History of Karegyeya Rock in Ntungamo District.
On the road leading to Rukungiri, Karegyeya Rock is in Karegyeya Village, Kinoni Parish, and Ntungamo sub-county, just 3 kilometres (1 mile) outside of Ntungamo Town.
The legend of this intriguing rock is based on some local customs of the Ancient Bachwezi, who are thought to have been demigods who assumed human form yet never perished.
The Karegyeya Rock, also called Eibare Rya Karegyeya in the local dialect, is in Karegyeya hamlet, just over a mile outside of Ntungamo, on the road leading to Rukungiri, a two-street hilltop town. The myth of the rock includes regional customs about the ancient Bachwezi, demi-gods who assumed human form but merely vanished into the underworld without dying. They were regarded as the original, traditional kings of the Kitara empire, a likely legendary country that ruled over parts of present-day Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda (including Ntungamo) in the 14th and 15th centuries. The Batembuzi, a dynasty established by Ruhanga, the creator, were said to be linked to the Bachwezi. According to mythology, Isaza, the final Batembuzi ruler, wed and had a child with Nyamata, the daughter of Nyamiyonga, the king of the underworld. Afterwards, Nyamiyonga would seek revenge on King Isaza for trying to trick him over a contract and luring him into the underworld, from which he would never be allowed to return to the world of man.
Rumours of fires seen at night coming from the rocks, with ashes and worldly possessions scattered about them before daybreak, have led to the belief that the Karegyeya Rock forms an entrance to this underworld and that the Bachwezi still live there. There is also a legend of a big snake that hides behind Karegyeya Rock to keep the inhabitants away and stop them from learning more about its secrets. There is a lake inside the belly of a serpent so big that, should the rock ever be shattered, the lake's waters will spill out and ruin the surrounding land like a dam.
To keep the villagers at bay and keep them from learning the Karegyeya Rocks' secrets, there is also a myth about a massive snake that prowls beneath the rock.
It is reported that this snake's stomach contains a lake that is so big that, should the rock ever be removed, the waters from the enigmatic lake will likewise burst forth and obliterate the surrounding land, much like a dam collapsing.
In the morning, when no one knew who possessed it, it is also said that individuals would find food and money inside the Rock.
Karegyeya Rock is now a well-liked stopover for Uganda safaris traveling to western and southwest locations including Queen Elizabeth National Park, Mgahinga, and Bwindi Impenetrable. They are perfect for cultural tours, geological research, and research projects in Uganda, nevertheless, because they are always chosen by tourists who want to learn about the ancient lives of early man, particularly the Bachwezi.
The Bachwezi were one of the most well-liked and esteemed ancient rulers of the Chwezi Empire/dynasty, which ruled over nearly half of the nation, particularly the central, southern, and western areas. Myths claim that the Kitara and Chwezi Empire fell because it was prophesied that it would do so following the death of the sacred cow Bihogo, and that is precisely what happened. It is worthwhile to explore this location during Uganda safaris because of all the fascinating things it has to offer