BY ABIGABA DANIEL,
Bigo bya Mugenyi, located in Ssembabule District, is an
archaeological marvel that translates to “a stranger’s fort” in English.
This site holds a place of immense historical importance, being one of
the oldest and largest human settlements. It is believed to have been
the residence of the Bachwezi, a dynasty steeped in legend and
mystique due to their rumored supernatural abilities, allowing them to
vanish without a trace.
Bigo Bya Mugenyi is a late Iron Age site in Uganda, the capital of the
Kitara or Chwezi Dynasty, that occupied the land about 1000-1500
AD. The Chwezi/Bachwezi were believed to be demigods who
disappeared after their rule and believed to have occupied Bigo bya
Mugenyi and other parts of central and western Uganda between the
11thand 16thcenturies. It is found 16 km north of Ntusi and the
discoveries from there included pottery, clay kerbs, beads, and the
iron tools like a tagged arrowhead, a broken bracelet of oval shape, a
spear and a broken knife as well as grindstones. It covers about 4
square miles of an enclosed area.
The making of the sacrifices before the opening of the place for iron
ore mining, helped in bringing the people of the clan together that
promoted unity and cooperation and strengthening the family bonds
that still help people to live together in the communities and
maintaining the traditional activities. Some of these places being
connected to the Bachwezi legendary, they are still used as the active
shrines for the people from the surrounding communities that makes
them of great importance to them and hence the need for their
protection.
According to the Ankole tradition, Ntusi later became the capital of
the Chwezi Wamala who succeeded his father Ndahura who had
resided at Mubende hill. This therefore gives a cause for the
protection by the Banyankole as the former capital. Just as a hoe
signifies the agricultural prosperity of the people, or again as the
smiths’ hammer signifies strength and skill, so the iron spears has
signified power and commanded in an equal obvious way. This
therefore indicates that iron smith gave the kingdoms power and pride as
they were regarded as the source of strong weapons.