Ekisaakaate

Origins and revival

In pre-colonial Buganda, an ekisaakaate was a royal enclosure surrounded by papyrus reeds where kingdom chiefs prepared young men for leadership. These traditional schools taught crafts like blacksmithing, hunting, and pottery alongside kingdom governance. The practice waned after British colonial rule took hold in the late nineteenth century and vanished when kingdoms were abolished in 1966. Following the restoration of Buganda in 1993, Queen Sylvia Nagginda revived the retreat in the mid-2000s under the Nnabagereka Development Foundation. Her modern version opened the custom to both boys and girls between six and eighteen years old.

What participants learn

During the retreat, young people known as abasaakaate study ancestral customs alongside practical modern disciplines. Teachers instruct them in Buganda courtly manners, such as kneeling while offering greetings, as well as patriotism and the moral philosophy of obuntu bulamu. Hands-on lessons cover bark cloth fabrication, basket weaving, traditional pottery, and preparing dishes such as oluwombo. Evenings bring folk singing, dancing, and traditional board games like Omweso. Modern elements, including self-defence through karate, mental health sessions, and personal budgeting workshops, are also integrated into the training schedule.

Camp life and calendar

The retreat takes place twice every year during primary and secondary school breaks. The January session serves local students following the national examinations calendar, while the July camp welcomes youth from the international diaspora. Large editions often draw hundreds of children to host schools in places like Gayaza and Luweero. Beyond artisan crafts, the curriculum emphasizes social bonding, discipline, and self-reliance. Organizers encourage families to reinforce these newly acquired domestic and social habits when children return home.

How Ekisaakaate is kept

Participants gather at a designated school for an intensive multi-week residential camp. Under the guidance of skilled instructors, young attendees practice traditional courtesies, learn folk dances, and play strategy games such as Omweso. They participate in practical workshops making bark cloth, weaving baskets, and shaping pottery, as well as cooking regional food. Kingdom leaders and the Nnaabagereka attend launch ceremonies and closing events to review student achievements and encourage disciplined community life.

When and where

The retreat is held twice a year. The main two-week gathering takes place during the January school break for local students, while a second session runs in July for youth travelling from the international diaspora.

Ekisaakaate takes place across the Buganda Kingdom in the Central Region of Uganda. Camps are hosted at regional boarding schools such as those in Gayaza and Luweero, with major ceremonial events launched at royal sites in Mengo.

What Ekisaakaate means

The enclosure represents a nurturing sanctuary where ancestral knowledge and the principle of obuntu bulamu are handed down. Historically a reed-fenced compound where chiefs developed future leaders, it symbolizes continuity, kingdom resilience, self-reliance, and respect for royal heritage across changing times.

Questions people ask about Ekisaakaate

See also

EkisaakaateA Buganda youth retreat teaching traditional manners, crafts and life skillsGomesiA floor-length, brightly coloured dress tied with a sash, worn by women in UgandaKwanjulaA formal marriage introduction ritual of the Baganda people in Uganda, where families meet to exchange gifts and seek blFantasy coffinsCustom hand-carved burial caskets shaped as animals, tools and symbols in southern Ghana

Good reading and sources

• Ekisaakaate on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-05.