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TheGisu people, orBamasaba people ofElgon, are aBantu tribe[1] and Bantu-speaking ethnic group of theMasaba people in easternUganda, closely related to theBukusu people ofKenya. Bamasaba live mainly in theMbale District of Uganda on the slopes ofMount Elgon. The Bagisu are estimated to be about 1,646,904 people making up 4.9% of the total population according to the 2014 National Census of Uganda.[2][3]
The majority of the Bagisu people are Christians mainlyAnglican (Church of Uganda) estimated at 45.7% while a significant percentage areRoman Catholic estimated at 29.1%. Around 14% of the Bagisu people followIslam according to the 2002 Census of Uganda and 5.3% arePentecostal.[4]
TheMasaba,Bukusu andLuhya people believed that their ancestors were Mundu and Sera.[5] Thepeople of Ethiopia and theEthiopian Highlands have no name for Kundu, except that it is a mountain peak in Oromiya.
The Bamasabaancestor, Masaba migrated from theEthiopian Mountains traveling viaLake Turkana toSironko and settled aroundBududa where he fell in love with aMaasai girl who was known as Nabarwa. Thefamily of Nabarwa demanded that in order for Masaba to marry their daughter he had to undergo their rite of circumcision. He agreed to do so.
Circumcision in Africa is an old culture as practiced by the Bamasaaba in EasternUganda.Theculture of circumcision was adopted by the Bamasaba from their in-laws the Maasai people. The men among the Bagisutribe undergoinitiation ceremonies known asImbalu.[6] The initiation ceremonies among the Bamasaaba are held every two years during August.
Banana is the staple food for the Gisu people. Its commonly referred to as "Matoke"[7]
TheBamasaaba ancestors lived onbamboo shoots also known asMalewa in the Lumasaba language. These bamboo shoots are collected frombamboo trees on top of Mt. Elgon.[8]
Maswahaba's first son with Nabarwa was Mwambu who was nicknamed Nkisu by his Maasai uncles who had stolen his father's cows from him. Masawahaba failed to pronounce the nickname of Nkisu meaning a bull inMaasai language, given to his son hisuncle and he pronounced it as Mugisu.The name Bagisu originated from thenickname Nkisu given to Mwambu by Maswababa's MaasaiBrother-in-law.[9][10]
The Bamasaba speak a dialect of theLumasaba language calledLumasaba, which is fully understandable by other dialects, and is also understood by the Bukusu. The Bamasaba share a lot of things with the Bukusu from Kenya. They share culture and according to the Bukusu the Bamasaba are their real brothers its only the border that divides them.[11][12]
The Bagisu communities are agriculturalists. Those who stay as far as 5000 ft above sea-level grow Arabica coffee, the biggest portion of it being sold to Bugisu Co-operative Union.They also grow other crops like cotton and tobacco, maize, beans, millet, sorghum, yams and cassava.[3]
