Isingoma Labongo Rukidi
{{Short description|Second born of the four first Babiito brothers}}
{{Infobox monarch
| name = Isingoma Mpuga Rukidi
| succession = Omukama of Bunyoro
| reign = {{circa}} 16th century
| successor = Ochaki Rwangira
| spouses = Iremera; Bunono
| royal house = Biito dynasty
| father = Kyomya
| mother = Nyatworo
| birth_place = Bukidi (Northern Uganda)
| place of burial= Dyangi{{efn|John Nyakatura adds that Rukidi's garments were buried in Masaijagaka, Chope.{{sfn|Nyakatura|1973|p=66}}}}
|}}
Isingoma Rukidi Mpuga, also called Labongo,{{sfn|Ogot|1967|p=59}}{{efn|also spelt Labong'o}} was the first Biito king ({{lang|nyo|Omukama Omubiito}}) of Bunyoro-Kitara in present-day western Uganda.{{sfn|Beattie|1971|pp=52-53}}
In Nyoro tradition, he is considered to be the twin brother of Kato Kimera, the first king of Buganda.{{sfn|Beattie|1960|p=15}}
Early life
=Nyoro tradition=
In Nyoro tradition, Isingoma Mpuga Rukidi was born in Bukidi as the second son of Kyomya, a member of the Chwezi dynasty, and Nyatworo, the daughter of a Lango man called Labongo,{{efn|Not to be confused with Rukidi himself, who is also called Labongo in some sources.}} of the Mukwonga clan. He was the younger brother of Nyarwa, the twin brother of Kato and the older brother of Kiiza.{{sfn|Nyakatura|1973|pp=24, 50}}
Isingoma is derived from the Nyoro phrase {{lang|nyo|ise-ngoma}}, meaning "father (of the) drum(s)".{{sfn|Apuuli|1994|loc=chapter 3}} 'Mpuga' comes from the name of a black-and-white cattle, {{lang|nyo|empuuga}}, referencing Rukidi's mixed ancestry.{{sfn|Beattie|1971|p=52}}{{sfn|Wrigley|2012|p=225}} The name 'Rukidi' references his birthplace.{{sfn|Nyakatura|1973|p=50}}
Rukidi and his brothers are said to have been hunters who were loved by the people of Bukidi.{{sfn|Fisher|1911|p=111}}{{sfn|Nyakatura|1973|p=50}} One day, a diviner called Nyakoka{{efn|also spelt Nyakoko}}, also from Bukidi, approached them and told them to go to Kitara, because then the country lacked a king, and they did so.{{sfn|Beattie|1971|p=52}} Nyakoka accompanied them on the journey.{{sfn|Nyakatura|1973|p=52}}{{sfn|Fisher|1911|p=112}}
=Acholi tradition=
In Acholi tradition, Labongo was a son of Olum and a brother of Gipiir and Tiful.{{sfn|Jendia|2019|p=17}}
References
= Notes =
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
= Citations =
{{reflist}}
= Sources =
{{refbegin}}
- {{Cite book |last=Fisher |first=Ruth Alice |url=https://archive.org/details/twilighttalesofb00fishrich |title=Twilight Tales of the Black Baganda |publisher=Marshall Brothers, Ltd. |year=1911 |location=London}}
- {{Cite book |last=Beattie |first=John |url=https://archive.org/details/bunyoroafricanki00beat |title=Bunyoro: An African Kingdom |publisher=Holt, Rinehart and Winston |year=1960 |isbn=978-0305246525}}
- {{Cite book |last=Ogot |first=Bethwell A. |url=https://annas-archive.org/md5/c5e7f48dd8886e1b07369f2ffedf977f |title=History of the Southern Luo |volume=1 |publisher=East African Publishing House |year=1967}}
- {{Cite book |last=Beattie |first=John |url=https://archive.org/details/nyorostate0000beat |title=The Nyoro State |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1971 |isbn=9780198231714}}
- {{Cite book |last=Nyakatura |first=John W. |url=https://www.bunyorokitarausa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Anatomy-of-an-African-Kingdom-A-History-of-Bunyoro-Kitara-by-J.W.Nyakatura.pdf |title=Anatomy of an African Kingdom: A History of Bunyoro-Kitara |publisher=NOK Publishers, Ltd. |year=1973 |isbn=0-88357-025-4 |editor-last=Uzoigwe |editor-first=Godfrey N. |edition=English |location=New York City, New York, USA |language=en |translator-last=Muganwa |translator-first=Teopista}}
- {{Cite book |last=Apuuli |first=David Hihumuro |url=https://www.nzdl.org/cgi-bin/library?e=d-00000-00---off-0unescoen--00-0----0-10-0---0---0direct-10---3-------0-1l--11-en-50---20-about---00-0-1-00-0-0-11----0-0-&a=d&c=unescoen&cl=CL1.10&d=HASHc3697d0c37be5024d365b7.1 |title=A Thousand Years of Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom - The People and the Rulers |publisher=Fountain Publishers |year=1994}}
- {{Cite journal |last=Wrigley |first=C.C. |year=2012 |title=The Story of Rukidi |journal=Africa: Journal of the International African Institute |volume=43 |issue=3|page=219–235|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/africa/article/abs/story-of-rukidi/C556CDC2AA790E964BAE9AAE77030523}}
- {{Cite journal |last=Jendia |first=Catherine |year=2019 |title=The cultural factor in conflict management/resolution: A case study of the Acholi of Northern Uganda |journal=African Journal of History and Culture |volume=11 |issue=2|page=15–25|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332449593_The_cultural_factor_in_conflict_managementresolution_A_case_study_of_the_Acholi_of_Northern_Uganda}}
{{refend}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Isingoma Rukidi Mpuuga}}