As we had earlier promised our people on how we shall be reading in episodes in order for the readers to learn in steps mostly our youths who haven’t got a chance to know the values of our beautiful culture of Ankore.
Today we’ve decided to bring you the Months and their meanings in accordance with Ankore tradition, culture, and norms respectively beginning with the first months Biruurru-January up to Muzimbeezi-December using episodes. We shall continue teaching the values of our beloved culture until we all know how we missed the ancient life in today’s way of living.
Episode 1: BIRUURRU – JANUARY
For the most part, the derivation of the names of the months is related to natural phenomena and the agricultural life of the community.
BIRUURU/Kahingo refers to okuhinga or cultivation, but the message in the name is “it is time time to plant”. This is the time of planting the major crops, especially Beans. Planting later than this risks crop damage by the Sun. If you missed planting during this month, the elders would warn you that famine was your destiny.
Biruuru refers to enduuru (vocal alarm) that was sounded as a warning about the impending rains. These were our weathermen at work. They would raise the alarm that abaanikyire baaza kujubya, kandi ababagazi barahukye, abashaaruuzi beehuute. (Seeds that were being dried were about to get wet; weeding of the fields needed to be expedited, and harvest of beans and peas was an urgent task before torrential rains began.
Remember the Kingdom(Obugabe) is the only institution together with her King(Omugabe) are concerned in preserving, protect the Ankore tradition, culture, and norms (Obuhangwa, orurimi, emicwe hamwe n’emitwarize yaitu) for the generations to keep the love of their beloved motherland of ancestry and to ensure that they memorize their values.
Thank you for learning.
Rukundo Egumeho.
Ahabwa’Ruhanga nobuhangwa bwangye.