Origin

The Baruuli originated from present day Cameroon and settled in Kyope, which is part of present-day Kibanda, Maruzi and Oyam counties in Masindi and Apac districts. The Baruuli were originally known as Baduuli (or boasters). They used to boast of their wealth, which consisted of herds of cattle, sheep and goats. They boasted of having huge stocks of millet granaries and being a more hard-working community than the neighbouring tribes. By being in possession of such wealth they boasted that their region could never experience famine, or be short of wealth to pay dowry.

They lived in villages with the clans forming the nucleus. Each village was inhabited by a different clan. For example, Nakitoma village was inhabited by Bagonya clan, Kamunina village was inhabited by Baboopi clan, Busone village by Baigembe clan, Kikurubyo village by Bakurubyo clan, and Waiyala village by Ababwijwa. The original clans in Buluuli were Baranzi, Bagabu, Bainda, Basiita and Abacwezi. Other clans emerged later. Today there are over 130 Baruuli clans. Each clan had a respectable leader, usually a wise elderly man. Like it was all over Bunyoro-Kitara, clan leaders were believed to possess some supernatural powers. The societal hierarchy was that below the clan leader were adult males followed by women and children. A clan was distinguished by a common ancestry, a clan god, a clan spirit or omusambwa, a common totem which could be an animal, a bird or a plant and specific rituals and traditions.

While in Kyope, they were affected by slave trade which forced them to migrate. Some of them settled in Nakasongola, others in Bugerere. Those who settled in Bugerere became the Banyala. Some Baruuli went to the shores of Lake Albert and are now called the Bagungu. Those who went to Busoga are the Balamogi and the Basiki. There is another group that went as far as Tanzania.

The Baruuli worshipped Kankya, Katonda, Ruanga (God) through a number of deities such as Rubanga, Kyomya, and Nyabuzana. The mediums for these deities were usually males although in some clans female deities existed. Baruuli believed that deities were custodians of the welfare of their clans. There were deities for health, fertility, rain, wildlife, lakes and rivers. The deities were symbolised by terrestrial and celestial objects like the sun, mountains, hills, and lightning. The deities were African and black. But white deities surfaced during the Abacwezi.

There was also worshipping of spirits known as Misambwa. Each clan had its own musambwa, which they believed was responsible for the welfare and security of the clan Misambwa were believed to live on hills. Examples of the hills on which there lived misambwa are: Mbalye hill for Bandya clan, Waiyala hill for Babwijwa clan, Kagerikanyamusumba Hill for Bawuli clan and Kaisagara.

Naming

The Baruuli named their children according to an event in a household, weather conditions and circumstances. If a family got a visitor who was a Muganda and a child was born during that visit, that child was named Muganda. If a family was prosperous and is now facing misfortunes, a child born now would be named Gawera to reflect the circumstances.

Marriage

Marriage among the Baruuli was of two types. The main marriage was called "Kuswera". The parents looked for the bride for their son. Once a son reached a marrying age, the parents went around asking whether there were girls of a marrying age. Once they confirmed that the girls were there, they informed the parents of the girls about their motives. The parents would then reach an agreement. If they agreed to the marriage, the girl's father would set a bride price. The boy's father would bring the items and then a day would be set for him to take the girl.

In the second type of marriage that was opted for by mostly those who were unable to pay bride price, the boys seduced the girls from their grand mothers dwellings from where girls were groomed. Once a girl gave in to the boy's advances and allowed to be married to him, the boy would leave four shillings in the girl's bed and then take her. If the grandmother failed to find the girl and then discovered the money, she would go to the girl's parents and inform them that the girl had been taken. The boy's father would then visit the girl's family and inform them that the girl was in his family. Bride price would be set and paid. failure to pay bride price would bring shame to the boy's family. The items of bride price included malwa (beer), goats and money.

Burial

During burial, the body would be rested in a deep pit, lying on the side, facing the power seat of Bunyoro, to show allegiance. No one was allowed to pour soil on a dead person's heart and forehead. If the head of a household died, a bull and a cock were slaughtered the following day for the mourners to eat. The widow did not bathe or shave their heads until an heir was instated. This period was long since people had to travel to attend the ceremony. The widow spent all of it without bathing. The orphans would walk with no clothes from the waist up, especially the girls.