The Baruuli people live in the western part of Uganda and along the Nile River – Lake Kyoga basin.
They occupy the districts of Hoima, Kibale, and Masindi.
They identify and consider themselves as the Baruuli-Banyara, and attribute their difference in terms of the names of the rivers that separate them.
Here’s an overview of the Baruuli way of life.
Baruuli Family Structure
The Baruuli lived in villages that were inhabited by different clans. Each clan had its village where people lived in harmony and according to traditions.
For example, small clans like Baboopi lived in a village called Kamunina, Busone village was inhabited by the Baigembe clan, and Ababwijwa clan, the Waiyala village.
The clans had a respectable leader who was usually an elderly wise man. A clan was distinguished by common ancestry, clan spirit or totem, and clan god.
Each family was nuclear, comprising a man, wife, and children. The man was the head of the family after the clan leader. A woman was considered second in command after her husband.
Baruuli Clans
The original clans of the Baruuli are Bagabu, Bainda, Baranzi, Basiita and Abacwezi. Unlike other cultures, power among the Baruuli is not hereditary.
Other clans are said to emerge later more than 120, but a few are mentioned. They include Bagonya, Baboopi, Bakurubyo, Baigembe, Ababwijwa, and Busone.
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Baruuli Totems
The Baruuli clans were distinguished by totems that an animal, bird, or plant represented.
Other things that made them different were their unique ancestry, clan god, clan spirit or Omusambwa, and specific rituals and traditions.
Dialects
They speak a language known as Ruuli or Luruuli.
Naming System
Traditionally, the Baruuli named their children according to weather conditions during birth, an event in the household, and after circumstances that occurred during birth.
For example, a child born when the family had a visitor was a given name referring to the visitor.
If the baby is born during a misfortune facing the family, then he or she will be given a name reflecting the circumstance.
Baruuli Marriage/Courtship
Culturally, marriage among the Baruuli was of two types. For one, a man in marriage was known as Kuswera.
This type of marriage involved parents looking for a bride for their son who had reached marrying age.
The parents went around the community asking for girls ready for marriage or of marriage age.
Once they identified a girl, they approached her parents and revealed their intentions. Both parents would then reach an agreement.
If the girl’s parents agree to the marriage, bride price negotiations begin. Dowry was brought to the bride’s family by the groom’s father the following day.
Later, a marriage ceremony was scheduled where the groom took the girl to his home.
The second type of marriage mostly opted by those unable to raise the bride price, involved the boy courting the girl.
The boys seduced the girls from their grandmother's dwelling, where Baruuli girls were raised and taught about marriage.
Once the girl gave in to the boy’s advances and was allowed to marry him. The boy would leave four shillings on the girl’s bed and then take her away.
The grandmother would then fail to locate the girl, but on finding the four shillings, she would go and inform the girl’s parents of their daughter’s disappearance.
The boy’s father would later visit the girl’s parents and inform them that the girl had been taken and was with his family.
The bride's price was set and paid. The dowry included goats, beer, and sometimes money.
Failure to pay the bride price brought shame to the groom’s family. Hence, they upheld their honor by paying the set bride price in full.
Polygamy
The Baruuli society was polygamous. A man was allowed to marry up to six wives.
Marrying many wives was a sign of prestige and wealth among the Baruuli people. A man was given status and respected because of the number of wives.
Gender Roles in Marriage
Roles around the household were defined according to gender among the Baruuli people. Men were the heads of families.
They were the only ones who took up leadership roles. They gave a sense of security and provided for their families.
Women carried out household chores. They also took care of light farm work. Children were cared for and raised by their mothers.
Single Mothers, Widows, and Widowers
Like many African communities, marriage was valued, and a woman was respected if she got married to get children.
Single mothers were not respected and were mostly taken in as second wives or married to those who did not afford to raise dowry.
Widows were taken care of by the deceased brothers and her children. Widowers married again.
Divorce
Divorce was rare among the Baruuli people. It was only allowed in cases of unfaithfulness and bareness.
Inheritance
The eldest son was traditionally the only heir to his father’s property. The society was patrilineal, and the children belonged to their father’s clan.
A son would marry and build a home around the family home.
Death
A burial ceremony among the Baruuli involved certain rituals. When a person died, a deep pit was dug, and he or she was buried lying on the side, facing the power seat of Bunyoro, to show loyalty.
People mourned for a while, and those close to the deceased went through various rituals.
If the head of the family died, a bull and cock was slaughtered for the mourners to eat.
The widow was not allowed to bathe or shave during the mourning period until an heir was instated.
The children of the deceased walked around with no clothes from the waist up to signify mourning.
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