A growing body of evidence is pointing conservationists back to culture, after a PhD candidate at Nkumba University argued that Buganda’s long-held totemic traditions could hold the key to reversing Uganda’s wildlife decline.
Joseph Muyiira, who successfully defended his doctoral research during a viva voce today, says indigenous belief systems, once dismissed as outdated, remain a powerful but underutilized tool in modern conservation.
Presenting his study, “Totemic Practices and Wildlife Conservation in Uganda: A Case of Selected Clans in the Buganda Kingdom,” Muyiira told examiners that traditional clan totems have historically regulated human interaction with nature, embedding conservation within everyday life. “Totemic practices foster a strong sense of responsibility among communities, where certain animals and plants are regarded as sacred and are therefore protected,” Muyiira said during the defence.
His research, conducted across the Buganda counties of Mawokota, Busiro and Buddu, found overwhelming community support for integrating indigenous knowledge into formal conservation systems. More than 97 percent of respondents, he noted, backed community-based conservation approaches, while nearly all agreed that indigenous environmental education could strengthen wildlife protection efforts.
Historically, totemism has been central to Buganda’s social and ecological systems. Each clan is associated with a specific animal or plant, known as ‘omuzizo’, which members are forbidden to harm or consume. These taboos, enforced through cultural norms and spiritual beliefs, inadvertently created a traditional conservation framework.
“In the past, adherence to these norms ensured the protection of wildlife species,” Muyiira explained, adding that such practices helped sustain biodiversity long before the advent of formal conservation policies.
Scholars have long noted that totems function not only as symbols of identity but also as instruments of environmental stewardship. Among the Baganda, harming a clan totem was considered a serious cultural offence, effectively safeguarding species and their habitats across generations.
However, Muyiira warned that modernization, urbanization and economic pressures are weakening these cultural safeguards. Expanding agriculture, industrialization, and illegal wildlife trade have accelerated habitat destruction and species loss across Uganda.
Reports indicate that wildlife populations in the country have sharply declined, with some species facing local extinction due to poaching and environmental degradation. “Many of these traditional systems are eroding, yet they once provided a very effective conservation model,” Muyiira noted.
Uganda’s current conservation framework, largely enforced through statutory bodies such as the Uganda Wildlife Authority, has made strides in protected areas. But gaps remain, particularly outside national parks, where community involvement is limited.
Muyiira’s study proposes a hybrid approach, blending indigenous knowledge with scientific conservation strategies. He developed what he terms the Totemic Integration Practices Model (TIPSM), which advocates collaboration between cultural institutions, government agencies, and local communities. “Integrating totemic practices with modern conservation strategies creates a more holistic and sustainable approach,” he said.
The research highlights key areas for action, including strengthening partnerships with traditional leaders, promoting indigenous environmental education in schools, and incentivising communities to protect totem species and habitats.
Experts say such approaches are gaining global attention, as conservationists increasingly recognize the value of community-led and culturally grounded solutions.
Muyiira’s findings echo a broader shift in conservation discourse, one that acknowledges that local knowledge systems can complement scientific methods rather than compete with them. “By leveraging cultural values, beliefs, and norms, conservation efforts can resonate more deeply with communities,” he said, adding that this could improve compliance and long-term sustainability.
As Uganda grapples with biodiversity loss, the study offers a reminder that some of the most effective solutions may not be new, but rooted in traditions that have endured for centuries.