banyoro, etc.areinclusive.

EASTERN/ COASTAL;

These moved into central East Africa through the South Estern direction of Tanzania

Around highland areas and around the coast of E. Africa.

Kenda, washamba, Taveta, chagga, Meru, Kikuyu, Taita, Akamba, Pare, Gogo, Zigua, Embu and Zaramo.

SOUTERN BANTU.AND CENTRAL BANTU

  • They entered East Africa through Southern Tanzania that is why the area sometimes called the central Bantu.
  • They include Ngoni, Fipa, Yao, Makwa, Makonde, and Hehe.
  • The Ngoni were the last Bantu group to enter East Africa.
  • They came in the 19th century because of the Bantu inter-tribal wars that had taken place in SouthAfrica as they had been defeated by Shaka Zulu.

CAUSES OF THE  BANTU MIGRATION IN EAST AFRICA.

  • Prolonged droughts in their craddlelands.
  • Shortage   of land due to population increase.
  • Internal  and external conflicts
  • Famine  outbreak
  • Outbreak of epidemics
  • Love for adventure
  • Search for fertile lands.

PROBLEMS FACED DURING MIGRATION OF THE BANTU TO EAST AFRICA.

  • Shortageofland
  • Harsh climate during movement
  • Impassible physical features.
  • Fatigue (walking  longdistances)
  • Language barrier.
  • Impassable routes
  •  Poor transport network.

EFFECTS/RESULTS OF THE BANTU MIGRATION

  • Displacement of the original inhabitants
  • New skills such as iron smeltingFormation  of  newcultures
  • There were political, social and political changes.
  • Kingdoms and chiefdoms were formed.
  • Settled farming was introduced.
  • Intermarriages leading to the formation of new tribes and cultures.
  • The population decreased in their cradle lands and increased in the new areas.

MAP SHOWING BANTU MOVEMENT AND SETTLEMENT.

ETHNIC GROUPS IN EAST AFRICA

NILOTICS.(NILOTES).

  • This is the second largest ethnic tribe in East Africa.
  • They  categorised into three  major groups ie;
  • River-lake Nilotics. 
  • Plain Nillotics (Nilo-hamites)
  • Highland Nilotes.
  • They are Nilotics because they had their origin along the Nile valley at Bahr-el-Ghazel   in south Sudan.
  • Most Nilotics were pastorolists and used to move from one place to the other with their cattle.

THE RIVER-LAKE NILOTES;

  • They are also called luo-speakers.
  • They include Acholi, Alur, Langi, Japadhola and Jaluo.
  • These people are related to the Madhi, Dinka, Shiluk, Nuer and Anwale of south Sudan.
  • The original cradle land oftheriver-lake Nilotics was Bahr-el-Ghazel in south Sudan.
  • They first settled at Pubungu currently known asPakwach and later split into different groups due to conflicts of their leaders Gipir and Labongo.
  • They were called River – Lake Nilotes because they settled near lakes and rivers.

THE HIGH LAND NILOTES;

  • They were originally pastoralists. Who  included  ieNandi,Kipsigis,Tugen,Keigo,Dadong,Marakwet,

Teribong,Okweit,Bongmek,Pokot,and the Sabiny.

  • The Sabiny are found in kenya and Uganda,the Dodong in Tanzania.These people mainly settled along  the highland areas are believed to have migrated(originated)from the south 

THE PLAIN NILOTICS (NILO HAMITES);

  • They are believed to have originated from Ethiopia and settled on theplain areas of East Africa.
  • They include Masai, Samburu, Jie, Karamojong, itesots and Turkana.
  • They major cause of migration was search   for water and pasture for their animals.
  • Their main economic activity was Nomadic Pastoralism.

NOTE.

  •  Some of the Itesoand the Masai have changed to crop cultivation because of fertile land, good climate and Population increase.
  • They becoming mixed farmers.

REASONS FOR MIGRATION OF THE NITOLICS

  • Search for pasture and water for their animals
  • Overpopulation
  • External and internal conflicts
  • Famine and drought

EFFECTS OF THEIR MIGRATION

  • Led to the collapse of the Chwezi denasty
  • Introduced short horned cattle
  • Led to inter marriages ad hence new tribes
  • Introduced chiefdoms

Why did the Nilotics adopt mixed farming after entering East Africa?

State the problems faced by ethnic groups during migration.

CUSHITES

Cushites are also known as the Hamites.

  • It’s believed that they migrated from Asia and settled in theHorne of Africa where we find countries like Somalia, Djibouti, and Eritrea, later entered East Africa.
  • Their main occupation was cattle keeping.
  • Today the Cushites mostly lived in the semi-arid landsof cental Tanzania as hunters and fruits gatherers.
  • In Kenya, the Southern Cushites are represented by the kinje and Dahalo.
  • The last group of the Eastern Cushites includes Galla, Somali, Boran and Rendille.
  • In Uganda, they are represented by the Bahima and also keep long horned cattle.
  • In Rwanda and Burundi, there the Tutsi and Hutu.

REASONS WHY CATTLE IS REARED BY THE CUSHITES;

  • For meat
  • For  Milk
  • For Ghee production
  •  For payment of  dowry
  • To provide them with skins.

Questions.

  1. Mention any four results of early migrations into East Africa.
  2. How are the Masai similar to the Bahima in terms of economic activities?
  3. State any two problems which face the pastoral tribes of East Africa.
  4. Give any two values of cattle topastoral tribes of East Africa.
  5. State two reasons why the Nilotics migrated into East Africa.
  6. Give any one negative cultural practice of the Sabiny people.

POLITICAL ORGANISATION OF EAST AFR ICAN PRE-COLONIAL SOCIETIES.

  • Pre-colonial societies were the societies whichexisted before the coming of the Europeans colonialsts.
  • These societies developed different ways of political orgaisations.
  • In  East  Africa,political  organisations  was  mainly categorised into two;
  • Centralised societies (kingdoms)
  • Decentralisedsocieties (Non-centralied)

THE INTERLACUSTRINE KINGDOMS

The word interlacustrine means between lakes.

Interlacustrine kingdoms were the kingdoms formed between the great lakes of East Africa .

These lakes include:

  • Lake Victoria
  • Lake Albert
  • Lake Edward
  • Lake George
  • Lake Kyoga
  • Lake Kivu

Bynyoro Kitra empire was a legendary empire because there was no emperor who ruled over it.

It is sometimes called Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom because it was the first in the interlacustrine region.

When it broke up, separate Kingdoms e.g

  • Buganda
  • Munyoro
  • Ankole
  • Karagwe
  • Wanga
  • Rwand and Urundi

Bunyoro Kitara was ruled under different dynasties ie.:

  • Tembuzi
  • Chwezi
  • Luo Biito

CENTRALISED SOCIETIES

  • These societies had well identified rulers to   whom the political powers were given by therest of   the community.
  • The word “centralised” means political powers were centered on recognised rulers.

Examples of centralised states were;

1. Buganda   

2. Toro

3. Bunyoro

4.Busoga   

5.Nyamwenzi

6.Wanga in Kenya

A table showing societies and titles given to their political heads

SOCIETIESPOLITICAL  HEAD
BugandaKabaka
NyamwenziNtemi
ToroOmukama
AnkoleOmugabe
BusogaKyabazinga
WangaNabong
BunyoroOmukama

ADVANTAGES OF KINGDOMS

  • Promote unity
  • Promote culture and morales
  • Promote peace
  • Prevent power struggle since leaders are hereditary

DISADVANTAGES OF KINGDOMS

Promote dictatorship

Promote regional development instead of national development

Promote tribalism

CHARACTERISTICS OF CENTRALISED;

  • They had   one ruler /king given different tittles at the time.
  • They had royal regalia.
  • Kings could come topower through hereditary.
  • Kings had full authority over the people (sujects) and their property.
  • Kings were related to people through chiefs.
  • They had well established cultural instituions
  • Kings expanded by raiding other   neighbouring kingoms.
  • The burial places or kings were reffered to as royal tombs

A  MAP SHOWING   KINGDOMS OF EAST AFRICA. (Ref.MK   standard SST Bk 6 pg.83).

THE   TEMBUZI DYNASTY IN UGANDA;

  • This was the empire to exist in the interlacustrine region of East Africa.
  • The word interlacustrine means the region of the great lakes ie around L.kyoga, Victoria, and Albert, Tanganyika.
  • This region was extending from Uganda, Tanzania, Western Kenya, DRC, Rwanda and Burundi.
  • Bunyoro Kitara Empire is believed to have been founded by the Tembuzi
  • These were the fore parents of the chwezi people.
  • The word Ruhanga in this case meant God

Tehhierachy of TEmbuzi dynasty

Ruhanga (founder of he TEmbuzi dynasty)

Nkya

Kakama Twale

Baba

Mukonko

Ngonzaki

Isaza

  • Tembuzi dynasty contained the Tembuzi people who are believed to be semi-gods, just because they could perform miracles, they could appear and disappear according to legends.
  • The  story  of the Tembuzi people is believed  to be a myth  and this type of history  is referred  of the Tembuzi people is believed  to be a myth  and this type of history  is referred to as Mythology.
  • The Tembuzi Empire existed for four regimes and their last King was Isaza.
  • When Isaza was locked under ground  by  Namiyonga,the Tembuzi  people  disappeared  and  went  back  to heaven
  • The Bachwezi  became the rulers of the  interacustrine region  and  they  were  founded  by Ndahura,their first King and the grandson   of  the  Isaza.
  • The last ruler of the chwezi was king Wamala.

CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE BACHWEZI IN THE LAKE REGION;

  • These  are caterised  into social,economic  and  political  contributionns;

SOCIAL-ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS;

  • They introduced long horned cattle.
  • They introduced salt mining at L.Katwe.
  • They started coffee cultivation.
  • They introduced the idea of barkcloth making.
  • They introduced pottery and local games.
  • They   introduced the building of grass thacthed houses.

POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS.

  • They   brought the system of the centralised monarchy.
  • They introducedn the heirachy of  officials in the palace
  • They introduced the idea of building reed palaces (fortified Court yard).
  • The Chwezi people left behind their regalia which included Royal stools .These were found at Bigobyamugeyi, Kibengo, Kagogo, Kasonko and Ntusi.
  • Iron working strengthened   the Chwezi empire by making stronger weapons and tools for cultivation.

THE COLLAPSE OF THE CHWEZI EMPIRE.

The chwezi empire which had grown very strong and wide in the region, time came reached its down fall.

FACTORS THAT LED TO THE COLLAPSE OF THE CHWEZI EMPIRE

  • Out break of epidemics like small pox.
  • Prolonged drought.
  • Death of their beloved cow Bihogo.
  • The empire became difficult to be ruled easily as it expanded.
  • The invasion by the Luo made the final collapse of the empire.

THE KINGDOM OF THE BUNYORO;

  • At the beggining of the 16th century, the Luo migrated from the present day south Sudan to Uganda.They entered Bunyoro Kingdom and adopted the new dynasty reffered to as Bito dynasty.
  • The founder of the Bito dynasty was Isingoma Rukidi Mpuga, son of Kyomya and he was a twin brother of Kato Kimera.
  • A separate Bito dynasty was established in Toro in the 19th century by prince Kaboyo and covered   much of modern Buganda, Toro and Ankole.
  • Kamurasi was one of the kings of this kingdom and he was the father of the greatest King of Bunyoro called Omukama Kabalega.

POLITICAL ORGANISATION OF BUNYORO KINGDOM.

  • The political organisation of Bunyoro ensured order and administration from the highest to the lowest organ.
  • The title given to the king was Omukama.He appointed his primeminister and chiefs to ensure administration to all thelocal areas.
  • Cattlekeeping andrustling was their majo r occupation including salt mining.
  • They exchanged salt, potatoes, wines, and iron tools for banana and bark cloth Buganda using barter trade systems.
  • Bunyoro weakened due to a number of factors e.g
  • Internal local conflicts
  • Expansion  of the kingdom
  • Internal conflicts.
  • The growth and expansion of Buganda kingdom.

ECONOMIC ORGANISATION

  • The Banyoro were mainly pastoralists but Biito BAiru were crop farmers
  • They also participated in long distance trade exchanging Ivory wit beads  guns and cloth

NOTE. do test and other papers

Questions.

1. State   the factor which finally led to the collapse o the Chwezi Empire.

2. Where were the headquaters of the Bachwezi?

3. How the size of the Bachwezi   contribute to its collapse

4. What name is given to the strong warriors of    Bunyoro?