Tooro Kingdom

The Tooro Kingdom^[a] is a Bantu kingdom located within the borders of Uganda.^[1] The current Omukama of Tooro is King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.^[1] King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV took to the throne of Tooro kingdom in 1995 at the age of just three years, after the death of his father Omukama Patrick David Matthew Kaboyo Rwamuhokya Olimi III on August 26, 1995, at the age of 50.^[1][2]

Kingdom of Tooro Obukama bwa Tooro (Tooro)
Flag
Anthem: "Agutamba"
Location of Toro (red) in Uganda (pink).
Capital	Fort Portal
Official languages	Rutooro, English
Ethnic groups	many ethnicities but the indigenous are; Batooro, Bakonzo, Babwisi, Bamba
Demonym(s)	Tooro
Government	Constitutional monarchy
• Omukama	Rukidi IV
• Omuhikirwa (Prime Minister)	Steven Kiyingi
Independence
• from the Kingdom of Bunyoro	1830, 1876
• Monarchy abolished	1967
• Monarchy reinstated	1993
Currency	Ugandan shilling
Time zone	UTC+3 (EAT)
Calling code	256

Tooro
Person	Omutooro
People	Abatooro
Language	Orutooro
Country	Obukama bwa Tooro

Tooro Palace

Parliament of Tooro Kingdom

The original Kingdom of Tooro (red) and its districts. Lake Victoria and other bodies of water are shaded blue.

The people native to the kingdom are the Batooro, and their language is likewise called Rutooro.^[1][3] The Batooro and Banyoro speak closely related languages, Rutooro and Runyoro, and share many other similar cultural traits.^[3] The Batooro live on Uganda's western border, south of Lake Albert.^[1]

History

The Tooro Kingdom evolved out of a breakaway segment of Bunyoro sometime before the nineteenth century.^[4] It was founded in 1830 when Omukama Kaboyo Olimi I, the eldest son of Omukama of Bunyoro Nyamutukura Kyebambe III of Bunyoro, seceded and established his own independent kingdom.^[3][1] Absorbed into Bunyoro-Kitara in 1876, it reasserted its independence in 1891.

As with Buganda, Bunyoro, and Busoga, Tooro's monarchy was abolished in 1967 by the Government of Uganda, but was reinstated in 1993.^[1]

Aerial view of the Tooro Palace at Karuzika Hill overlooking Fort Portal Town

Cultural influence

Main articles: Friedensreich Hundertwasser and Empaako

The Austrian painter Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928–2000) spent some time there in the 1960s where he painted a number of works and named them after the kingdom.^[5][6]

The Batooro people have a strong culture but similar in stratification to Banyoro.^[2] They have got a strong cultural naming system (PET NAME) known as Empaako.^[7][8] With the Empaako naming system, children are given one of twelve names shared across the communities in addition to their given and family names.^[8][9] Addressing someone by his or her Empaako is a positive affirmation of cultural ties. It can be used as a form of greeting or a declaration of affection, respect, honour or love.^[8][7] Use of Empaako can defuse tension or anger and sends a strong message about social identity and unity, peace and reconciliation.^[8][10] The Empaako names are: Amooti, Abbooki, Akiiki, Ateenyi, Adyeri, Atwoki, Abwoli, Araali, Acaali, Bbala, and Okaali.^[8][10][9]

Abakama ba Tooro (Kings of Tooro)

The following is a list of the Abakama of Tooro since 1800:

1. Olimi I: 1822–1865
2. Ruhaga of Tooro: 1865–1866
3. Nyaika Kyebambe I: 1866–1871 and 1871–1872
4. Rukidi I: 1871
5. Olimi II: 1872–1875
6. Rukidi II: 1875–1875
7. Rububi Kyebambe II: 1875 and 1877–1879
8. Kakende Nyamuyonjo: 1875–1876 and 1879–1880
9. Katera: 1876–1877
   1. Interregnum, reverted to Bunyoro: 1880–1891
10. Kyebambe III: 1891–1928
11. Rukidi III: 1929–1965
12. Olimi III: 1965–1967 and 1993–1995
    1. in pretence: 1967–1993 (monarchy abolished)
13. Rukidi IV: 1995–present (monarchy reinstated)

See also

• Omukama of Tooro
• Omukama of Bunyoro
• Bunyoro Kingdom
• Kingdom of Buganda
• Princess Elizabeth of Tooro

Bibliography

• Ingham, Kenneth. The Kingdom of Tooro in Uganda. London: Methuen, 1975.

Notes

1. /ˈtɔːroʊ/, Tooro pronunciation: [tóːɾo]