Aniceti Kitereza
Encyclopedia
Aniceti Kitereza was a Tanzania
n novelist, was born in 1896 to Muchuma and her husband Malindima in Ukerewe
, Tanzania. He was the grandson of the king Machunda from the Silanga clan of the island of Ukerewe in the lake Victoria
. In 1945, he wrote the famous novel Myombekere na Bugonoka na Ntulanalwo na Bulihwali in his native language, Kikerewe.
. Kitereza and his mother then went to live at the court of the Omukama
. Mukaka, who brought up Kitereza as one of his own children. Determined to learn the secrets of white man's power and knowledge, Mukaka sent his sons and the sons of his close relatives to study with white missionaries at the Roman Catholic Mission School in nearby Kagunguli village. In contrast, other kings and traditional rulers elsewhere in the colony sent the sons of their slaves and servants to school in place of their own sons to avoid the contamination of the white man's religion and education. Kitereza began schooling at Kagunguli Mission in 1905. There he was baptized and given the Christian name of Aniceti.
Two years later, in 1907, King Mukaka died and was succeeded by his son Ruhumbika who encouraged Kitereza to leave Kagunguli in 1909 to pursue further schooling at the Rubya Roman Catholic Seminary in today's Kagera Region
near the Uganda
n border. Kitereza studied at the Rubya Seminary for ten years advancing to senior seminary and mastering Latin
, the medium of instruction in Roman Catholic seminaries. He learned Greek
, a requirement of the classical education of the seminary as well as German
, the language of the colonial masters. Kitereza also learned Swahili
, the African language used as the lingua franca
by Arab traders, slavers, and the coastal middlemen. Kitereza also learned English after German defeat in the World War I
. In addition to the languages, he studied theology
and philosophy
as part of his Roman Catholic priesthood training.
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
n novelist, was born in 1896 to Muchuma and her husband Malindima in Ukerewe
Ukerewe Island
Ukerewe is the largest island in Lake Victoria and the largest inland island in Africa, with an area of approximately 530 km². Part of Tanzania, and location of the Ukerewe District, it is situated 45 km north of Mwanza to which it is linked by ferry, but a shorter vehicle ferry crossing of only...
, Tanzania. He was the grandson of the king Machunda from the Silanga clan of the island of Ukerewe in the lake Victoria
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. The lake was named for Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, by John Hanning Speke, the first European to discover this lake....
. In 1945, he wrote the famous novel Myombekere na Bugonoka na Ntulanalwo na Bulihwali in his native language, Kikerewe.
Life
In 1901 when Kitereza was a young boy of five, his father died of smallpoxSmallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
. Kitereza and his mother then went to live at the court of the Omukama
Omukama
Omukama: often translated as "king", Mukama means in Bantu something like "superior milkman/milkbringer". The title "Omukama" is used in the region of Uganda and neighbouring countries, especially in the kingdoms of "Bunyoro" and "Toro"...
. Mukaka, who brought up Kitereza as one of his own children. Determined to learn the secrets of white man's power and knowledge, Mukaka sent his sons and the sons of his close relatives to study with white missionaries at the Roman Catholic Mission School in nearby Kagunguli village. In contrast, other kings and traditional rulers elsewhere in the colony sent the sons of their slaves and servants to school in place of their own sons to avoid the contamination of the white man's religion and education. Kitereza began schooling at Kagunguli Mission in 1905. There he was baptized and given the Christian name of Aniceti.
Two years later, in 1907, King Mukaka died and was succeeded by his son Ruhumbika who encouraged Kitereza to leave Kagunguli in 1909 to pursue further schooling at the Rubya Roman Catholic Seminary in today's Kagera Region
Kagera Region
Kagera Region is located in the northwestern corner of Tanzania. Bukoba, Kagera Region's capital, is a fast growing town situated on the shore of Lake Victoria. Bukoba lies only 1 degree south of the Equator and is Tanzania's second largest port on the lake. The region neighbors Uganda, Rwanda and...
near the Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
n border. Kitereza studied at the Rubya Seminary for ten years advancing to senior seminary and mastering Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, the medium of instruction in Roman Catholic seminaries. He learned Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
, a requirement of the classical education of the seminary as well as German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, the language of the colonial masters. Kitereza also learned Swahili
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
, the African language used as the lingua franca
Lingua franca
A lingua franca is a language systematically used to make communication possible between people not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both mother tongues.-Characteristics:"Lingua franca" is a functionally defined term, independent of the linguistic...
by Arab traders, slavers, and the coastal middlemen. Kitereza also learned English after German defeat in the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. In addition to the languages, he studied theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
as part of his Roman Catholic priesthood training.
Works
- Mr. Myombekere and His Wife Bugonoka, Their Son Ntulanalwo and Daughter Bulihwali: The Story of an Ancient African Community (ISBN 9976686382) (2000)