• The Banyankole

The Banyankole

The Banyankole are an ethnic group located in the Southwestern region of Uganda. Originally part of the Ankole Kingdom, the Banyankole migrated to and settled in Uganda between the 10th and 15th Centuries. The Banyankole people primarily speak Runyankole but may also be fluent in other Bantu languages such as Rukiga, Runyoro, and Rutooro. The village of Kyabanyoro is located in the northern part of the Ntungamo district in southwestern Uganda, approximately 55km from the city of Mbarrara. Kyabanyoro is a farming community specializing in cattle production, banana plantations, millet, and coffee. The landscape is covered in green rolling hills that are often covered by mist during morning hours.

Celebrating Cultural Heritage

Explore a collection of videos showcasing the wisdom of Elders as they guide and share their heritage through feedback on the play Nyantahi, traditional riddles, and storytelling from the Banyankole..

Kyabanyoro: Land and Life

Discover Kyabanyoro through a series of photographs showcasing its scenic landscapes, the community’s elders, a new school, the Ndere troupe, and the rhythms of daily life in this vibrant region.
  • Cows - a form of currency.
  • Farmhouse.
  • Farmhouse.
  • Farmhouse.
  • Fish farm.
  • Goats - a form of currency.
  • Kyabanyoro landscape.
  • Kyabanyoro landscape.
  • Kyabanyoro landscape.
  • Kyabanyoro landscape.
  • Kyabanyoro landscape.
  • Kyabanyoro landscape.
  • Kyabanyoro landscape.
  • Kyabanyoro landscape.
  • Kyabanyoro landscape.
  • Kyabanyoro landscape.
  • Kyabanyoro landscape.
  • Matoke (green banana).
  • Meeting with the Elders.
  • Meeting with the Elders.
  • Meeting with the Elders.
  • Meeting with the Elders.
  • Meeting with the Elders.
  • Meeting with the Elders.
  • Meeting with the Elders.
  • New school - Head teacher.
  • New school.
  • New school.
  • New school.
  • Old school house.
  • Old school house.
  • Rehearsing with the Troupe.
  • Rehearsing with the Troupe.
  • Rehearsing with the Troupe.
  • Rehearsing with the Troupe.
  • Road to the new school.
  • Traditional hut.
  • Traditional hut.
  • Traditional hut.
  • Youth centre in Itojo.

Voices of the Banyankole: Tales, Riddles, and Proverbs

a collection of Banyankole's treasured oral traditions, featuring stories, riddles, and proverbs that reflect the wisdom and culture of the community.
The Singing Sack
A curious boy disregards his father’s advice and encounters a menacing beast that takes him captive. The boy is forced to entertain villagers as the "singing sack," but his clever mother has a plan to save him
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Nyamurunga The Beautiful Loyal Friend
Mubi discovers a mysterious egg and decides to bring it home despite warnings from his friend, Nyamurunga. As time passes, the egg hatches into an unusual creature, and Mubi’s decision leads to unforeseen dangers that threaten his family
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Kinyonyi Kirungu
After her mother’s death, Kinyonyi Kirungu is raised by a jealous stepmother who becomes determined to hide her beauty. When the stepmother devises a cruel plan involving fishermen and a mysterious tree by the lake, Kinyonyi Kirungu’s fate takes a dark turn
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The Beautiful Milk Pots
After his three sisters are kidnapped by rebels, Rumanzi embarks on a journey to find them, carrying three stunning milk pots that everyone admires. As he searches village by village, his determination grows stronger. Along the way, the beautiful pots may hold the key to their reunion.
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Nzinzi and Nziima
In a seemingly happy home, Nzinzi and her step-sister Nziima share a bond until jealousy disrupts their lives. When Nziima becomes the target of malicious envy from her stepmother and aunt, she is hidden away in a swamp, and only Nzinzi's unwavering love can save her.
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Nyantahi: The Fearless Warrior
Nyantahi, a strong-willed girl from Rukwanzi village, desires to join the hunter-warriors and protect her people from a deadly leopard. Though dismissed for being a girl, she secretly trains with her brother Kahigi. When the leopard returns, Nyantahi must face the beast in a life-changing encounter.
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The Beautiful Daughter
Beautiful Bird, Nyabwicara
In a village, a young girl is left all alone after the tragic deaths of her entire family. As she blossoms into a beauty admired by all, suitors begin to flock to her door. But without family to guide her, she seeks advice in an unexpected place—her mother’s grave. As she pours out her heart in a sorrowful song, a voice answers.
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A man named Mubi leaves his family to work as a herdsman, but one day he brings home a mysterious egg found in the bush. While he’s away, the egg hatches into a terrifying beast that devours his children, livestock, and brings chaos to the village. Desperate for help, the villagers send a small, beautiful bird to find Mubi and deliver a grave message.
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Bugaaju Burungi
In a quiet village, Bugaaju Burungi Buriza’s beauty was unmatched. Suitors came one after another, sending her brother Nshorore to call her from the garden. But each time she sang back, refusing them—the parish worker, the district man. Then, a king arrived. This time, her answer was different.
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Runyankore Riddles
In this session of Kinyankore riddles. Someone sets a question and the others think about it If they know the answer, they answer, if they don’t know they yield by giving that person a cow (figuratively.) and the person that asked the question gives them the answer.
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