THE WANGA KINGDOM.

 The wanga kingdom was the only centralized mornarchy in the area of modern kenya.
 The founders of the wanga area the group of bahima from the Chwezi empire.
 They moved from western Uganda eastwards into kenya and settled at imanga hill,by
about 1500ad
 The Chwezi however,were not the earliest or the only centres in this territory.
 The area was inhabited by different groups of people but the largest single group was the
luyia,who were of the bantu origin.others included the Kalenjin and the maasai.
 By 1750, the luo had also moved into thr area.it was thus amelting pot of different
cultures but the bantu culture was dominated.
 Between 1550 and 1650, newsettlers arrived,led by wanga.they settled in the territory
peacefully.wanga united the five clans;the buka,runga,shikao,kolwe and shitsetse
clans.the latter became the traditional rurling clan.the abashitsetse dynasty replaced the
hima dynasty in the 17th cenyury.
ORGANISATION OF THE WANGA.
Political organization:
 The wanga kingdom was acentralised monarchy under aking known as nabongo.
 Nabongo had absolute powers:he could appoint officials and dismiss them at his own
will.
 He also made military decisions and had power over life and death.
 The kins position was hereditary upon the death of the king he could be successeded by
his eldest son or close relative.
 Items of regalia like shields,spears and drums were used to symbolize the kings authority
and to give him prestige.
 The king was helped by the various officials and administration.these included the prime
minister who was the head of the hierarchy of chiefs.he also advised theking and ensured
that his policies were implemented his officials.
 Ther was acouncil of elders which advised the king on matters of administration,security
and justice.
 The kingdom was divided into five clans, which made the administration.
 Each clan was headed by amember of the hima clan.
 The clan leaders played an advisory role, collected taxes AND MAINTAINED
justice,law and order.
 The judicial system,the king judged major offences while minor crimes were delted with
by the chiefs.
 The kingdom had astrong standing army for the purpose of defending and expanding its
territory.
 The chiefs had the role of mobilsing able-bodied men to to serve in the army.yhe army
commander was appointed by the king.
 The army used spears,bows,arrows for defence and lator guns obtained from the swahil
and arab traders.
Social organization:
 The luyia lived in small villages grouped into administrative units.
 Each village consisted of about 500 members and was under achief who had political and
religious powers.
 Politically,he was an administrator and ajudge.
 He also ensured that taxes were collected and law and order were maintained.
 His religious role included presiding over cultural or religious ceremonies.
 Clans were an important part of the luyia society.
 Clans were made up of agesets. youth of the same age group were ininitiated at the same
time.
 Marriage within the same clan was forbidden because clan members were reffered to as
relatives.
 The luyia believed in the existence of asuprime being,whom they reffered to as (WERE)
 They also had lesser gods and spirits that they worshipped.
 They communicated with “were”.through the spirits of their ancestors and with the help
ofvthe diviners.
 Shrines were built for worship and offering sacrifices to the gods.
 The king and his chiefs presided over various religious and cultural rituals such as
coronation, cleansing and harvest rituals.
 Communal work was encouraged among the wanga.activities like farming,building as
well as ceremonies like initiation, marriage and funeral rites involved the whole
community.
 The villages and clans created asense of unity among the people.
 The wanga used to wear cow and goat skins.
 Therev was division of labour,with the men clearing land,building houses and
granaries ,hunting and fishing,while the women did the cultivation,made beer and took
care of the homesteads.
Economic organization:
 Cultivation was the main economic activity among the wanga.
 Crops like cereals potatoes,beans and other vegetables were grown.
 Cattle,sheep and goats were reared and poutry were kept.
 Fishing was also carried out to supplement on their diet.
 Other activities included hunting for meat and skins.elephants were hunted for ivory at
the coast.this became an important activity in the 19th century as aresult of the high
demand for ivory at the coast.
 They carried out trade with their neiughbouring societie such as the masa:exchanging
foodstuffs and ivory for cattle and iron products.
 They also traded with the coastal swahils and arsb traders bringing in guns,glassware and
other manufactured.
 The wanga on the other hand exported ivory and slaves.
 The luyia home were also reach in items like pots,baskets,stools,grindingstones and
calabashes which made them self sufficient
 Qtn.how was the wanga kingdom of the luyia organized in the 19th century.