69-694: Shilluk may refer to: the Shilluk Kingdom the Shilluk people the Shilluk language Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Shilluk . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shilluk&oldid=933125624 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
138-756: 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 the Acholi soldiers who made the ranks were Gen. Tito Okello -Lutwa, Brig. Pyerino Okoya and Lt. Gen Bazilio Olara-Okello . Due to
207-420: 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 the country. He has noted that the emphasis on the distinction among ethnic groups has even been part of
276-425: A conflict of allegiance between their podh leader and the leader of their Kwar . Originally, Nyikang gave each lineage a podh as its home territory. If this line still exists, it is considered the owner of the land and its members are known as dyil . The other lines living in the area from later migrations are known as wëdhdh . If the ruling dyëll family dies out, the rights go to the second-oldest lineage in
345-462: A federation. In the latter context, pödhø refers to a group of villages inhabited by several lineages which unite for mutual defense under a single leader. This federation of hamlets is the basis of Shilluk social structure. The region has over 100 pödhø . Before and during the British colonization, these lineages united against the threat of tribal wars. However, during peacetime the communities dissolved because of internal strife; many people faced
414-451: A gourd. When it was torn, a man named Kolo (Köölø, Pöölø) arose. Kolo fathered Omaro (Omaarø), who fathered Wat Mol (Wäd Möölø), who fathered Okwä. Okwa was said to have visited a riverbank and saw two beautiful young women, Nyakayo (Nyikaayø) and Ongwak, coming out of the water. They had long hair, and part of their bodies was crocodile-shaped. Okwa grabbed them, and took them by force; their screams alerted their father, Dunyel Ju'Okwa, who
483-407: 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
552-812: A monopoly on economic resources and trade. This consolidation is primarily due to the military success of the Shilluk King Dhokoth ( c. 1670–1690). Looting continued upstream along the White Nile in Dinka territory and westward to the Nuba Mountains . In 1684, a drought destroyed the Shilluk crops. Driven by hunger, many men took up arms and went down the river to the Arabized peoples of present Sudan . These lootings were orchestrated from
621-431: 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
690-462: A single dynasty or several Reth coexisted. If the latter, there may have been a dozen different dynasties. Between the reign of King Odak Ochollo ( c. 1600–1635) and 1861, the Shilluk tried to expand their northern border militarily. The portion of the valley of the White Nile between the villages of Muomo and Asalaya was unfavourable for agriculture; however, the northern savannah provided an abundance of game, fish and honey. To control trade on
759-405: 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 a variety of food crops, including millet , simsim , groundnuts, peas, sorghum and vegetables. In war,
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#1732765839212828-441: A variety of sorghum , made them a relatively prosperous agricultural people except during prolonged droughts. In 2005 Shilluk population was estimated at 1.7 million; during the nineteenth century they were estimated at 200,000, living in hundreds of villages. The kingdom was divided into two provinces: Gher (Gärø) in the north and Luak (Lwagø) in the south. These, in turn, were divided into zones. According to Shilluk legends,
897-700: 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 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
966-470: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Shilluk Kingdom The Shilluk Kingdom , dominated by the Shilluk people , was located along the left bank of the White Nile in what is now South Sudan and southern Sudan . Its capital and royal residence were in the town of Fashoda . According to Shilluk folk history and neighboring accounts,
1035-419: Is inhabited by individuals from the same lineage. Some hamlets may consist of only one dwelling, but others may have more than fifty. The pajø is a family in its broadest sense. A traditional dwelling consists of two huts ( gol ) separated by a small space enclosed by millet stalks or coarse grass mats. The homes are built around a large common pen for goats and cows. A large hut ( lwagø ) houses livestock during
1104-547: The Cøllø class. Since then, only descendants of Duwadh were eligible for the Kwar Reth class. Those relegated were nicknamed Ororø ("son of a crowd of young girls"). This class includes most Shilluk clans and the majority of the Shilluk people. Its members are descendants of the collateral Nyikang ( Jur clans, or dhø kalø ), the descendants of Nyikang's companions in exile ( Abögø clans, Mööyø or Kwa'julø ), or Kwa'Jängø
1173-676: 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
1242-632: The South Sudanese border, the Sudanese Acholi are often excluded from the political meaning of the term "Acholiland". The word 'Acholi' 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
1311-462: The kingdom was founded in 1490. Its legendary first ruler ("Reth") was the hero known as Nyikang who claimed to be half-crocodile and possessed power over the rain. Nyikang was the son of a king, Okwa, who ruled a country located "far south near a large lake". This may be Lake Albert , where the Acholi live. After Okwa's death, Nyikang went to war with his brother Duwadh, the legitimate successor to
1380-480: The Acholi sub-region) refers to the region traditionally inhabited by the Acholi. In the administrative structure of Uganda , Acholi is composed of 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
1449-472: 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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#17327658392121518-589: 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
1587-497: 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
1656-827: 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
1725-461: The Shilluk equivalents of "lineage" and "clan". The members of a Kwa descend from the same ancestor, the Kwar Kwa ; Kwar Okëëlø means all the descendants of Okëëlø (the name of a person). This system is also used with legendary characters. More than 100 lineages have been studied. Examples of Kwa are: The pödhø , or grouping, may refer to any grouped set, the Shilluk country, a group or
1794-612: The Shilluk language derives from the Arabic version of the Shilluk self-designation: Cøllø , or Chollo . This (and a belief by many Shilluk) suggests a common origin with the Acholi , another ethnic group living on the Ugandan - South Sudanese and Luo in Tanzania, Kenya, DRC, Chad, CAR and Ethiopia (Anuak) borders. Like most Nilotic peoples of South Sudan (such as the Nuer and Dinka),
1863-418: The Shilluk practiced subsistence semi-nomadic cattle breeding and some grain farming. Their social system was egalitarian, and the cattle herds had great symbolic value. The lifestyle of the modern Shilluk is similar, except that their herds are smaller. The Shilluk were capable of being sedentary, because the land along the White Nile was more fertile than elsewhere in the region. Their cultivation of durra ,
1932-510: The Shilluk were defeated by the Dinka after a battle against the Anuaks . After this setback, it was decided at a council of war to enlist all princes in battle the next day. The conscripted army crossed the river to battle, except for Prince Duwadh ( Dïwäädø wäd Ocøllø ). The battle was a massacre, in which all the princes were killed. Duwadh became king, and demoted every son of the dead princes to
2001-929: The Sobat River flowed into the White Nile, and founded the Shilluk Kingdom. 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 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
2070-534: The Sultanate of Sennar declined in power. The Shilluk kings took the disappearance of Sennar from the political scene as an opportunity to strengthen their position on the northern frontier. The caravans were under the influence of the Shilluk kings, and were enriched by the shuttle service made available by the Shilluk to merchants wishing to cross the White Nile to Asalaya when travelling between Sennar and El Obeid . The Shilluk Kingdom expanded its territory up to
2139-682: The Viceroy of Egypt, Muhammad Ali , began his southern campaign to conquer the Sudan . That year, the Turkish-Egyptian troops of Ismail Pasha also put a final end to the Sultanate of Funj. Confrontation between the Ottomans and Shilluk became inevitable. Beginning in 1821, despite resistance from the Shilluk, the northern border began to recede. The first confirmed slave raid by northerners into Shilluk land occurred in 1826. From then on,
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2208-650: The White Nile Odak Ochollo made an alliance with the Sultanate of Darfur , supporting it in its fight against the ethnic Funj of the Sennar Sultanate . By 1630, the Dinka south and west of the Shilluk country had invaded the southern border of the Sultanate of Sennar. The progression of the Dinka continued through the 17th and 18th centuries, towards the Gezira region. Before this changed
2277-459: The area now known as Bahr el Ghazal in South Sudan by about 1,000 AD. Starting in the late seventeenth century, 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
2346-487: The area. The lineage of the dyëll theoretically provides the podh with its leader, but authority may revert to the most-important lineage. In this case, the original lineage retains its prestige and land-ownership rights. Some groups (such as the Odong Panyikang) have adopted a rotation system of authority between the two (or three) most-important lines. Within each group ( podh ) are hamlets ( pajø ). The pac
2415-526: 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
2484-604: 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
2553-574: The confluence of the Blue and White Nile, where Khartoum was later built, and defeated numerous attempted invasions by the northern peoples. In 1786, the Funj Sultanate of Sennar began a period of decline. Sultan Adlan II was troubled by his war with the Hameg tribe established south of the town of Er Roseires , following 30 years of anarchy and looting by Sheikh Nasser Hameg . In 1820
2622-479: The confluence of the River Sobat and the White Nile with Nyakayo's home. The death of Okwa (Okwä) began a feud between Nyikang (Nyikaangø) and his brother Duwat (Dïwäädø) about monarchical succession. Duwat became king; Nyikang refused to swear allegiance, deciding to move elsewhere with his family. Names vary with versions of the myth, although Omoli Ju (Omööli Ju), Ju Nya Okwä is commonly named. When Nyikang
2691-451: 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
2760-461: The destruction of the kingdom in the early 1860s. The Shilluk king is currently not an independent political leader, but a traditional chieftain within the governments of South Sudan and Sudan . The current Shilluk king is Reth Kwongo Dak Padiet who ascended to the throne in 1993. The monarchy (the Reth) has been political and religious in nature. The monarch guaranteed social order; his health and
2829-416: 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
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2898-408: The greatest number of wives. Although it currently has no political authority, members of this class form a rural aristocracy. Members hold one of four titles: The Ororø is a branch of the royal line which has lost its place in the line of succession. Its members are similar to the rest of the population, except for their ritual functions in connection with royalty. During the reign of King Odaagø,
2967-452: The heads of podh (clusters of villages). The Reth was no exception; the Reth of the south would send his Shilluk warriors upstream to Dinka lands. Reserving the largest share of the plunder, the Reth increased his possessions and his influence on the Shilluk country through his armed men, Bath Reth . The timing of these events remains obscure, and it is unclear whether the Reth is a figure from
3036-468: The health of the nation were intertwined. Worship is performed in rituals inspired by the national myth of Nyikang, the first Reth. The Shilluk monarchy and the beliefs of its people was studied in 1911 by Charles Seligman and in 1916 by British anthropologist James George Frazer in The Golden Bough . Seligman described the Shilluk form of government as a " sacred kingship ". The kingdom
3105-439: The house is the head of his family, responsible for its inhabitants and the family herd. Since the traditional remedy for an offense is payment in cattle, the head of the family (not the wrongdoer) is responsible for the offense. The Shilluk people were divided into four classes. The Kwareth ( kwa , "ancestor"; reth , "king") is the royal clan of descendants of Nyikang. This group is widely distributed, with its members having
3174-477: The independence of the Republic of Sudan . The lands of what was the Shilluk Kingdom is now part of South Sudan and the current Shilluk King is Reth Kwongo Dak Padiet who succeeded to Rethship in 1993 after the death of the previous King Reth Ayang Aney Kur in 1992. The word Kwa means "grandfather" or "ancestor". Kwaarø and Kwari have similar meanings, but imply descent: "grandchild" and "down". They are
3243-541: 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
3312-537: 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
3381-462: The kingdom was founded by Nyikang , who probably lived in the second half of the 15th century. A Nilotic people , the Shilluk managed to establish a centralized kingdom that reached its apogee in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, during the decline of the northern Funj Sultanate . In the 19th century, the Shilluk were affected by military assaults from the Ottoman Empire , resulting in
3450-436: The kingdom was increasingly targeted by raiders. During the reign of Reth Nyokwejø (Yör, Nyokwejø wäd Kwondïd (Nyikwëyø) kwar Okonø wäd Tugø) ( c. 1780–1820) a united force of Dinka and Nuer crossed the river Sobat , which cost the Shilluk total control of the White Nile. By 1865, the Shilluk Kingdom had lost part its political standing. The present Shilluk (Chollo) Kingdom is known by Sudanese as Pödh Cøllø (Sudan) after
3519-516: 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 the national manual labor and came to comprise a majority of the military, creating what some have called
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#17327658392123588-406: The mid-nineteenth century, about 60 small chiefdoms existed in eastern Acholi-land. During the second half of 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
3657-431: 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
3726-529: The offspring of other peoples who settled in Shilluk country (the Kwa'Jängø clan was originally a Dinka clan) and the descendants of the peoples who were settled in Shilluk country before Nyikang's arrival (the Oman clan). Were as Kwa'Mööyø are originally Nuer descendants in Shilluk (Chollo) Kingdom. The Bang Reth is the class owned by the king. It consists of two groups: the first group includes his royal wives and
3795-522: 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
3864-454: The rainy season. During the rest of the year, the hut is a hostel for foreign guests and a town hall. By extension, gol or "kalø" or ("home") also means "family". In the latter sense, the gol is the smallest unit of Shilluk society. An unmarried man does not have his own home; unmarried individuals are attached to their father's gol . If his father has died, the single person joins the gol of his oldest living married brother. The owner of
3933-492: 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
4002-457: The river; men in canoes would raid the northern Arab regions. During this time the White Nile was known as the Bahr al-Scheluk , the "river of Shilluk". King Tugø (Rädh Tugø) ( c. 1690–1710), son of Rädh Dhøköödhø, founded Fashoda as the permanent residence of the Shilluk kings and set up elaborate rituals and investiture ceremonies. The Shilluk Kingdom reached its peak in the 18th century, as
4071-428: The strategic balance, the Shilluk and Funj united against the Dinka and checked them militarily. This era marked the beginning of Shilluk economic ties to other groups (Funj, Arabs, European merchants and Mahdists ). After 1650 the Shilluk population (despite its diversity) appeared to gain a sense of national unity, accompanied by a strengthening of royal authority. The Reth and a more-centralized government established
4140-585: The throne. Facing defeat, Nyikang left his homeland with his retinue and migrated northeast to Wau (near the Bahr el Ghazal , "river of gazelles" in Arabic). Here (known by the Shilluk as the Pothe Thuro ) Nyikang married the daughter of Dimo, the local magician. After a conflict with Dimo Nyikang migrated north (crossing the Bahr el Ghazal) to Acietagwok (a Shilluk village about 30 kilometres (19 mi) west of
4209-721: 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,
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#17327658392124278-411: The village of Tonga) around 1550. Nyikang then traveled to Nyilual, an uninhabited region west of the present town of Malakal . In the end, legends claim that Nyikang vanished in a whirlwind in the middle of a battle. During the 17th century, to ensure a surplus of resources the Shilluk raided and looted neighbouring populations north and south along the White Nile. The looting was usually conducted by
4347-445: The widows of dead kings, and the second includes serfs (descendants of slaves captured in raids, or volunteers under the protection of the king because of a violent crime). The Shilluk, like other Nilotic peoples, do not give great importance to cosmology. The Shilluk focus on a figure who lived so long ago his life is shrouded in myth: King Nyikang. His origins were considered divine. A white cow named Dean Aduk (Dhyang Adugø) bore
4416-605: 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
4485-433: Was leaving, Duwat asked him to look behind him as he threw a long, sharp stick towards his half-brother. With this gesture, Duwat signified that the migrants could never return. However, Nyikang took the stick and used it to plant crops. After many days of travel, the migrant group arrived in a land ruled by Dim (Dïmø), a sorcerer. Nyikang married, and his wife bore him a son named Dak (Daagø). The fugitives settled near where
4554-537: Was located along a strip of land along the western and eastern bank of the White Nile and Sobat River , from Lake No to about 12° north latitude . The Shilluk people are closely related to the more numerous South Sudanese ethnic groups, the Nuer and Dinka (their neighbors to the south and east, respectively). Their language is related to that of the Anuak people near the rivers Baro and Pibor . The English name for
4623-454: 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
4692-426: Was nearby. Dunyel's was a man on his right side, but a crocodile on his left. After some discussion, Dunyel agreed to give his two daughters to Okwa (Okwä) at a high bride price . Nyakayo (Nyikaayø) Nyikang bore several children; Nyikang was considered by some his eldest son, but according to others he was his youngest son. Another tradition says that Nyikang's twin brother was Duwat (Dïwäädɔ). A popular belief connects
4761-420: 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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