Social, economic and Political Organization of the Ethnic Groups

Roles of leaders of different ethnic groups. 

• Leaders settled disputes among the people. Societies had different conflicts which were solved by cultural leaders.
• They protected people in their communities. Leaders played a big role of ensuring that their people are safe.
• They united people. They ensured that cultural ceremonies performed brought people together.
• They preserved their cultures. They were the symbols of the cultural values so they stood to protect them.
• They encouraged people to work hard, have enough food and wealth. They mobilised people to participate in communal work which benefited everybody.
• They ensured peace, law and order in their communities.

Social organisation of ethnic groups.
Pre-colonial societies in Uganda had different social identities for example, languages spoken, names, customs, values, totems and games.

Most Bantu especially Baganda and Basoga, children belonged to the clan of their father unlike other tribes. Names were given according to the clan of the father.

The main language spoken also had idioms, proverbs, riddles which emphasised morals and good behaviours.

Soothsayers and medicine people were also respected because they would foretell what would happen in the future, good or bad things. This helped people to be prepared for uncertainities.

Most ethnic groups would allow men to marry more than one wife but not marry within their lineage or that of their mother. 

This practice was also common among the Langi and Acholi.

All clans in Buganda and other tribes have totems. A totem is an animal, bird, plant or any other object that is respected by a clan. It is a symbol. Clan members do not eat, destroy or kill a totem of their clan.

Different societies had games which they participated in as a form of entertainment for example Baganda had wrestling which is still popular even today, board games (omweso) which was introduced by the Bachwezi is also popular today among many communities in Uganda.

Values are important things in life. Things we believe in and stand for. There are several types of values. Some of them are personal, family or community values for example; Personal include, cleanliness, dignity, respect, helpfulness, honesty, trustworthiness, patience and sharing.

Family include, respect, God fearing, trust, hardworking, love, appreciation, joy, self reliance and care. Community include, values for work, law abiding, togetherness, responsibility, independence and co-operation.

Importance of social norms.

(i) Promote morals and good behaviour which society accepts for a responsible member. 

(ii) Promote unity among people. Conflicts tend to affect development and peace, society approves togetherness. 

(iii) Strengthen our cultures and relationships. The way of bringing up children, dressing, performing cultural ceremonies is important for a harmonious living. 

(iv) Guide people to follow acceptable standards of the community. Social norms give direction of how people should associate with others in society. 

(v) People develop the sense of belonging. It is good to know your family background and protect its values.

Practicing social norms of ethnic groups 

Each Ethnic group practiced social norms according to their customs. People practice social norms such as:

Naming children, long ago our ancestors named children according to time, place, season or month. Sometimes children were named because of the clan lineage or social event of the time. Today, children are named depending on either tribe, clan, meaning or history of great men and women in the country or world. 

Marriage; In the past girls and boys were prepared for marriage by either the uncle, aunt or fathers. They were taught how to behave, work, respect and treat one another. 

The parents used their family friends and relatives to identify a suitable partner. 

Circumcision; This cultural practice is mainly common among the Bagisu and Sabiny. Boys between the age of 12 and 16 years are circumcised to prepare them for adulthood and become full members of the society. This ceremony binds the community and families together. Other social norms include, enthroning cultural leaders, initiation to adulthood among others.

Relationships
Relationships mean the way in which two or more people or groups behave towards each other. There were many ways through which people used to interact with each other, for example they interacted through different social gathering such as; burial ceremonies, games such as wrestling, harvesting of crops, worshipping their gods, buying and selling of commodities, hunting of wild game, marriage ceremonies and communal activities such as cleaning water sources and maintaining roads.

Types of relationships. 

There were relationships by blood. Specific families or clans gathered and celebrated together when a new member of the family was born that was an occassion to welcome him/ her.

Peer relationship: This is where people of the same age group performed certain functions or activities together for example they participated in games. People in the same age bracket would perform activities which suit their interests for proper up bringing.

Marriage: Girls and boys were prepared for marriage. Family members identified suitable partners for them. A special ceremony was organised to approve the marriage.

Today it is known as "Introduction", It is practiced among many communities such as the Baganda,Basoga, Banyankole, Iteso, Alur among others.

Economic activities of different ethnic groups.
Pre-colonial societies in Uganda carried out various economic activities. Most of them practiced crop farming, reared animals and others participated in trade of some kind. They used to exchange items with other communities in order to get what they could not produce.

The word exchange means giving one thing for another. Bartering means exchange of one product for another. Barter trade is the exchange of goods for goods or goods for services.

Crafts means types of work done by hand. Craftsman refers to a person who is an expert in using his/her hands to make different items. People of long ago made clothes out of bark trees, animal hides and skins and grasses.

Others were mining salt, making pots, bows and arrows, and spears which they exchanged to get items they did not produce. Metal tools were also made out of Iron, these included hoes and shields.

Barter trade was the commonest form of trade until the time when foreigners such as Arabs and Europeans came. They later introduced money called Cowrie shells and rupees. People exchanged items such as cattle, goats, sheep, grain food (millet, sorghum), metal tools like hoes, shield, bark cloth and salt.

There was also long distance trade. It was called long distance trade because people travelled long distances to get the items of trade they needed.

The people involved in long distance trade included the 

Baganda and Banyoro of Uganda, Yao and Nyamwezi of Tanzania, Akamba of Kenya and Arabs. The items of trade were; Ivory tusks and slaves, Mirrors, salt and bark cloth, Porcelain plates, cups, Guns, gun powder, imported clothes among others.