144 km west of Kampala, you find Mubende town, but on Boma hill, 4km from Mubende town you find the traditional worship site of the Nakayima tree- Pterigota Mildbreadii. This tree has been in existence for more than 500 years and was named after a priestess – Nakayima, who used to guard the Mubende Hill which was dedicated to Ndahura, the first Muchwezi ruler.
The bachwezi (plural of Muchwezi, for our non Ugandan readers) kings ruled Bunyoro-Kitara Empire from 1225 to 1500 A.D.
The surrounding people still believe that the spirit of Ndahura dwells here and many people flock to this site to consult Nakayima on various matters such as sickness, wealth and political. And of course the tourists come too the site.
People go to Boma hill to make sacrifices to this big and tall Nakayima Tree, which has 16 buttresses (walls) namely, Nakaima (3), Ndahura (4), Nabuzana, Nalongo ( with breasts and umbilical cord), Ssalongo, Kiwanuka, Musoke and Kaliisa. Permission to enter the walls is granted by one Nantale, who is believed to be possessed by the Nakaima spirit. She then hands you over to caretakers (who are Nakayima’s descendants) to lead you within the tree’s walls. If you intend to visit this historical shrine, I caution you to take enough money to offer! Each and every buttress you enter, you have to pay money and offer coffee berries and in return, it is alleged you receive luck and blessings. One of the caretakers, John Lubega who has been in this place for some 62 years, said that not only native people visit the site, but also foreigners enter the walls asking for fortunes.
Nakayima the priestess commanded a lot of respect and people revered her because of her magical powers. However, when Christianity and Islam came to Uganda, Nakayima was tortured by colonialists and eventually fled to Fort Portal with her cattle and migrated there. Nalubega Restetuta, another caretaker, said that these colonialists managed to take Nakaim’s photograph which now is on display in the Uganda Museum in Kampala. Nakayima died in Fort Portal and her body was brought back to Kapanda, Mubende on Buyaga/Karuguza road, where a monument was erected and still exists.
People flock there for worship and rituals. They take with them among other things fruits, beef and milk for offering. This therefore wipes away the belief that Nakayima never died but disappeared and her mausoleum is nowhere to be seen.
