IDNO

N.19469.ROS

Description

A full-length frontal portrait of a young Bagesu man, named Kakungulu, wearing ear ornaments? and white cloth, worn in the same way as traditional Bagesu attire would have been worn?. He stands in front of a fence made from elephant grass?

Place

E Africa; Uganda; Elgon; Mount Elgon

Cultural Affliation

Bagesu

Named Person

Kakungulu (Chief)

Photographer

?Roscoe, John R.

Collector / Expedition

Roscoe, John R. [Mackie Ethnological Expedition, Uganda, 1919 - 1920]

Date

1919 - 1920

Collection Name

Roscoe Collection

Source

Format

Film Negative Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

This negative was kept in an envelope marked C31/94/ by the cataloguer. The envelope was kept in box marked C31/ by the cataloguer.
Previously stored on Shelf 4, in group of 4 wooden boxes numbered 180.

Publication: Similar image published in Roscoe, J., 1922. The Soul of Central Africa: An Account of the Mackie Ethnological Expedition. (London: Cassell and Co.), p. 244, with the caption "The Bagesu men, showing dress.” [ED 19/9/2007]

Clothing: "The clothing of the people was never intended either for warmth or covering. Before initiation a boy went naked, but when his initiation was complete, he was entitled to wear the dress of a full-grown man, which consisted of a skin, usually a goat-skin. Two of the legs were joined with a string about a foot long. The skin was put under the right arm and the string passed over the head onto the left shoulder, so that the left side was completely exposed, though the skin covered the right side and reached half way down the thighs. If a man refused to undergo the ceremony of initiation, hew was not allowed to wear this skin, to marry or to sit in the council of the men.” (Roscoe, J., 1924. The Bagesu and other tribes of the Uganda Protectorate: The Third Part of the Report of the Mackie Ethnological Expedition to Central Africa. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p.5). [ED 19/9/2007]

Biographical Information: "The chief in whose enclosure I settled for the purpose of carrying on my researches among the wild tribes of the mountain is known as Kakungulu. He is a member of the Royal family of Koki, a district which, since the formation of the Protectorate, has become part of Buganda. The people belong to the pastoral tribes; indeed they are an offshoot of the group which settled in the district of Ankole.
Many years ago Kakungulu was forced by political reasons and the jealousy of his King to leave his home and country. He entered Buganda about the end of Mutesa’s reign and, during the reign of the next king, Mwanga, he rose to a high-position. He was a dauntless and successful elephant-hunter and was employed in this capacity by Mwanga. During the early commotions and civil wars of the reign he was able to make Mwanga valuable presents at a time when that king was in dire needs of money for arms and ammunition. For these services he was rewarded with land, and he soon became an important chief. During this time he came into touch with English missionaries and was converted to Christianity. When the wars were over he rose to a very high place, being second in importance to the Katikiro, or Prime Minister, and between the two arose a strong feeling of jealousy which could never be overcome. Kakungulu, a capable leader and administrator was a serious rival to the Katikiro, Apolo, for the constant striving between them for supremacy.
When the British Protectorate was formed Kakungulu was sent to Kavirondo to assist in settling that part of the country, and later he was asked to help in Busoga, which was a feudal state of Buganda. From there he went to the Teso country, where for years he did extremely good work in curbing the turbulent spirit of the tribes who, up to that time, had never known the meaning of the government or of submission of authority. Unassisted by British officers, he was able to bring about a peaceful state of affairs in the Teso country without resorting to forcible measures, and he built good roads linking up the residents of important chiefs with his own fort. For a time his dwelling-place had to be a fortified and stockaded enclosure with a guard constantly on duty, but he gradually secured the good will of the people, and even got them to consent to pay taxes to the Government.
For these services he was promised large concessions of land, and at one time it was even whispered that he might be paramount chief of the country with a title and power equivalent to that of a king. Owing, however, to frequent changes of governors and their assistant officers, Kakungulu has had to endure much annoyance from continual variations in policy. Promises have been made and withdrawn, and he has been moved from one locality to another as chief, though he has always managed to retain one part of his possessions at Mbale, where he rules many miles of country inhabited by the Bagesu. It was, indeed the fact that he had taken up his private residence and settled his family there that first made Mbale known as a possible centre for government. ... Kakungulu has now built a second house some distance from his former dwelling and on a higher peak of the mountain, in order to be farther from the increasing bustle and noise of Mbale, which, as I mentioned in the previous chapter, is fast assuming the dimensions of a town and has many Indian traders and shopkeepers. My friendship with this chief was one of over twenty years’ standing, and now, when I went to live in his enclosure, I obtained through his influence, the best help towards an understanding of the Bagesu that could be procured.” (Roscoe, J., 1922. The Soul of Central Africa: An Account of the Mackie Ethnological Expedition. (London: Cassell and Co.) pp. 243 - 244.) [ED 21/9/2007]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Elisabeth Deane 19/9/2007]