About

TTABAMIRUKA ’17 CONFERENCE

Ttabamiruka ’17 will be the 10th annual international Baganda conference organized by Ggwangamujje NY/NJ. Ttabamiruka in America conferences bring together Baganda and friends from all over the world to discuss issues affecting their motherland, get to know each other and celebrate our culture and achievements.

Date and Venue

September 1-4, 2017
US Labor Day Weekend Holiday

Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village
201 Village Boulevard
Princeton, New Jersey 08540
USA

 

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Go to the Ggwangamujje Custom Westin Hotel page  to make your reservations as soon as possible to lock in a conference rate of $124 for the Labor Day weekend .

ABOUT GGWANGAMUJJE NY/NJ, INC.

Ggwangamujje NY/NJ is a United States registered not-for-profit Section 501(c) tax-exempt services organization that was started by Baganda (natives of African kingdom of Buganda; singular: Muganda) who live in New York and New Jersey, USA.

Mission

To promote socioeconomic and cultural advancement of its members through educational and outreach programs that both use and promote the rich culture, customs, music, poetry, art, language and native problem solving skills of Baganda.

Background and History

Members of the Baganda community in the New York and New Jersey resolved to form a social non-profit organization and name it Ggwangamujje New York/New Jersey (Ggwangamujje NY/NJ) on October 15, 1994.

The slogan “Ggwangamujje” means “Call to national duty” in Luganda (language of Baganda). It is also the name of the drum beat that Baganda have sounded over 1,000 years to mobilize the community during challenging times. Ggwangamujje NY/NJ brings together members of the New York/New Jersey community and well-wishers to address challenges to the social-economic and cultural well-being of the Baganda community.

BUGANDA AND BAGANDA

Buganda is a Kingdom nation that is physically located in present-day Uganda, East Africa. Buganda’s international boundaries are marked by Lake Victoria to the south, the Victoria Nile to the east, Lake Kyoga to the north and the kingdoms of Bunyoro, Tooro and Ankole to the west. With a land mass of 19,600 square miles, Buganda is about twice as big as New Jersey and larger than Maryland, USA.

Buganda has existed for more than 1,000 years but the current royal dynasty was started around the year 1150 by Ssekabaka Kato Kintu. The reigning monarch, Muwenda Mutebi II is the 36th Kabaka of Buganda in Kato Kintu’s dynasty.

Baganda Traditional Law and Culture

The scope of Baganda traditional law, culture and societal normal, which have evolved since before the year 1,400 includes the following main building blocks:

  • Ennono – Baganda traditional law, which define the relationships among Baganda and between Baganda and other communities
  • Kabaka and Ssabataka-King and custodian of the Buganda’s spiritual and natural resources
  • Ebika by’Abaganda –54 Baganda clans; every Muganda must belong to a clan, inherited from his or her father
  • Abataka–heads of the Baganda clans and other cultural leaders
  • Namasole–Kabaka ‘s mother, the only commoner who is a parent to Kabaka
  • Abalangira n’Abambejja –Baganda with loyal blood, who belong to the Abalangira clan
  • Abaami ba Kabaka Abasiige – Appointed civil servants seconded by the clans and appointed by Kabaka and led by Katikkiro
  • Olukiiko lwa Buganda – Kingdom council that reviews the work of Abaami ba Kabaka Abasiige
  • Obulombolombo–Baganda cultural practices and norms
  • Obutaka-Land boundaries, environment and natural resources
  • Luganda, the native language of the Baganda.

Kabaka of Buganda

Kabaka is revered by the Baganda people and others who live in Buganda. Two of the very many reasons why Baganda deeply love the Kabaka institution:

  1. Baganda inherit their clans from the fathers but the Kabaka takes his from the mother. Therefore, over time, each clan has a fair chance to have a Kabaka among its members; and
  2. Kabaka is not a dictator and operates within Ennono, although he reserves the right to change Baganda cultural practices and norms.