CHAPTER VII
SOCIAL LIFE OF THE BAGANDA
A traveller among the Baganda tribe may soon learn that the people are divided into groups or clans, each of which regards some animal as its particular badge or emblem. An arrangement of this kind is not peculiar to the Baganda, or even to African natives. Indians of North America, Australian natives, and most tribes of the South Sea Islands have a similar grouping of the members in clans or “totems,” each having a plant or animal which is treated with great respect.
There are a great many rules that members of the clan have to observe. For instance, among the natives of the “Leopard” clan no one may eat meat which has been torn, so that any animal killed or injured by a wild beast must be sold to some other clan. The “Leopards” were extremely important people, because from them the king and members of the royal family were chosen. In addition to the “Leopards,” there are people who call themselves “Lions,” “Otters,” “Elephants,” and even “Grasshoppers” and “Mushrooms.” Usually there is a story or tradition which is supposed to account for the beginning of this strange arrangement. People of the “Lion” clan say that soon after King Kintu came to his throne, many, many years ago, he went out to hunt a lion and an eagle. When the lion skin was dressed, King Kintu stood upon it and announced to his people that, in future, the lion was to be their sacred emblem, and although peoples of other clans might hunt the creature, members of the “Lion” group were never to take the life of their sacred animal. Three animals, the lion, leopard, and eagle, are all regarded as the special property of kings, who alone are permitted to use the skins.
The Baganda are a very warlike people, who have constantly increased their territory at the expense of neighbours, with whom they have at all times been ready to quarrel. At times the king would lead his army in person, or again the task might be given to generals, who were always elaborately dressed in skins of animals. No mercy was shown to a defeated people, who were, of course, despoiled of everything worth possessing, and a great deal of the booty was claimed by the king of the victorious people. Mr. Roscoe says: “After the spoil had been divided, the general gave the order to the chiefs to disband their men and let them go home. The important chiefs accompanied the general to the capital to report to the king before they were allowed to visit their homes; but if there had been a reverse, they, too, went to their country residences for some ten days before visiting the king. People lined the roads to welcome the army; women ran to meet their husbands with gourds of water, took from them their weapons, and were proud to carry these as they marched along the crowded roads. Warriors dashed at imaginary foes, drums were beaten, fifes were played, and songs of victory were sung.”
In times of peace the Baganda amuse themselves by relating interesting stories, a few of which are given in the following pages.
