The Toro-Batoro of Uganda | Kingdom & Culture

Who are the Tooro people?
The Tooro(singular: Mutooro, plural: Batooro, Language: kitooro are an inter-lacustrine Bantu-speaking people who occupy the region between Lakes Albert and Edward and bordered on the west by mountain Rwenzori in southwestern Uganda. They constitute about 3% of Uganda’s population.
The Batooro were a result after the Bunyoro kitara kingdom split in the past. The Batooro and Bunyoro speak closely related languages, Lutooro and Lunyoro, and share many other cultural traits. The Batooro live in the Western region of Uganda in the south of Lake Albert. They make up a total of 3.2% of the population in Uganda.

Origin
Tooro Kingdom was part of the large Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom, under the reign of the Babiito dynasty, which dates back to the 16th century.
It is said that Prince Olimi Kaboyo Kansunsunkwanzi , the son of the Nking of Bunyoro Kitara kingdom conquered the southern province of the Kingdom and declared himself king of the present Tooro kingdom. The people warmly welcomed him and accepted him as king (Rukirabasaija Omukama Kaboyo) The new kingdom survived the first, tumultuous years of its infancy, and grew to enjoy overflow a century of goodwill, peace and prosperity.
Today, Tooro is ruled by Omukama Rukirabasaija Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, referred to as King Oyo. He ascended the throne in 1995 after the death of his father He was only three years old at the time, making him the youngest ruling monarch at the time. He was also the twelfth ruler of Tooro kingdom. Three regents were appointed to rule until he reached adulthood: his mother, aunt and therefore the President of Uganda.

The Tooro palace sits at the top of a hill in Fort portal town. It was constructed by Omukama Rukidi 11 in 1963.He is King Oyo’s grandfather and is buried alongside his father and son at Karambi tombs. The palace crumbled after the abolition of kingdoms in 1966.

After the death of his father King Kaboyo in 1995, Oyo Nyimba the Crown Prince had to assume the role of King during his toddler years. A week after the burial of the late king, rituals to hand over power to Oyo started. These included a mock battle at the palace entrance fought between enemy forces of a “rebel” prince and therefore the royal army, and a test of Oyo’s divine right to the throne, during which the Omusuga, head of the royal clan, called on the gods to strike Oyo dead if he wasn’t of royal blood. After he passed the test, he was permitted to sound the Nyalebe, a sacred drum as a ritual. He was then blessed the blood of a slaughtered bull and a white hen.

The new King was crowned amidst a happy crowd and he entered the palace. He was served millet dough as his first meal as king after which he swore allegiance to the crown.

Regency
since the king was too young to make decisions, three regents were chosen to rule on his behalf. These were: Queen Best his mother, his godmother Princess Bagaaya Elizabeth and President Museveni of Uganda.
The late Colonel Muamar Gaddafi, the leader of Libya, was a patron of the Kingdom of Tooro with close ties to the royal family. He even made donations to the kingdom and refurnished the royal palace.

Political organization
The Batooro had a centralized system of governance. At the head of the Kingdom was a king known as Omukama, they had a hereditary system of succession and they had to be from the Babiito dynasty which was ruling Bunyoro. The Omukama was assisted by a hierarchy of chiefs and a standing army. However, in times of war, all able bodied men would be called upon to serve in defending the Kingdom.
The county of Mwenge was of particular importance to the dominion . It contained a faculty of political education when Toro was still a part of Bunyoro. When Toro broke faraway from Bunyoro, Mwenge maintained its function. The sons of Kings and chiefs were sent to Mwenge to learn the art and the language of government. It is said that there have been also special tutors for the king’s daughters. When the King’s wives were close to give birth, they might be sent to Mwenge. Rebellious princes were also sent to a school in mwenge and it is perhaps because of the political and social importance of Mwenge that no war rose in Mwenge.

Pet names/Empako
The Batooro have a unique tradition of giving their children pet names/ Empako. They hold much more importance than being just pet names. They are given to every child at birth and the names are given based on the child’s characters. There are a total of 12 Empakos each holding a unique meaning. Examples include:
• Araali – meaning lightning.
• Abwooli – meaning a cat
• Apuuli – meaning puppy
• Akiiki – meaning the grandfather /mother of many nations

• others included Atwooki, Atenyi, Abooki, Amooti and Ocali which is only used for the King.

 Empako is claimed to possess originated from the traditional military ranks of the royal clan. it’s an unusual tradition in most Bantu tribes. Today it’s given to every Mutoro. Some use an equivalent empako for his or her whole family – even integrated it into the surname, but it’s mostly given on a private basis. Strangers are often assigned an Empako, once they come to Tooro Kingdom if they so wish.

Marriage
Marriage was considered a crucial aspect within the culture of the Batooro. Any man in society wouldn’t be considered complete until he got married. Formerly, marriage would be arranged by the oldsters of both the boy and girl without their knowledge and consent. However, while preparing for the wedding , the consent of the girl was always sought.
The marriage ceremony usually happened with the assistance of a middleman who was socially recognized and revered from the groom’s side. He was referred to as Kibonabuko. He investigations about the character of the girl, her family background and her determination towards work.  After the research was complete, the kibonabuko would proceed with the marriage negotiations on behalf of the groom’s family.

 The dowry given for the girl was normally within the sort of cows. All or a part of the bride wealth when due, would be received during a giveaway ceremony referred to as Okujuka. it had been considered a really important ceremony that involved tons of eating, drinking and merry making. Thereafter, the young man’s family could send backcloth and a few skins for the bride’s dress that might formalize the marriage preparations
Religion
The Batooro previously believed during a super natural being called Ruhanga. He was believed to possess created the world and every one things in it. He was a God who was all righteous and all-knowing and he could never harm his people. The Batooro however had a belief that there have been evil people during this world too.
They believed that Ruhanga had his agents on earth who worked on his behalf. Shrines were put in situ for worship and therefore the praise usually happened through the beating of drums(entimba) and trumphets.
In the recent times however after colonial rule, new religions like Islam and Christianity were introduced. a couple of the people converted and worship places were put in situ . The old traditions of worshiping Ruhanga are abandoned by many Batooros who took on Islam and Christianity.
Economy
The Batooro have a economy of both pastoralism and agriculture. the lads within the community had the most responsibility of grazing the cattle. Cows would offer milk, beef, ghee, and bark cloth that was used for clothing.
The women administered agriculture where they planted millet, sorghum, bananas and vegetables that might be used as food.
The Batooro also administered welding where they might weld spears, hoes, knives, arrows and more. Pottery was also an activity administered by them. Barter trade was administered within and out of doors the community where the people would exchange goods amongst themselves.
The Batooro women also administered weaving of baskets which provided a spread of things like bags, harvesting baskets, winnowing trays amongst others which they might use for household and subsistence purposes. the lads constructed houses, cleared bushes also as hunting. The meat got from hunting would be used for consumption or sold.