SAMPLES OF WORKS DONE AND THEIR PERIODS STARTING FROM THE 80'S

Samples of works done and their periods STARTING from 1984 - 1994.

LAST HOPE

                                                     

  Oil on Canvas.183x121cm.1984 [Acquired]

Currently in Britain

Painted as [Major work] at the end of my third year undergraduate course.

Belief in the existence of a supernatural being called God; is part and parcel of  humanity’s  quest for its origins, destiny in the life after here; and ability to distinguish between right and wrong. The belief also addresses paradoxes of questions like: who am’ I? Who made me? Where did I come from? where am ‘I? And what will next happen to me after death?

At the same time, belief in lesser gods is also part of human life. These gods are either part of the mysteries of nature, or they are constructs of people’s minds. To these, human beings later give form in order to become tangible and proximal to them. Some of these are fetishes invested with occult powers, tarasms which they tie around their body, human or animal Idols, large trees, rocks, snakes and any other thing as the mind of the believer may choose to believe in. The third level of human beliefs is related to superstitions, taboos, myths and dogmas governing particular societies in life.

Human beings are fully aware of their immortality, spirituality and extinction at individual levels. Because of the often complex and paradoxical metaphysical spiritual explanations given to them from various people; and sometimes as a result of answers created from their questioning individual minds in an effort to explain the origins of human existence, they have finally sought resigned refuge and solace in the hope of a better life here after; by having a sense of belonging to particular religious denominations. These denominations have given humanity the hope that immortality is not an end of hopelessness; but rather a sublimation and transition into another mode of existence; where continuity is now in the spiritual and immortal mode.

The origins of death are in the Holy Bible linked to what transpired in the Garden of Eden between God the all mighty, Adam and Eve, the tempting Snake, the forbidden tree and its fruits. Other people or societies link it to different causes found in their local or traditional beliefs. For example among the Baganda of Uganda, death came to Buganda with some woman called ‘Nambi,’ in the name of ‘Walumbe’[sickness]. Walumbe was a brother to Nambi who was married to Kintu, [the first King of Buganda].

According to folk lore, Kintu with his wife Nambi; wanted to leave heaven [‘Ggulu’] and come down to live on earth. ‘Ggulu’, [God] [dichotomously contextualised by the Baganda as both ‘heaven’ and ‘God’ in the story] advised Nambi not to go down to earth with her brother Walumbe; because if she did so, he would subsequently kill her children. Ggulu advised both Kintu and Nambi; to sneak away very early in the morning before Walumbe woke up!

Nambi and Kintu, together with their chicken and a cow; are said to have landed at ‘Bakka’

[A Luganda simile of coming down or touching down from the heavens] at ‘Ggulu’, [heavens] a village in Mukono District.

Bukulu.180x120cm. Oil on Canvas

1994.

Bukulu, Leader of Buganda's spiritual traditional gods; lands in 

Buganda with Kintu and Nambi

 

The two, Kintu and Nambi; left the heavens without Walumbe; but when they touched down to Earth, Nambi remembered that she had forgotten the millet for her chicken back in the heavens. Kintu warned and reminded her; that Ggulu had advised them to leave unnoticed; in order to succeed in leaving Walumbe behind; and if she went back, he could follow her. She begged and begged until Kintu allowed her to ascend back to the heavens.

On seeing Nambi back, Ggulu immediately blamed her for having gone against his warning. Walumbe is said to have jumped with joy on seeing Nambi. “My sister! why had you left me behind?” Walumbe cried out. “This time you won’t leave without me!” he reiterated.

This is how ‘Walumbe’; [sickness or death] came to live on earth after following Nambi. Kintu blamed Nambi for having come with Walumbe. Shortly, Walumbe started killing Kintu’s children.

Later, ‘Ggulu’ the father of Nambi; on hearing what Walumbe had started doing to Kintu’s children, is said to have sent a savior ‘Kayiikuuzi’ [Nambi’s brother] to capture Walumbe and take him back to the heavens.

A frantic chase ensued; and Kayiikuuzi chased Walumbe up to Ttanda near Mityana in Mubende District. Walumbe is said to have entered underground at Ttanda and disappeared under the Earth. Kayiikuuzi’s attempts to dig Walumbe out of the ground proved futile. A bewildered Kayiikuuzi is said to have gone back to the heavens without his captive. To date, Walumbe still kills Nambi’s children who cannot fight back successfully.

The tunnels dug by Kayiikuuzi as he tried to excavate Walumbe from underground; are referred to as ‘Ennyanga za Walumbe’. [Tunnels of death]. Pilgrims from various areas of Uganda are known to visit this site. A traditional spiritual medium for Walumbe’s spirit takes care of the place and tunnels. In Buganda when people die, they are either referred to as having gone to 'Walumbes abode', or to 'Ttanda'.

In the two stories of Adam and Eve; and of Kintu and Nambi; are several outstanding similarities. Adam and Kintu are both male. Nambi and Eve are both female. In both stories, the woman is portrayed as the trouble causer and genesis of sickness and death. While in Eden Adam blames Eve for plucking the forbidden fruit, Kintu blames Nambi at Bakka for having gone back to the heavens for the forgotten millet! In both scenarios, it is all about disobedience to the orders of God and ‘Ggulu’,[God] subsequent suffering, sickness and eventual death.

Of the sin committed in Eden, death to the Snake and human race was the punishment given by God. The difference between the death of Eden and the death of Bakka; is that the death of Eden is not humanized. That of Bakka is given a human form in the image of Walumbe; a Man and brother to Nambi. Walumbe is also portrayed as having a brother in law, Kayiikuuzi.

In the Holly Bible, Jesus Christ is portrayed as the redeemer of the human race for the sin committed in Eden. Silently, Jesus is the 'Kayiikuuzi' [saviour] of the sin of Eden. In the case of Kintu, Walumbe and Nambi, ‘Ggulu’; [God] sends a messenger Kayiikuzi, the brother of  Nambi, to save the human race from death; by sending him to capture Walumbe [death] and take him back to the heavens.  It’s worth noting that in the Baganda’s folk lore story, ‘Ggulu’ did not come to Kayiikuuzi’s assistance in the chase to capture walumbe. Neither were the Romans struck by heavenly thunder as they led Jesus to Calvary! In the two scenarios, both saviours were left to battle it out on their own! Todate, Walumbe [sickness or death] still kills Kintu’s children unabated.

Although in both cases of the biblical and earthly story death was left on earth to continue killing the human race, there is a slight difference in the case of Jesus; in whom people were left with a last hope of resurrection. It is not the same in the case with Kayiikuuzi; who simply went back to the ‘heavens’, [‘Ggulu’] leaving behind Kintu’s descendants without any type of redemptive hope!

About the Painting

As a painting, ‘Last hope’ traces the origins of sin from the Garden of Eden and the subsequent punishment to Adam and Eve. Sickness and human suffering ensued from this point in time. The two were subsequently sent away from the Garden.

On the other hand, the sin of Eden makes extensions from the garden and travels through the conduit of a double headed Snake into the very area of Godliness and worship to God; the Church. Even in the scenario of a church service, temptation can lurk among the worshipers in different types of temptation scenarios.

Among the Baganda of Uganda, is a belief in omens of death in times of sickness. The hooting of an owl or the crossing of a centipede across the living room or hospital environment when there is a sick person in the family; are prophecies of eminent death to the sick.

After death, subsequent burial in the Banana plantation is portrayed. As the Coffin touches down the grave’s floor, a struggle between the living and the dead starts. The two forces test their strength and invincibility by pulling each other on a ‘tag of life and death’; symbolized by a metaphysical rope.

When the rope finally snaps, the human race is rendered buoyant, free, new, and begins to float towards the last Hope of resurrection as a result of Jesus Christ having died for their sins on the cross at Calvary.

The picture gives hope to Christians; that even in the event of death, spiritual life and redemption may continue after resurrection. The Christians believe in Jesus as the last hope for an eternal life.

MUSOKE [ Rain bow]
The siphon

Oil on Canvas.114.5cm x 44cm. 1993.[Acquired]

Among the Baganda, The Rainbow is considered to be phenomenal. It is for that matter deified and taken as one of the traditional gods. The name 'Musoke'; is also given to males who are in most cases linked to the traditional worship of this deity.

The rainbow phenomenon is so feared by the Baganda to the extent of  being believed as having the ability to suck water out of the pot or any other container a person may have used to fetch water from the well.

For that matter, It is never advisable to fetch water from the well whenever Musoke curves across the sky. Musoke is believed to next suck the blood of that person carrying the pot, when there is no more water to suck from it.

The mediums of deity Musoke are known to keep a three mouthed pot in a shrine built for him. When taking water from this pot, the medium is known to use a bamboo straw.

THE SUPREME 

                                                             
                                                               [Major Piece MA.FA]
                                                                                  Oil on Canvas. 231cm x140 cm 1994

Currently in America [Acquired]

               Illustration of content and subject matter flows towards the climax point.
 

 

This piece came as a result of having carried out research on the deities of Baganda and Basoga when I did my Masters Degree in painting.

The research mainly aimed at deriving painterly inspirations from the nature, duties, descriptions and philosophy around the minor gods as worshiped among the Baganda and Basoga.

Over fifty three paintings were made as a result of this research; but the ‘Supreme’ was painted as the philosophical summary and conclusion of the belief in ‘minor gods’ [Lubaale] among the two ethnic groups.

Among my findings; was the fact that none of the two tribes under investigation could give me a characteristic picture of the looks or pictorial identity of the deity in description under their practice of traditional worship. What was however common on either side of the investigation; was that the narratives given by the Basoga and Baganda of the duties, nature and character of every deity could only be described but not given pictorially. From the narratives given, I derived and constructed visible images in colour.

 As a conclusive picture, the supreme looks at deities from the examining lenses of conscience, superstition, metaphysics and spirituality; which make attempts to extend tentacles towards the universal God. From this perspective, deities can be seen as unable to exist without taking on a visible incarnation of some of the objects, in nature as made by God the supreme. In doing so, there is a conversion of the metaphysical phenomenon; into a tangible presence. A god one can see, touch, feel and possess. 

In this trajectory, trees, animals, stones, forests, rivers, birds, insects, hills, reptiles, parts of the latter or any other form of creation by the supreme God; are worshiped by people as conduits of communication towards the supernatural; a quest to quick solutions to problems in life; or as a result of the metaphysical paradox of the mysteries of nature and origins of human existence.

An examination and scrutiny of the rules, taboos, dogmas and general practice of worship to these deities by human beings would make one conclude that the final goal is all about goodness, purity, subservience to the supernatural and trying to create personal, family or societal solutions to metaphysical problems.

In the ‘Supreme’, all subject matter is technically constructed to flow towards the flower like structure towards the upper left of the observer. This was used as a symbolic representation of goodness, godliness, purity, fertility, and multiplicity of human kind on this planet.

Water bodies were made to dominate the composition as an illustration to the original abode, the crossing   and relocation of deities from Ssese Islands in Lake ‘Nalubaale’; [Victoria] to the

mainland.

Because the Baganda at one time extended their rule to Busoga, the interconnection between

the ruler and the ruled, super naturalism; subsequently formed a nexus of deities, power and

superstition. 

To date, deities among the Baganda and Basoga are still silently worshiped along

the all mighty God.  It is a double life of subservience to the supernatural; the physical and

metaphysical; and a spiritual mix of un explainable fear; respect and acknowledgement of the existence and omnipresence of the invincible unseen.

Sights of shrines for the minor gods are not uncommon behind or in front of homesteads in

Villages; and sometimes near towns. It is not easy to find them in the open because they have

been demonized by modern religious beliefs

 THE HYPOCRITE

Oil on Canvas 1994 [Acquired]

Whenever you regard yourself as having someone you take to be your best friend, it is important to ask oneself whether that best friend considers you to be his or her best friend as well.

Many people have been deeply hurt in body and soul by their so called best friends. The often unsuspecting victims mostly get disillusioned during the crucial and most trying moments of their lives when their so called best friends look the other side without offering their most needed care, advice or assistance.

It often dawns on the victims when they later discover that their presumed best friends have supper and more intimate friends in the arrangement of a line up of friends in their individual minds. It is these undisclosed invisible supper friends who ironically do occupy front positions in the minds of these hypocrites!

In this scenario, time and circumstance are two important factors that will determine who and which friend will constantly occupy the front seat in an individual’s mind and to be subsequently branded “best friend”.

In people’s minds, friends are unknowingly constantly shifted to different positions within the virtual line of friendship; depending on the circumstances involved in the relational dynamics between individuals.

In general, the behaviours of one individual towards another may determine the placement or replacement of this person either in front, in the middle or at the back of the virtual line of friends in an individuals mind. To a worse degree some people are totally expelled from individual minds and the feeling of their presence is never again felt in the hearts of their pseudo friends.

It is also true that some people simply do exist in people’s minds without necessarily being in the mental line up of an individual’s collection of presumed friends. They are simply in the head and occupying no particular position. They are, but simply a floating mental relational wind. They are not as important as that person occupying the front position; and neither are they as bad as that last person at the back of the virtual line or as sinister as that individual expelled out of the general mind and head of a particular person.

A good deed of a person towards a friend may earn that individual a front position in the arrangement of personal friends in a persons mind. Likewise, an offense towards a close friend can easily dig an invisible trench between the two and subsequently cause a shift in the linear mental positioning of presumed friends and best friends. The question is; why should simply a single offense towards a close friend erase the so many good deeds and happiness shared between two individuals in the history of their relationship! In my opinion, in every cordial or intimate relationship, the participants involved are like a seductive ripe fruit but with a rotten part. It is up to all participants in the relationship of the type at a given time to spiritually cut off the rotten part and morally eat the fine part. Otherwise there is always a good or morally uneatable part for every individual’s character. We should be guided by tolerance, forgiveness and self reflection if we are to keep friends for life. As fruits of human nature, we possibly also have a rotten uneatable part of us!

  THE FETISH

 Oil on Canvas.150cm x 102cm. 1994.


Close up Left 

Close up Right

In Buganda, some people are believed to practice witchcraft. They are said to possess fetishes which they employ, control and manipulate to achieve their agendas. In Luganda they are referred to as “Amayembe” ‘horns’ [plural] or “Ejjembe” ‘horn’[singular] or [ kifaru ‘swahilli’].

Some Mayembe are said to be male and others female. They are also believed to multiply through some unexplainable spiritual reproduction process which brings forth young ones. Some are violent and others are described as kind.

The violent ones are normally the ones which are sent to hurt or kill their victims. They are the malevolent type. They can remotely be manipulated by their masters and sent out like waves or razor beams through space and for great distances to cause the required and prescribed harm to a particular target individual. These beams may predispose their impacts to manifest as car accidents, snake bites, honey bee attacks, thunder bolt strikes, the victim running amok or any other form which can lead to the death of the victim. Fetishes are known to mysteriously set buildings ablaze, stone houses; or put human excrement in food while it is being cooked in the targeted homes. They are said to thrive on human blood and that of some domestic animals like goats, sheep and cows. They are mysteriously believed to siphon out the blood of their victims, subsequently rendering them anaemic without any established scientific explanation. The most notorious under this category are the ‘Kifaru’ which belong to the malevolent type. They are mostly identified by the whip which is an indispensable part of the items composing the paraphernalia within which they mysteriously reside and are potent. With this whip, they are notoriously known to whip and harass their victims.

The benevolent category is harmless. Instead, they are said to provide riches, protection in homes and clans; or treatment to individuals made sick by the malevolent category. The majority of benevolent fetishes are ancestral and do operate in league with the clan ancestral spirits ‘lubaale’ [Luganda]. These are transmitted through generations and the genealogy of a particular clan. They operate as guardian spirits.

THE PAINTING

The fetish painting was inspired by the complex process through which the creators of malevolent fetishes undergo to make one be.

Fetishes are said to be made out of a combination of various herbs, tree parts from trees believed to have been abodes of specifically dangerous spirits, snake venom, blood from various creatures, poisonous insects and other ingredients which their makers believe to abundantly contribute to the efficiency of the fetish in respect of the duties to which it will be assigned in future.

The collection of all ingredients gathered is then stuffed into an investment; a horn or tusk of a chosen animal. The horns or tusks of animals used in these investments range from Rhinoceros, Buffalos, Elephants, or any other animal the architect of the fetish believes to possess all the necessary ferociousness, fearlessness and wild energy enough to cause effective and fatal damage to the target victim.

After all the ingredients have been stuffed into the chosen horn, the end of its mouth is sealed leaving a small hole gaping for a presumably breathing purpose of the now spiritually ‘live’ investment believed to possess occult powers.

The fetish is then baptized a name prescribed by the resident spirit announced through a medium. This is followed by the execution of all the relevant sacrifices in respect of its anticipated purity, taboos, duties; and efficiency while on its missions; covert or overt. At this stage, it is ready to serve its master.

WAR FETISH

Oil on Canvas. 44.2cm x 86cm. 1994 [Acquired]

Long ago, the Baganda traditionally had a culture of territorial expansionism. Concomitantly, they made several enemies of the kingdoms neighbouring them; especially the Banyoro of Bunyoro kingdom. This tendency constantly kept them at war.

Culturally, the Baganda had no divide between superstition, super naturalism and traditional worship when going for war. In this scenario, traditional gods played a major role.

Six special fetishes; Kawoto, Kizito, Sebitengere Kanyamira, Kizinga and Kimpumpu; each under the care of its medium would go to war with the general. They were long antelope horns with iron spikes at the tips and stuck in front of the general’s hut. The Baganda fighters would never go for war without supplication for victory against the enemy before these fetishes. The fetishes were believed to participate in war with the fighters in order for them to earn victory.

Before setting off, the general together with other high ranking officers, would go and kneel before them to invoke supplications for a successful expedition in favour of Buganda. They would then set off, confident that they were going to defeat their foe.

THE PAINTING

“War Fetish” is hence composed to depict the supernatural presence of an invisible energy potent in the fetishes constructed for war.

Subservience to supernatural energy by the fighters is depicted in the way they are kneeling before the silent and stationary objects, believed to be charged with occult power.

Any one reading this would of course question the possibility of the fetishes mentioned above to have had the ability to magically charge the Baganda fighters with ferociousness, invincibility and courage; before they went for war.

On the other hand, one would also wonder how in past history during the Majimaji rebellion of 1905-1907, and the Lakwena rebellion of 1986-1997, smearing the body of the fighters with water or oil of some type would make them bullet proof!

Of course as any civilized person would expect of the two scenarios of Majimaji and Lakwena rebellions, the bullets from the guns of the Germans never turned into water for the Majimaji fighters; neither did Alice Lakwena’s fighters became bullet proof after smearing themselves with occult oil. The two categories were actually shot dead.

The issue here is whether belief in the supernatural, superstition or supplicating for positive energy from an object believed to have been invested with occult power by human beings, can spiritually energize fighters.

If people or fighters can be spiritually energized by what they believe in, it does not matter whatever its nature or authenticity may be, as long as it makes them win a battle due to the subsequent courage acquired as a result of the belief in that particular object or in the metaphysics of space. It is the same type of energy acquired when conventional modern fighters pray to the all mighty universal God to give them luck, courage and energy to defeat their enemies. It is simply the type of psychological frame put around the picture of the impending war in the mind of the fighter.

Kibuuka’s Relics

Oil on Canvas 72cm x 89cm. 1994

About 700 years ago, when the current Buganda was called ‘Muwawa’, there were wars which ranged between Buganda and Bunyoro Kingdoms. Among the Baganda was a war hero by the name Kibuuka; whose true name was Kyobe Kyomubazzi, the son of wannema; a demigod from Ssese Islands. Wannema was one of the demigods who came to Muwawa with Kintu, the first King of Buganda. The first occupants of Muwawa were called; the ‘Balasa Ngeye’, who were later known as the Baganda.

According to [ Roscoe John 1911]; when coming to Buganda, King Kintu came with the leader of the demigods called ‘Bukulu’. Bukulu was with the following other demigods; some of whose names made the first counties of Muwawa [Buganda]. These were for example; Busiro, Bulemeezi, Kyaddondo, Ssingo, Kyaggwe, Mawokota, Busujju and Ggomba. While the latter decided to settle on the mainland, Bukulu with the rest of other demigods like Musisi, Mukasa, Wannema and Musoke proceeded and settled on the Ssese Islands in Lake Nalubaaale, [The current Lake Victoria]. There is a very big connotative relationship between the nomenclature of Lake ‘Nalubaale’, and ‘Lubaaale’, [Bugandas spiritual gods].

These gods only later came to settle on the mainland as a way of paying a war indemnity between King Nakibinge and Wannema, the father of Kibuuka, when Kibuuka was killed from the mainland by the Banyoro during a war between them and the Baganda.

According to [ Roscoe John 1911]; “the Kings of Buganda never used to take any national decision without consulting the gods”, [Lubaaale] from Ssese. The same nature of consultations continued even when the gods settled on the mainland. These later formed the nucleus around which traditional worship rotated among the Baganda. Even after the death of the demigods, spiritual contact with them continued through the ‘Bakabona’ [mediums], in special shrines or temples built for each god or deity. The act of worshiping the gods was traditionally known as ‘okusamira’, [traditional worship] and the worshipers were known as the ‘Basamize’. Todate, the practice is still rife among the Baganda; as they secretly make contact with their ancestral spirits to solve problems failed by reason, conscience, physical science and modern medicine.

As the wars continued to range between the Baganda and Banyoro, the then king of Buganda Nakibinge the 8^th, sent messengers to Wannema requesting him to give him his son Kibuuka, [Kyobe Kyomubazi (original name)] to assist him fight against the Bunyoro who had come as close as Busujju county. Wanema agreed, but gave conditions to Nakibinge; among which was that his son shouldn’t get killed during that war. As a way of building trust and confidence in Wannema, Nakibinge went ahead and cut his ‘Omulongo’ (the tween) [umbilical cord]; into two parts and named the half he retained, ‘Ekissa engo’ [whatever may lead to the killing of a leopard]. The other part, he gave to Wannema as a covenant of commitment to the safety of Kibuuka.

[The Umbilical cord of a Buganda King was part of his life and a representation of his existence in general. Many cultural taboos were attached to it].

Kibuuka is said to have possessed the ability to fly and fight from space. That he would glide unnoticed, shielded behind a dark cloud from where he would shoot his arrows at the enemy below. Kibuuka’s ability to fight from up in the sky has been doubted by skeptics of metaphysical science, but has not been contested or openly debated by physical scientists or intellectuals. That is why if one goes to the Uganda museum today, Kibuuka’s relics have been preserved in the history section.

After Kibuuka's death; his priests made an effigy containing his jaw bone, penis, umbilical cord, a shield, a short double edged sword and a four legged stool to represent him. It was viewed once a year by pilgrims at Kibuuka’s traditional site in Mbale, Mpigi-Mawokota.  To the Baganda, Kibuuka was Omni-present even after death.

In the Uganda Museum, the following Items are on display and have been preserved. The visible ones are: the shield, a short double edged sword, a four legged stool, a head band, a small effigy containing his jaw bone, umbilical cord and penis. These are resting on a leopard skin.

Although Kibuuka’s relics are available in the Museum, Kibuuka was not buried after being brought down from the tree upon which he fell. As tradition had it then for Kings and important people in the kingdom, Kibuuka’s jaw bone was extracted, an effigy made of it; and the rest of his body was given to ‘omutaka’ [senior citizen] Ssemiti, who took it and threw it in a lake at Buyaga.

Today, a church of Uganda sits upon the very site where Kibuuka’s shrine once stood in Mbaale Mpigi. A stones throw from the church is Kibuuka memorial primary school; named after the wonders of Kibuuka. It is said that several attempts to raise the church at the very site of Kibuukas shrine first proved futile and the structure fell several times. It was not until the occult objects he used to use were left in their position and an Alter built over them, that the current church managed to stand. It is likely that in Uganda, this could be the only church sitting upon a former spiritual site belonging to a demigod, with occult objects resting below its Alter.

There are two story versions leading to Kibuuka’s betrayal and subsequent death. First, it is said that a Munyoro woman captive who had spent an orgy night with Kibuuka, did escape that very night and went back behind the enemy lines. In the mist and midst of sexual frenzy, and like how the Biblical Samson fell by revealing the secret of the power in him generated by his magical hair, the woman had asked Kibuuka how he managed to fight in such manner which overwhelmed his enemies. “I don’t fight from the ground. I fight from up in the sky behind a moving dark cloud. This is from where I shoot my arrows towards the enemy below.”

“Just shoot at the dark moving cloud the moment you see it. This is from where Kibuuka shoots his arrows towards us.” The Munyoro escapee woman had told the Banyoro fighters. They did exactly that, and the following day Kibuuka was shot with an arrow and was fatally wounded. He went flying back and fell among the branches of a tree [‘Kisuze’]; on Kulumba hill, just behind Kibuuka memorial primary School.

The second version purports kibuuka to have admired and fell in love with a munyoro woman with whom he came back after one of the battles. The woman interacted with the villagers around Mbaale in Mpigi; whom she overheard talking about kibuukas aerial fighting ability, which he did while hidden behind a dark moving cloud. She is said to have later escaped and went back among the enemies; telling them the whole secret of Kibuuka’s mysterious way of fignting. Kibuuka was shot from the clouds the following day.

While still hanging among the branches, Kibuuka was first sighted by one, Kituuma of the sheep clan.  Kibuuka was later brought down by a one “Nakatandagira who by some mistake didn’t hold Kibuuka properly as he came down with him from the tree. Nakandagira stumbled and let go of Kibuuka from his hold. Down to the ground Kibuuka heavily landed and died instantly. Another version of this story claims that Kibuuka was already dead by the time Nakatandagira tried to get him from the Tree, and that he dint die of the fall that Nakatandagira inflicted on him.

[The name ‘Nakatandagira’, connotes the Luganda verb ‘Okutandaggira’; which describes a wrestler heavily throwing his opponent to the ground].

Most of the stories related to which tree Kibuuka fell after being shot however rotate around the ‘Kalyesubula’ Mvule tree, which is a wrong presumption. Kalyesubula was medicine planted as an occult seed of fertility by ‘Mbaale’, the great grand father of the sheep clan. He got the seeds from the demigod ‘Wannema mukasa’ [the father to Kibuuka]; from Ssese Islands.

Mbaale was barren and the occult seeds of the 'Mvule' tree were to help him acquire children. “Go and plant this medicine in your courtyard, if it germinates, you will produce children. But remember to bring your first child to me when you beget children. That will be your payment back to me in appreciation” Wannema told him.

Mbaale later produced the following children who expanded the sheep clan beyond himself. He first produced Ssekoba followed by SSekizimu, followed by Nambi and ended with Bbosa. Mbaale did fulfil the demand from Wannema; and sent him his first child Ssekoba to Ssese. This is how Ssekoba came to be the ‘Ssiga’ [Sheep Sub clan leader at Busanga in Ssese Islands. Mbaale named his first son Ssekoba, because it was at river Kkoba around Katende on Masaka road, where he met with a one Ndugwa of the ‘Lugave’ [Ant eater] clan, who directed him to Wannema in the Islands of Ssese, from whom he got the fertility medicine. Ndugwa and Mbaale had both gone to Kkoba River to look for Mud fish.

In 2013 during a heavy storm, Kalyesubula fell due to old age. A huge log currently lies on the opposite side of the road leading to Mbaale trading centre. Its stem and branches were not used for firewood by the villagers for fear of reprisals from the spirits which could have been using the tree as their abode. This tree still shows signs of traditional rituals being accomplished around its former position to date. A young ‘Mvule’ tree, possibly accruing from one of the roots of the now fallen Kalyesubula is currently growing nearby. It is about twelve feet tall.

Mbaale is buried in a small forest about 300 mitres from Kibuuka Memorial Primary School. The grave has a pile of stones covering it. The small forest surrounding this grave is the only one surviving in the vicinity, and is protected by tradition and traditionalists. No one is allowed to settle or cut trees from it. A traditional clay pot is strategically placed at the head of the grave and is supposed to always be filled with water by members of the sheep clan living in that vicinity. Those who wish to supplicate for luck or any other type of wish may take a swig of some water from this pot using ‘Olwendo’ [a type of small guard with a long handle traditionally used among the Baganda to scoop water for drinking from a traditional clay pot]. This, they do while chanting what their wishes may be.

The last person who used to fill this pot with water was an old woman of about 90 years by the names of Namazzi of the sheep clan, a descendant of Mbaale and daughter of Yosiya Lutwaama of the sheep clan. I am yet to find out who fills this pot with water these days. Namazzi died around the 90s and is buried 200 hundred meters from the said forest of Mbaale.  My late father Bbosa Daniel of the sheep clan, who died in 2012 aged 85, is also buried in the same graveyard where Namazzi lies. He was the youngest son of Yosiya Lutwama. Namazzi and Bbosa Daniel are both buried on the opposite side of the road, from the small forest where Mbaale’s grave lies.

THE PAINTING

‘Kibuuka’s relics’ is painted basing on the relics which made his effigy. The stool, head band and male phallus have been placed at a coital angle of 45 Degrees. The male organs being reproductive organs have been given a plant like structure to connote life and reproduction.

KASOTA

 

Oil on Canvas. 87.5cm x 72cm.1994 [Acquired]

The word ‘Kasota’ connotes the English translation of “Tiny Snake”.  The noun however traverses the two languages of the Baganda and Basoga; and carries the same meaning in the two dialects.

Traditional worship between the two tribes of Baganda and Basoga is still rife. When I was carrying out research on the deities of Baganda and Basoga while doing my masters degree, I found out that the Basoga had a deity called ‘Kasota’. This was a type of ‘Lubaale’ [minor god] who took on the incarnate of a snake to assume a bodily form.

The respondents described the snake in which Kasota incarnates as being white in colour. The snake could choose its abode as it pleased.

The picture painted from this narrative attempts to merge the snake as we naturally know and view it in behaviour, systems of survival like camouflage, colour and environment; with the mystique surrounding the narrative.