Meaning: Little House The word “Nyakaju” means “little house” as opposed to “Nyaruju” which means the “big or main house.” This is in the context of the traditional Ankole kraal and homestead. The Banyankole, like many tribes built houses made with thick wooden columns as pillars that held up the structure and used reeds and grass to thatch roofs. In the early to mid 20th century, as Ugandans began to modernize their lifestyles, they started building their homes using permanent materials like brick and mortar and roofing with corrugated iron sheets. The house structure was usually a simple bungalow with living space at the front and bedrooms at the back. The house would provide a large living & dining room furnished with wooden chairs and a number of bedrooms for the extended family members.

However, in this evolving culture they kept the Nyakaju at the back of the house in the compound. This space served as the domain for the mother and women of the home, where they went about their chores and cared for the children. The Nyakaju was built as a simple round grass thatched house with a large fire place in the center of the hut that gave warmth to the family in the evening time. During the day, the mother would clean the milk gourds (ebyanzi) and keep milk for the making of yoghurt, ghee and a white sauce called eshabwe which is a delicacy in the Banyankore culture. The milk gourds were stored on a wide platform called Orugyeegye in the Nyakaju. The Nyakaju would not be used for cooking as this was reserved for the kitchen or cooking area usually in a separate structure.

In the evening, the father and male children would join the mother, girls and any visitors around the fire in the Nyakaju to relax, tell stories and teach songs, poetry that praises cows, riddles, rhymes and pass on oral history and traditions. In the Nyakaju the family made and shared priceless memories that the children would carry with them all their lives. Today, family life is much altered, many of our rich traditions have been lost and families must compete with the television and a plethora of other modern gadgets to have time together. We have more means of communication, but not as much depth of connection with others. Many families do not cherish the old traditions and the lessons that they taught. None the less those families that treasure their traditions endeavor to keep some elements of the culture alive to give the next generation a keyhole opportunity to witness and understand their history and where they come from.