{{Infobox ethnic group | group = | native_name = Abatooro | native_name_lang = Orutooro | flag = Flag of the Tooro Kingdom.svg | flag_caption = Flag of the Tooro Kingdom | image = Tooro couple.JPG | image_caption = | image_alt = | total = 810,708<ref>{{cite web |title=Uganda |url=https://minorityrights.org/country/uganda/ |website=World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples|date=19 June 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Uganda Bureau of Statistics |title=National Population and Housing Census 2014 - Main Report |url=https://www.ubos.org/wp-content/uploads/publications/03_20182014_National_Census_Main_Report.pdf}}</ref> | total_source = | total_ref = | genealogy = | regions = {{flagcountry |Uganda}} | languages = Rutooro and English | religions = Christianity, Tooro Religion, Islam<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ubos.org/wp-content/uploads/publications/03_20182002_CensusPopnCompostionAnalyticalReport_(1).pdf|title=Population Composition|website=ubos.org|access-date=7 August 2023}}</ref> | related_groups = other Rutara people (Banyoro, Banyankole, Bakiga, Bahema, Bahaya and Baruuli) | footnotes = }} {{Infobox ethnonym|person='''Omu'''tooro|people='''Aba'''tooro|language='''Oru'''tooro|country='''Obukama bwa''' Tooro|Tooro|root=Tooro}}
The '''Tooro people''' ({{IPAc-en|'|t|ɔː|r|oʊ}}; {{langx|ttj|Abatooro}}, {{IPA|ttj|aβatóːɾo|}}), also known as '''Batooro''' or '''Toro people''' are a Bantu ethnic group, native to the Tooro Kingdom, a subnational constitutional monarchy within Uganda.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=9 December 2014| url=http://www.torokingdom.org/people.htm|date=|last=Toro Kingdom|publisher=Torokingdom.org|title=The People of Toro}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Toro {{!}} History, Culture & Traditions {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Toro-people |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=bwindigorilla |title=batooro traditional dance {{!}} Africa Safari Guide |url=https://www.bwindiugandagorillatrekking.com/tag/batooro-traditional-dance/ |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=Bwindi Forest National Park |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=gorillatrekking |date=2019-05-17 |title=Batooro and their culture - uganda cultural tours, uganda safaris |url=https://www.gorillatrekkingtoursandsafaris.com/batooro-and-their-culture/ |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=Gorilla Trekking Tours & Safaris |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Religion==
According to the 2002 Census of Uganda 48.8% of Batoro are Roman Catholic, 30.8% are Anglican (Church of Uganda), 7.3% follow other religions and 5.4% are Muslim and 5.2% are Pentecostal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ubos.org/wp-content/uploads/publications/03_20182002_CensusPopnCompostionAnalyticalReport_(1).pdf|title=Population Composition|website=ubos.org|access-date=7 August 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-03 |title=The spread of Catholicism in Tooro from 1895 -1961 |url=https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/the-spread-of-catholicism-in-tooro-from-1895-1961-3836712 |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=Monitor |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-05-21 |title=History of Tooro |url=https://kitararcc.com/history-of-tooro/ |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=Kitara Foundation for Regional Tourism |language=en}}</ref>
==Population== {{as of|December 2014}} the following administrative districts constitute the Tooro Kingdom: (a) Kabarole District (b) Kamwenge District (c) Kyegegwa District and (d) Kyenjojo District. Those four districts had a combined total population of about 1 million people, according to the 2002 national population census.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.ubos.org/onlinefiles/uploads/ubos/pdf%20documents/abstracts/Statistical%20Abstract%202013.pdf|last=UBOS| title=2013 Statistical Abstract. Includes Corrected 2002 Census Data By District|date=August 2013|publisher=Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS)|accessdate=9 December 2014}}</ref>
== Clans == Tooro people are divided into individual clans, and most Tooro clans have a totem which spiritually represents them.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Clans & Totems – Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom (Official Website) |url=https://bunyorokitarakingdom.org/clans-totems/ |access-date=2024-01-13 |language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241107140321/https://bunyorokitarakingdom.org/clans-totems/|archive-date=7 November 2024}}</ref>
== Culture == Since Fort Portal Tourism city is the headquarter of Tooro Kingdom, the area has two inscribed elements of Empaako<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ich.unesco.org/en/USL/empaako-tradition-of-the-batooro-banyoro-batuku-batagwenda-and-banyabindi-of-western-uganda-00904|title = UNESCO - Empaako tradition of the Batooro, Banyoro, Batuku, Batagwenda and Banyabindi of western Uganda|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260302032437/https://ich.unesco.org/en/USL/empaako-tradition-of-the-batooro-banyoro-batuku-batagwenda-and-banyabindi-of-western-uganda-00904|archive-date=2 March 2026}}</ref> and Koogere oral traditions<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ich.unesco.org/en/USL/koogere-oral-tradition-of-the-basongora-banyabindi-and-batooro-peoples-00911|title = UNESCO - Koogere oral tradition of the Basongora, Banyabindi and Batooro peoples|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260304125711/https://ich.unesco.org/en/USL/koogere-oral-tradition-of-the-basongora-banyabindi-and-batooro-peoples-00911|archive-date=4 March 2026}}</ref> on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Centre |first=UNESCO World Heritage |title=UNESCO World Heritage Centre - List of World Heritage in Danger |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/danger/ |access-date=2024-01-13 |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=UNESCO - Browse the Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage and the Register of good safeguarding practices |url=https://ich.unesco.org/en/lists |access-date=2024-01-13 |website=ich.unesco.org |language=en}}</ref> The Tooro cultural dance is called ''Kinyege''. Another important dance is the Orunyege-Ntogoro, a courtship dance.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://tubayo.com/experience/5f69ace6b864b9004ae8bbf6 |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=tubayo.com |title=Vacation Rentals, Home, Experiences & places }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-01-04 |title=Runyege, Tooro's energetic dance |url=https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/lifestyle/entertainment/runyege-tooro-s-energetic-dance-1525636 |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=Monitor |language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250905121343/https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/lifestyle/entertainment/runyege-tooro-s-energetic-dance-1525636|archive-date=5 September 2025}}</ref> The Tooro have been regarded as uniquely beautiful people.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Everyday |first=Rutooro |title=10 FACTS ABOUT TOORO PEOPLE THAT MAKE THEM UNIQUE! NUMBER 10 WILL SURPRISE YOU! {{!}} Rutooro Everyday in Kampala |url=https://rutooroeveryday.websites.co.in/update/10-facts-about-tooro-people-that-make-them-unique-number-10-will-surprise-you/78563 |access-date=2024-01-17 |website=rutooroeveryday |language=en}}</ref>
== Prominent people == The following individuals are some of the prominent Batooro: # Elizabeth Bagaya - She is a lawyer, politician, diplomat, model and actress. She was the first female East African to be admitted to the English Bar. She is a paternal aunt of the current Omukama of Tooro, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV. # Edward Bitanywaine Rugumayo - He is a politician, diplomat, author, academic and environmentalist. Current University Chancellor of Kampala University and of Mountains of the Moon University # Brigadier Nobel Mayombo (1965–2007) - He was military officer in the UPDF and a Member of Parliament (MP). # Andrew Mwenda - Journalist and entrepreneur. Founder and owner of The Independent, a current affairs newsmagazine. # Brigadier Kayanja Muhanga - He is an army officer. He currently serves as the '''Commander of the UPDF Contingent in South Sudan'''. He was appointed to that position in January 2014 by General Yoweri Museveni, the Commander in Chief of the UPDF and the President of Uganda.<ref>{{cite web|title=Colonel Kayanja Promoted to Rank of Brigadier|url=http://www.independent.co.ug/ugandatalks/2014/02/s-sudan-operations-commander-promoted/|publisher=The Independent (Uganda)|date=10 February 2014|last=Administrator|accessdate=9 December 2014|archive-date=10 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310113753/http://www.independent.co.ug/ugandatalks/2014/02/s-sudan-operations-commander-promoted/|url-status=dead}}</ref> # Professor John Ntambirweki - A lawyer, academic and academic administrator. He is the current Vice Chancellor of Uganda Pentecostal University, a private university, located in Fort Portal, Western Uganda. # Dr. Godfrey Bahiigwa - Economist and entrepreneur. Director of Agriculture and Rural Development at the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
==See also== * Bunyoro * Buganda * Busoga * Tooro Kingdom * Buganda * Gisu * Acholi * Ankole
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/599961/Toro Toro People]
{{Ethnic groups in Uganda}} * {{authority control}}
Category:Tooro people Category:Bantu peoples Category:Ethnic groups in Uganda