Why You Should Visit the Kasubi Royal Tombs : The Kingdom of the Ganda people is the largest of the traditional kingdoms making up Uganda, comprising all of Uganda’s central region, bordering Lake Victoria, and including the capital Kampala.
The Bantu-speaking people known as Baganda (or just Ganda) have been a powerful political force in the Uganda region since the 13th century CE. According to oral traditions, the first Kabaka (king) of the Baganda was Kintu Kato, who conquered the five main tribes in the area and united the Ganda people. With more than one Kabaka buried in the same place, the concentration of ancestral heritage at Kasubi has made the site an incredibly important Kabaka burial site in Buganda.
On your Kampala city tour we believe this ancestral home should be your number one start of visit for its well loved and respected by thousands of people and you will get to know the full history of the Buganda kingdom, for the word Uganda which is the name of this country the pearl of Africa comes from Buganda.
Situated on a hill within Kampala, the Kasubi Tombs site is an active religious place in the Buganda kingdom. As the burial ground for the previous four Kabaka’s, makes it a very important religious center for the royal family, a place where the Kabaka and his representatives frequently carry out important rituals related to Ganda culture.
The Kasubi tombs hill is divided into three main areas: the main tomb area located at the western end of the site, an area containing buildings and graveyards located behind the tombs, and a large area on the eastern side of the site used primarily for agricultural purposes.
The entrance to the site is a beautifully built gatehouse called Bujjabukula. According to Ganda tradition, the guards who control access to the site hide behind a see-through woven reed screen, to keep watch round the clock in order to control access. This gatehouse was constructed using wooden columns supporting a thatched roof, with walls made of woven reeds. The Bujjabukula leads to a small courtyard which contains a circular house in which the royal drums are kept, the Ndoga-Obukaba.
The Main Attractions At The Kasubi Royal Tombs
The Royal Tombs at Kasubi are defined by three core areas: Bujjabukula, the historic gatehouse at the entrance to the site; Olugya, the main courtyard; and Muzibu Azaala Mpanga, the former palace and current royal tomb which enshrines the last four Buganda kings. But still there is a lot more to the three major attractions.
The Kibira (sacred forest). Is a sacred area of the main structure where the spirits of the Kings are believed to dwell? The place can only be accessed by widows of the Kings, the Katikkiro and some members of the royal family. Not even the reigning Kabaka can go there. Four rooms are built close to the Kibira housing the four wives of the dead kings. Each dead Kabaka has a living wife. Their task is to look after the dead king. The wives are chosen from the clans of the departed Queens. From this forecourt, one enters the main courtyard (Olugya),
The main courtyard (Olugya): On entering the courtyard, visitors are immediately captured by the beauty of the thick thatched roof which extends all the way down to the ground. Entrance to the Muzibu-Azaala-Mpanga is through a low, wide arch flanked on both sides by richly woven reeds. The inside is partitioned using a huge bark cloth which secludes the “sacred forest” where the four royal graves lie
The Muzibu-Azaala-Mpanga: is circular in plan and has a dome-like shape. The main building that can be seen today was rebuilt in 1882 by Kabaka Muteesa I. The first palace originally built by Muteesa I’s father, Kabaka Sunna II in 1820 does not exist anymore. The inside of the house is adorned with power insignias such as drums, spears, shields, medals, and photographs of the Kabaka’s buried there. The floor is covered with a thick layer of lemon grass and palm leaves mats
Mujaguzo the King of Buganda’s Royal Drums: Mujaguzo is the collection that comprises Entenga, Entamivu, Namanyonyi, and Kawulugumu among other drums that were common in the palace. “Of course some of the drums were destroyed especially in the years when the kingdom had been abolished but the major ones still exist, Why You Should Visit the Kasubi Royal Tombs.
The thatching technique: at the Kasubi tombs is quite unique and can hardly be compared to another African or European thatching technique.
The grass is prepared in conical bundles which are simply laid onto the roof structure without being tied, except for the first layers at the bottom. When one of these bundles is rotten, it can simply be pulled out and replaced.
The thatching is carried out by the members of the Ngeye clan (colobus monkey clan), who are the only people allowed to do the work.
There are lots more things to discover and see while on your Kampala city tour to the royal tombs. Things like:
- The seven horned calabash
- The kings spear and shield
- The first cooking stone
- Back cloth making
- The kings stole etc.
Facts About The Kasubi Tombs In Uganda
The Kasubi tomb is Kampala’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the burial ceremonies of royal members of the family, several traditional ceremonies are held throughout the year. Among the ceremonies is one for the new moon’s arrival. Certain more spiritual ceremonies, such as consulting mediums, are conducted in secret (away from the presence of visitors). The shrine is frequently visited by traditional medicine women and men from all over Buganda seeking blessings from the Kings’ spirits for their work.
How To Get To The Royal Tombs
Kasubi Tombs are found in Kasubi Hill, Masiro Road Kampala and is between 20 and 25 minutes from the City Center. Private transport by Car Rental Companies can be organized although public means by motorbikes (locally known as Boda boda) or Matatus are available within the Taxi parks or Boda boda stages.
Kasubi Tombs Entrance Fees
As of 2022, the entrance fees into Kasubi Tombs are UGX 35,000 adults and kids pay only UGX 5000 and this money helps out in the maintenance of the place.
Therefore with a well trusted Uganda safari u can be able to have a lot of fun moments and educative times in Kasubi royal tombs.
