The spirits of the Bachwezi people.

Who were the Bachwezi?

Members of the Ankole cultural group in Uganda, known as Bachwezi, were the founders of the ancient Empire of Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom. The Kitara Empire ruled over parts of Tanzania, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, and Malawi. The region of Africa that we know as the Great Lakes is sometimes referred to as the Chwezi Empire, Bachwezi/Chwezi, or the Empire of the Moon.

The Bachwezi are thought to have ruled the region in the past as the descendants of the Batembuzi dynasty. It seems that the Bachwezi dynasty was short-lived because this history only mentions three of its emperors. Consequently, little is known about them. The Bachwezi rulers of Ankole were the three Ndahura, Mulindwa, and Wamara. The first monarch of the Bachwezi people was named Ndahura.

According to history, the Chwezi dynasty ruled over what is now known as Bigo bya Mugyenyi in Uganda between 1000 and 15000 AD. The Bigo bya Mugyenyi cultural and archaeological site, which is located in western Uganda, is easily recognized by the massive curved rocks that surround it and the thatched hut with sharp-pointed spears at the entrance. Still today, a lot of people come here to offer prayers to the gods and converse with the ghosts of the Bachwezi people who live in the hut and around the stones.

As with other gods, one must be humble in order to pray to the gods here. For people who revere these gods, the Bachwezi caverns at the Bigo bya Mugyenyi archeological site are a place of devotion. Bachwezi Spirits provides baskets for visitors to deposit their monetary offerings to the gods, ensuring their protection as well as the safety of the shrines.

The gods’ appointed guardians will accompany you as you hike up to the caves, which are located on a hill. The road that winds through the eerily dark caves leads to the exit and a wildlife-rich area that is home to water bucks, bush bucks, duikers, and snakes. You will be told about the enchanted brook here, known as Kabeho, where traditional healers cleanse their patients.

Directly over the creek are a few thatched cottages, the oldest and largest of which is said to be quite old. Here, individuals come to worship the gods and make petitions. The hut is adorned with spears, hides, skins, thick bamboo pipes, beads, and variously shaped pottery items.

The large, empty kraal that originally housed the Bachwezi’s livestock is located beyond the home, suggesting that they were the primary cattle keepers. Because of this, some pilgrims travel to this spot with milk in order to present it to the gods within the hut in the form of calabashes. This site has a long-standing, well-maintained swimming pool that was formerly supposed to be the king’s quarters.

It is believed that this is where the monarchs’ power to rule over their subjects came from. The 37th ruler of the Bachwezi dynasty, Prince Mkungu Frank Nzhuzuure, claims to be the continuation of Wamala’s lineage and to be the bearer of her magical talents, known as Bachwezi Spirits.

When you visit this site, you’ll also observe an old, sturdy wall that was supposedly constructed to enclose the palace of the Chwezi rulers. After the Bachwezi rulers disappeared, it is said that the kings of Buganda, including Mwanga II, made their way to this palace for a visit.

The Bachwezi people are credited with inventing the long-horned Ankole cattle, iron smelting, coffee farming, and the first signs of a centralized, well-organized government led by a monarch. Nobody is certain of the whereabouts of the Bachwezi; some believe they were demi-gods that relocated and most likely disappeared in Lake Albert, while others claim they disappeared into the king’s lake, Lake Wamala. Reputable academics claim that the Bachwezi were assimilated by the local people and may have included Bachwezi spirits in addition to the Bahima, who live in Ankole, Uganda, and the Tutsi in Rwanda and Burundi.

Because of the Bachwezi’s mysterious deeds, different Bachwezi clans worshipped them, creating the illusion that they were demi-gods. They were succeeded by the Babiito Dynasty, which gave rise to the contemporary Bunyoro-Kitara monarchy, which has a long history of ruling over Uganda.