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52-399: Clans reproduce their notion of an independent court called koti using an abridged legal doctrine of separation of powers, and partially mimicking lower level government(local councils) and judicial features. The koti conflates executive and judicial functions, furthermore, legal qualifications are largely irrelevant. The composition of the koti aims to achieve age and gender parity through

104-474: A forested area as a defence against attacks from Bantu neighbours who had already settled there. Unlike some other small Luo tribes, this self-imposed isolation helped them to maintain their language and culture amidst Bantu and Ateker communities. Those Luo who proceeded their migration eastwards into present day Kenya and Tanzania are the JoLuo (commonly referred to only as Luo). Legend has it that Owiny,

156-528: A grassy region that is flat and virtually treeless. During the rainy season, this area floods, so that much of it becomes swampland with various channels of deep water running through it. The Anuak who live in the lowlands of Gambela are Luo people . These have accused the current Ethiopian government of encroachment. The government's oppression has affected the Anuak's access to education, health care, and other basic services, as well as limiting opportunities for

208-407: A history of 'cycles of revenge and mistrust'. Deep-rooted divisions and polarization remain between different ethnic groups, and these have been greatly exacerbated by the way in which the country’s leadership has developed since independence." Milton Obote , the first leader after independence, relied on Acholi Luo people and Langi Nilo Hamites or Ateker peoples in government. Idi Amin who

260-454: A new sociopolitical order developed among the Luo of Northern Uganda, mainly characterized by the formation of chiefdoms headed by Rwodi (sg. Rwot, 'ruler'). The chiefs traditionally came from one clan , and each chiefdom had several villages made up of different patrilineal clans. By the mid-nineteenth century, about 60 small chiefdoms existed in eastern Acholi-land. During the second half of

312-431: A reconciliation ceremony to restore the killer to the community, and to bring peace between clans. In addition, the people have important rituals for cleansing homes and sites, to welcome back people who have been away a long time, to clear spirits from places where killings have occurred, and to welcome people who have been captive. The system values peace over justice, and has retributive and restorative aspects. Most of

364-792: A thickly forested area as a defence against attacks from Bantu neighbours who had already settled there. This self-imposed isolation helped them maintain their language and culture amidst Bantu and Ateker communities. Those who went further a field were the Jo k'Ajok and Jo k'Owiny. The Ajok Luo moved deeper into the Kavirondo Gulf; their descendants are the present-day Jo Kisumo and Jo Karachuonyo amongst others. Jo k'Owiny occupied an area near Got Ramogi or Ramogi hill in Alego of Siaya district. The Owiny's ruins are still identifiable to this day at Bungu Owiny near Lake Kanyaboli . The other notable Luo group

416-570: A variety of food crops, including millet , simsim , groundnuts, peas, sorghum and vegetables. In war, the men used spears and long, narrow shields of giraffe or ox hide. During Uganda's colonial period , the British encouraged political and economic development in the south of the country, in particular among the Baganda . In contrast, the Acholi and other northern ethnic groups supplied much of

468-539: Is a misnomer that became adopted for convenience over the years. It refers to people known locally as Luo Gang . That is why the Lango neighbors refer to the Acholi as Ugangi, meaning people of the home. The presumed nominal forebears of the present-day Acholi group migrated South to Northern Uganda from the area now known as Bahr el Ghazal in South Sudan by about 1,000 AD. Starting in the late seventeenth century,

520-399: Is built between the two families. Thereafter, the boy's parents constantly visits the girl's family and ceremonies are organized. Once the girl's parents agree to a hand in marriage, the father of the boy puts a bracelet on the girl's wrist to show she is booked for marriage. Once the boy reaches 18 years and the girl reaches 16 years, the boy's parent shows his son the home of the girl. The boy

572-409: Is culturally appropriate for their local African context. The Jopadhola arrived in southeastern Uganda in the 16th century during the long journey Luo migration from Egypt . They first settled in central Uganda, but gradually moved southwards and eastwards. Their kin who settled northern and central Uganda are Acholi and Alur populations, who speak languages similar to Dhopadhola. They settled in

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624-592: Is expected to go and bring the girl home, a matter that needs force to be applied in case of resistance. Kwar Adhola Moses Stephen Owor is the current king (His Highness) for the Adhola people. Jopadhola speak a language which is mutually intelligible with Acholi language , Alur language of Uganda and Dholuo language of Kenya. They call their language Dhopadhola. The prefix dho means "language of" and jo means "people of". The infix pa means possessive 'of' – hence Jopadhola means people of Adhola, and Dhopadhola

676-672: Is the Omolo Luo who inhabited Ugenya and Gem areas of Siaya district. The last immigrants were the Jo Kager, who are related to the Omollo Luo. Their leader Ochieng Waljak Ger used his advanced military skill to drive away the Omiya or Bantu groups, who were then living in present-day Ugenya around 1750AD. Between about 1500 and 1800, other Luo groups crossed into present-day Kenya and eventually into present-day Tanzania . They inhabited

728-571: The Bahr el Ghazal area in the early centuries of the second millennium AD (about eight hundred years ago). A further division within the Northern Luo is recorded in a "widespread tradition" in Luo oral history : the foundational figure of the Shilluk (or Chollo) nation was a chief named Nyikango , dated to about the mid-15th century. After a quarrel with his brother, he moved northward along

780-676: The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) led by Joseph Kony , an Acholi from Gulu . The activities of the LRA have been devastating within Acholi-land (though they spread also to neighboring districts and countries). In September 1996, the Ugandan government moved hundreds of thousands of Acholi from the Gulu district into camps, ostensibly for their protection. Since 1996 this policy has expanded to encompass

832-742: The Nilotic group of people. The Nilotes had separated from the other members of the East Sudanic family by about the 3rd millennium BC. Within Nilotic, Luo forms part of the Western group. Within Luo, a Northern and a Southern group is distinguished. Dholuo is part of the Southern Luo group. Northern Luo is mostly spoken in South Sudan, while Southern Luo groups migrated south from

884-598: The districts of: It encompasses about 28,500 km (11,000 square miles) near the Uganda-Sudan border. Its current population is estimated to be around 2,155,000 individuals, or six percent of the total national population. While Acholi also live north of the South Sudanese border, the Sudanese Acholi are often excluded from the political meaning of the term "Acholiland". The word 'Acholi'

936-755: The western branch of the Nilotic language family . The Luo groups in South Sudan include the Shilluk , Anuak , Pari , Acholi , Balanda Boor , Thuri and Luwo . Those in Uganda include the Alur , Acholi , Jonam and Padhola . The ones in Kenya and Tanzania are the Joluo (also called Luo in Kenyan English). The Joluo and their language Dholuo are also known as the "Luo proper" by Kenya based observers, even though their dialect has more Bantu loan words than

988-578: The 18th century, other Luo-speaking people moved to the area that encompasses present-day South Sudan, Northern Uganda, and North-Eastern Congo (DRC) – forming the Alur , Jonam and Acholi . Between the middle of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century, some Luo groups proceeded eastwards. One group called Padhola (or Jopadhola - people of Adhola), led by a chief called Adhola, settled in Budama in Eastern Uganda. They settled in

1040-451: The Acholi soldiers who made the ranks were Gen. Tito Okello -Lutwa, Brig. Pyerino Okoya and Lt. Gen Bazilio Olara-Okello . Due to a changing economy, after the 1950s, fewer Acholi were recruited to the armed forces but continued to be associated with them in popular mythology and stereotypes. In the 2000s, James Ojent Latigo described some of Uganda's social problems as based on the way the political elites have used ethnicities to divide

1092-472: The Acholi sub-region, each established peace forums for continuing discussions. In addition, the peace forums have worked to help establish the Amnesty Commission. They have also "played a vital role in Acholi traditional reconciliation processes and in preparing the community to receive former combatants." In discussing the peace talks of 2005–2007, Latigo noted leaders who called for a revival of

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1144-589: The American charity Invisible Children produced a documentary about the LRA. The documentary was met with mixed reactions, with many people familiar with the situation dubbing it a shallow and money-grabbing scheme. However, it successfully popularized the LRA in the West. In 2016, the multi award-winning film, A Brilliant Genocide was produced. It was filmed by Australian director Ebony Butler, Simon Hardwidge and Ugandan author Frey Onen. The documentary focused on

1196-502: The Joluo also known as the Luo . The Song of Lawino , one of the most successful African literary works, was written by Okot p'Bitek , published in 1966 in Acholi, and later translated to English . Acholi land or "Acoli-land" (also known as the Acholi sub-region) refers to the region traditionally inhabited by the Acholi. In the administrative structure of Uganda , Acholi is composed of

1248-497: The LRA returnees, numbering 12,000, underwent nyono tong gweno ('stepping on the egg') after returning to their home villages, to help restore them home. It is important because it is intended to restore communities to balance, and to bring people back into relation in their home communities, where ideally they would return at the end of the war. Purifications or atonement practices are still performed by Acholi elders in some communities. The religious leaders have tried to help end

1300-827: The NRA soldiers and government. This resulted in resistance building up in the region and soon a host of rebel groups sprang up in the north. Most prominent among them was the Uganda People's Army (UPA) in Teso and Lango sub region, the West Nile Bank Frontiers (WNBF) in the West Nile region, the Uganda People's Democratic Army , the Holy Spirit Movement and the LRA in the Acholi region. These rebellions sprung up in defiance and from disapproval of

1352-453: The Nile and established a feudal society. The Pari people descend from the group that rejected Nyikango. The Anuak are a Luo people whose villages are scattered along the banks and rivers of the southwestern area of Ethiopia, with others living directly across the border in South Sudan. The name of these people is also spelled Anyuak, Agnwak, and Anywaa. The Anuak of South Sudan lives in

1404-427: The appointment of youth and women representatives. The election of office bearers is based on fulfilling social obligations to kin through meritocracy, and to protecting of the clan from evil through ritual ( chowiroki ). Dr. Maureen Owor argues that given the fact that the court and litigants are personally acquainted as kin, Jopadhola clans appear to have created an "expanded" notion of "judicial" independence – one that

1456-666: The area of Bunyoro . These Luo settled with the Bantu and established the Babiito dynasty, replacing the Bachwezi dynasty of the Empire of Kitara . According to the legends, Isingoma Mpuga Rukidi (Grandson to Labongo), the first in the line of the Babiito kings of Bunyoro-Kitara , was the twin brother of Kato Kimera, the first king of Buganda . These Luo were assimilated into the Bantu's society and lost their language and culture. Later in

1508-532: The area on the banks of Lake Victoria . According to the Joluo , a warrior chief named Ramogi Ajwang led them into present-day Kenya about 500 years ago. As in Uganda, some non-Luo people in Kenya have adopted Luo languages. A majority of the Bantu Suba people in Kenya speak Dholuo as a first language and have largely been assimilated. The Luo in Kenya , who call themselves Joluo ("people of Luo"), are

1560-526: The conduct and legitimacy of the new NRA government. Some of the groups in Acholi, like the UPDA, detested the Museveni regime because it had overthrown the government in which they served. They were also against the power consolidation approach of the NRA, which included mass arrest, torturing, killing, cattle raiding, food crop destruction, and looting and burning of villages. The NRA managed to defeat all

1612-604: The conflict in the country of the last two decades and to reconcile the parties. "In 1997, the Catholic, Anglican, Muslim, and later the Orthodox religious leaders of Acholi formalized their increasing cooperation on peace issues by setting up the Acholi Religious Leaders' Peace Initiative (ARLPI)." They have continued to work to end the war through negotiation. Kitgum , Pader and Gulu, the three districts of

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1664-451: The country. After defeating Okello and his Acholi-dominated Uganda National Liberation Army , now-President Yoweri Museveni and his National Resistance Army conducted revenge killings in the North. Museveni has held absolute power since 1986, surviving unrest, civil war, and numerous attempts at coups. The Acholi are known to the outside world mainly because of the long insurgency of

1716-593: The country. He has noted that the emphasis on the distinction among ethnic groups has even been part of the internal government dialogue." He wrote, "Part of the structural causes of the conflict in Uganda has been explained as rooted in the 'diversity of ethnic groups which were at different levels of socio-economic development and political organization.' (Ugandan Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Internal Affairs 1997.) He has written further, "Since independence in 1962, Uganda has been plagued by ethnically driven, politically manipulated violence referred to by some as

1768-611: The development of the area. The Acholi also spelt Acoli, another Luo people in South Sudan, occupy what is now called Magwi County in Eastern Equatorial State. They border the Uganda Acoli of Northern Uganda. The South Sudan Acholi numbered about 10,000 on the 2008 population Census. In the 1500s, a small group of Luo known as the Biito-Luo (Paluo), led by Labongo encountered Bantu-speaking peoples living in

1820-534: The districts of Agago , Amuru , Gulu , Kitgum , Nwoya , Lamwo , Pader and Omoro District . The Acholi were estimated to number 2.3 million people and over 45,000 more were living in South Sudan in 2000. The Acholi dialect is a Western Nilotic language, classified as Luo (or Lwo). It has similarity with Alur , Padhola language, and other Luo languages in South Sudan Shilluk, Anuak, Pari, Balanda, Boor, Thuri. Then in Kenya and Tanzania are

1872-416: The entire rural Acholi population of four districts, one million people. These camps had some of the highest mortality rates in the world, with an estimated 1,000 people dying per week at one point with Malaria and AIDS being the primary disease causes of deaths. The refugees in the camps were also subject to raids by both LRA and government forces. At the height of the insurgency, 1.8 million people in

1924-696: The fourth largest community in Kenya after the Kikuyu , Luhya and Kalenjin . In 2017 their population was estimated to be 6.1 million. In Tanzania they numbered (in 2010) an estimated 1,980,000 [1] . The Luo in Kenya and Tanzania call their language Dholuo , which is mutually intelligible (to varying degrees) with the languages of the Alur, Acoli, and Padhola of Uganda, South Sudan and Jo Nam or Alur of Congo. The Luo (or Joluo) are traditional fishermen and practice fishing as their main economic activity. Other cultural activities included wrestling (yii or dhao) kwath for

1976-537: The junta government of Gen. Tito Okello-Lutwa in Uganda was overthrown by Museveni and his NRA rebels. Tito and Bazilio, who were Acholi by tribe, fled the country into exile. Soon after, the NRM started pacifying the northern region, which is home to several ethnics, including the Acholi and Lango. The attempt to pacify the Northern Uganda was carried out recklessly with much brutality and unprofessionalism from

2028-472: The language of the Jo'padhola. Luo (family of ethnic groups) The Luo (also spelled Lwo ) are several ethnically and linguistically related Nilotic ethnic groups that inhabit an area ranging from Egypt and Sudan to South Sudan and Ethiopia , through Northern Uganda and eastern Congo (DRC) , into western Kenya , and the Mara Region of Tanzania . Their Luo languages belong to

2080-556: The largest single ethnic group in East Africa. This includes peoples who share Luo ancestry and/or speak a Luo language. Acholi people The Acholi people ( / ə ˈ tʃ oʊ . l i / ə- CHOH -li , also spelled Acoli ) are a Nilotic ethnic group of Luo peoples (also spelled Lwo ), found in Magwi County in South Sudan and Northern Uganda (an area commonly referred to as Acholiland ), including

2132-576: The leader of the Kenyan Luo was the brother of Adhola the leader of the Jopadhola who decided to settle in Tororo instead of going along with his brother towards Kenya and Tanzania. The Jopadhola marriages were arranged and men were not expected to hunt for women. As soon as a father bore a baby boy, his responsibility was to look for a parent with a new born baby girl where a strong relationship bond

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2184-673: The national manual labor and came to comprise a majority of the military, creating what some have called a "military ethnocracy ". Many of the Acholi soldiers who joined the Kings African Rifles (KAR), the British colonial army, were deployed to the frontlines in southeast Asia especially in Singapore and Burma during the World War II where they held British positions against an intense Japanese offensive. Notable among

2236-593: The nineteenth century, Arabic -speaking traders from the north started to call them Shooli , a term which was transformed into 'Acholi'. Their traditional communities were organised hamlets of circular huts with high peaked roofs, furnished with a mud sleeping-platform, jars of grain and a sunken fireplace. Women daubed the walls with mud, decorating them with geometrical or conventional designs in red, white or grey. The men were skilled hunters, using nets and spears. They also kept goats , sheep and cattle . The women were accomplished agriculturists, growing and processing

2288-431: The north were living in camps . Peace talks beginning in 2005 promised some relief to these people, and some camps were closed in 2007 as security in the north improved. As of September 2009, large numbers of Acholi people remained in camps as internally displaced persons . The long civil war in the North destroyed much of their society. The majority of elected members of parliament in the Acholi sub-region are members of

2340-522: The opposition. According to the 2002 Census of Uganda an estimated 72.3% of Acholi are Roman Catholic , 23.6% are Anglican , 1.7% are Pentecostal and 0.8% are Muslim . According to Latigo, prior to colonialism, "the Acholi people maintained a traditional government that was rooted firmly in their religious beliefs, norms, and customs, which demanded peace and stability in Acholi-land at all times, based on their philosophy of life. This structure

2392-492: The rebel groups except the LRA which culminated in a 20-year conflict. At the peak of the conflict, 90% of the Acholi population moved into IDP camps designed as protected villages. The camps caused misery and suffering—with a conservative death toll of 1,000 people a week. Conservative approaches estimates that at least 300,000 people died in the conflict that extended into the Sudan, Congo and Central African Republic. In 2012

2444-457: The rest. The level of historical separation between these groups is estimated at eight centuries. Dispersion from an alleged Nilotic core region in South Sudan is presumed to have been triggered by the turmoil of the Muslim conquest of Sudan . The migration of individual groups over the last few centuries can to some extent be traced in the respective group's oral history . The Luo are part of

2496-721: The traditional processes of the indigenous people by which they worked for accountability and justice, namely, mato oput. Ruhakana Rugunda , the Ugandan minister of internal affairs and leader of the government negotiating team, noted the effectiveness of the traditional system. He and others have suggested it could help the nation more than adopting the Western system of the International Criminal Court at The Hague (although some charges had already been filed against LRA leaders in 2005 there). Lamogi Rebellion Acholi Civil war (1986-1989) In January 1986,

2548-578: The young boys aged 13 to 18 in their age sets. Their main rivals in the 18th century were the Lango, the Highland Nilotes, who traditionally engaged them in fierce bloody battles, most of which emanated from the stealing of their livestock. The Luo people of Kenya are nilotes and are related to the Nilotic people. The Luo people of Kenya are the fourth largest community in Kenya after the Kikuyu and, together with their brethren in Tanzania, form

2600-605: Was also from Northern Uganda, although one of the Kakwa people , overthrew Obote's government and established a dictatorship, ultimately suppressing and killing 300,000 people, including many Acholi. General Tito Okello was an Acholi who came to power in a military coup but was defeated in January 1986. Despite the years of leadership by men from the North, that region continued to be marginalized economically after independence, and has suffered higher rates of poverty than other areas of

2652-454: Was maintained by the real anointed chiefs of the Acholi, the rwodi moo. " Although they were believed to have supernatural powers, the chiefs ruled through a Council of Clan Elders, so they never ruled singlehandedly. The council's representatives could mediate issues between clans, and essentially covered both civil and criminal functions, like a Supreme Court. It was a system of governance fully integrated with their religion and cosmology. It

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2704-420: Was not until 1995 that a constitutional reform recognized such cultural leaders, but they have not been fully restored to previous powers, as so much of society has changed. In the pre-colonial era, all the Acholi believed in the same superior being, YA Latwer. Killing of a person was prohibited but if it took place, negotiations for blood money were led by the victim's family, with agreement followed by rituals of

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