The monkey clan in Buganda

Abstract

The history of Buganda tells us that all the clans-found in Buganda started during the reign of Kabaka Kintu. Kabaka Kintu was the first Kabaka who had a settled administration of Buganda. Kabaka Kintu came from the north of Uganda; it is said that he was accompanied by a group of people. On their way down to Buganda they came across a place where there was no food. Some people say that it was a drought in that particular place. Kabaka Kintu, as the leader of that group of people, suggested that each and everyone should look for something to eat; some hunted animals, some caught insects and some brought different sorts of things. In addition to his suggestion, he said that they all should try to eat that particular thing each had brought; and if one vomited or felt unwell after eating that particular thing, then it would become one's totem and automatically, of course, one's clan. The suggestion was carried out; and it is now the known origin of the totems and clans of the Baganda.