Cultural Resources for Learners of Luganda

There are several cultural resources available online and in your local bookstore or library. Because people learn Luganda for a variety of reasons, this list of cultural resources satisfies different cultural interests. You may also want to explore the other pages in this site, as many of the “Useful Texts” and “Useful Online Resources” cited are also packed with cultural information.

Luganda proverbs are a great way to get to know Baganda culture and values. The most popular book of Luganda Proverbs among historians and other scholars is Ferdinand Walser’s collection, Luganda Proverbs (1982). However, a new book of Luganda proverbs was published in 2006 by Joseph Lule entitled The Hidden Wisdom of the Buganda (Amagezu g’Omuganda Amakusike). The book is fantastic because in addition to Luganda and English translations of the proverbs, Lule also includes cultural notes throughout the book and includes his life story as an educator in Uganda in both Luganda and English. Born in 1908, Lule’s cultural wisdom and historical knowledge make this a valuable book for history buffs.

In addition to proverbs, there is a large body of ethnographic scholarship on Baganda. The most comprehensive (and oldest) ethnographies include John Roscoe’s The Baganda (1911) and Apollo Kagwa’s The Customs of the Baganda (1908) and The Kings of the Baganda (1918). Kagwa’s work was first published in Luganda and then translated into English. Reading the Luganda and English versions side by side can give you cultural insight while improving your reading comprehension.

If you are looking for less academic and more contemporary cultural information, there are several resources available. For a brief overview of Baganda history and culture, and cultural images, visit:

http://afritorial.com/tribe-the-baganda-ugandas-royal-kingdom-past-present/ (General information about the Baganda tribe).

http://www.buganda.or.ug/ (The Buganda Kingdom’s official website).

https://www.facebook.com/groups/20454957377/ (A Buganda Kingdom Facebook Group).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO-yd3JxP-g (TV series about African Kingdoms. This episode focuses on Buganda and Bunyoro).

There are also several youtube videos that highlight Ganda traditional dance, fashion, art, crafts, and tools. Here are a couple examples:

Buganda traditional dance

Baakisimba: Ganda traditional singers, dancers and drummers