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Thursday, 17 July 2008 16:54 |
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Page 3 of 4
The idea of the fire place was adopted long time ago by Kitumba who is regarded to be the grand father of all those who belong to the Nakinsige Clan. One time, Kitumba decided to come and see Kabaka Kintu from his home base in Mirembe Kyaggwe. He came with his son Kafuuma Kuuku Kampujja and daughter Nanyonga. When they reached at the Kabaka’s palace, the Kabaka welcomed them and they sat and talked until it was dark at night. They could not see each other and it was from here that Kuuku gathered wood from Jirikiti and Mutete. He put them together with grass and rubbed until fire was lite. Nanyonga then went and looked for food and prepared it for them. Kafuuma prepared coffee beans which he gave to the Kabaka. The coffee tasted good for the Kabaka and he awarded the job of preparing his coffee beans from then.
The fire place is lite using three different wood types which include “Ekokowe”, “Omutuba” and “Omuzananda”. When the kingdom was invaded in 1966, the fire place (Kyoto) was blown out because there was no king at that time. There was no peace in Buganda and so the Kyoto would have lost its meaning. However, when the Kingdom was restored in 1993, the fire was not lite because there were some rituals that had to be fulfilled. These were fulfilled and the Kyoto was lite again in 2003.
The Kyoto is so useful to the Kingdom in that when any war breaks up in Buganda, it’s from this spot that the Kabaka appoints and anoints all commanders of war. The ashes are smeared on to the commanders in order for them to be identified from the common soldiers.
Ashes from the Kyoto are not just taken out of it any how. It is not done by any one but by specific people who are appointed by the Kabaka. It is not also splashed any where but in Nanyonga’s banana plantation and it is poured on a specific place called Kitavu and on a banana plant called Nakitembe.
It is considered a taboo for a pregnant woman to walk over the ashes from the Kyoto. It is also a taboo to turn back to the Kyoto. One only walks towards and backwards without turning away.
The Musoloza protects and collects firewood for the Kyoto and is assisted by Kampujja to see to it that the fire does not blow out. Nanyonga is the overall seer for the Kyoto.
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