Nyakagyera Cave: Kabale’s historical site

Nyakagyera, the stone cave in Kabale, holds the history of the battles between Bakiga and the neighbouring tribes.

Nyakagyera cave and rock beneath Kabaraga (the highest point overlooking Kabale Town), is located at Omwibare in Nyakagyera Parish, Kyanamira Sub-county, Kabale District. The cave is located about 14 km north of Kabale Town.

One may either hire a taxi or take a boda boda to get to this forgotten yet significant historical site. The road to the cave is so poor that at some point you have to walk or drive through waterlogged areas. When you reach Kigezi College Butobere Secondary School, there will still be nine kilometres left to get to the rock.

Clay moulding, charcoal stove making, women digging and animals grazing are the common sites on the journey. At the bottom of Kabaraga Hill, the big cave stands, 10metres a way from the nearest homestead. The cave appears like a neglected mine field. It is as spacious as a three-bedroom house or bus garage. As you enter, bats and small birds fly out; It’s dull and threatening.

The threat of Marburg virus associated with bats, which claimed lives in Kabale recently may frighten one from entering the cave. It only takes a brave heart.

A hit on the floor produces a drum like sound. Shrubs have grown to cover its entrance and eucalyptus trees cover the hill it supports. Below it, lies a reclaimed wetland which hosts vegetables, Irish potatoes, fruits and root tubers gardens.

The village, where the cave lies, was named Omwibare (stone) after the stone cave. Very few people in Kabale know about the cave that has stood for generations.

Dinah Kajura, a resident of the area, says they don’t know much about its history and it is not of any big significance.

“What we know about the rock are stories that the early man used to stay there, every person who comes here, even Whites, ask us how it came to exist. For us, we do not know anything; we do not even need to know much,” she says.

She says very many people come to see the cave especially students, during their study times and some White tourists who are guided to the rock by local people.

According to Omugurusi Festo Karwemera, 87, the author of Kigezi Nabyamwo Kuruga omu gwa 1500 (the history of Kigezi from 1500) , it was inhabited by early man. Batwa people took over but were driven away to the forests by cattle keepers and finally the Bakiga took over.

Although the history of Kigezi before 1500 is not explicit because it was not written down, Karwemera says, there were several fights between emigrants for occupation of Kabale. The current day Kabale was first called Kangyenzi (land of lakes) and later Kigyezi (of a big lake). Because of the culture of fighting with stones, the place was later called Kabale. A Runyankole-Rukiga word for a place dominated by stones.

The earliest inhabitants of Kabale stayed in the current day Omukibare (of stone) in Muko Sub-county while others stayed near Lake Bunyonyi. From up the hills, they would throw stones at the animals in the lower places which they would kill and eat or gather fruits in the upper parts of the hill.

They would then move to Nyakagyera Cave where they would feast as they congratulated hunters. The cave later became a political centre for clan leaders and warriors resisting newcomers from Rwanda and other places.

“While we don’t have clear evidence on these facts, we believe that the stories our forefathers have told us that the first people here stayed in caves,” says Karwemera

“They were originally the Batwa (Pygimies) they were chased by Bahima (cattle keepers) who were later chased by the Bakiga that came with modern war technologies,” he adds.

The battle for the stony land
In the fight for the land, Bahima would graze their cows in Bakiga’s gardens. Then, the Batwa would hunt down the Bahima’s cows. Bahima took refuge in places like Rujumbura in Rukungiri and Mburara (Mbarara) where they later settled. Bakiga remained in Kabale.

History has it that all the wars took place in places between Muko and current day Kigezi College Butobere, where the last bunch of the Bahima lived after they were chased from parts of current day Rugarama and Makanga Hill.

The victory of Bakiga clans over other tribes in Kabale is very significant as they were the most fought tribe. But because their invaders came from the south (mainly Rwanda), they succeeded. They would climb up, to the top of Kabaraga hills above Nyakagyera Cave and throw stones downwards to the invading army. Those who would not be killed would be captured and initiated into Kikiga culture. This happened until the invasion of Kahaya Rutindangyezi from Nkore in the 1600s that ruled part of the central Kigezi areas between current day Rwentobo and Bukinda but could not cross the hills of Kabaraga to the other part of Kabale.

However, friendly tribes like the Bazigaba came from Rwanda and settled with the resistant Bakiga. When White men (Belgians, Germans and the British) came to the land, they called the area Kabale. This was because the inhabitants fought using stones, hid in the stone caves and the giant stones at Makanga Hill where Whites established their administration offices.

Patrick Kanyankore, 45, a businessman from the area, has known the cave from childhood. “The cave was deeper when we were growing up. But due to erosion, soil has filled the base. If it can be beautified, it would look pretty. There is nothing being done to make it a tourist centre, maybe we may see it in future,” Kanyankore says.

Bright future
Emmanuel Muranga, a registrar at Kabale University, is setting up a hotel in the neighbourhood. This could in future open tourism opportunities at the cave.

More than 600 people live in the village which is one of the most populated in the sub-county. Julius Barusya, a traditionist, cultural investor and dramatist, who represents Kamuganguzi Sub-county at Kabale District council, says there is a need to rediscover history and promote cultural tourism in the area.

“We are only depending on Lake Bunyonyi for our tourism in the district. We asked to employ a tourism officer who would discover all these places, the district told us they cannot recruit. Our history is rich, our culture is richer, I think we are missing a lot in not formalising these places,” he says.

He argues that the investment in such virgin places can create revenue for the district and the residents in the neighbourhood.

editorial@ug.nationmedia.com