Info For Y'all Luo (Lwoo) People: The Powerful, Irresistible, Awful, Marvelous As Well As Intelligent Nilotic People Of Africa As Well As The Tribe Of Barack Obama
Luo or Lwoo (also called Joluo, singular Jaluo) are an amalgamated agro-fishery in addition to Nilotic Dholuo ethnolinguistic groups inwards Africa that inhabit an expanse ranging from South Sudan in addition to Ethiopia, through northern Republic of Uganda in addition to eastern Congo (DRC), into western Kenya, in addition to the Mara Region of Tanzania western Kenya, eastern Uganda, in addition to inwards Mara Region inwards northern Tanzania. The call Luo or Lwo agency "God’s life bearing exhalation.’
Orawo Luo tribal warrior dancer from Kenya
The amalgamated Luo-speaking people consist of many sub-groups or tribes which includes: Acholi people of South Sudan in addition to Uganda, Anuak people of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in addition to Sudan, Jo Luo people of Republic of Kenya in addition to Tanzania in addition to Alur people of Republic of Uganda in addition to DRC. The residue are Lango, Jopadhola, Kumam in addition to Jonam people of Uganda; Shilluk, Mabaan, Thuri, Pari, Funj, Jumjum, Jur Bel, Blanda Boore in addition to Luwo people of South Sudan; Luo Suba in addition to Jokanywa people of Kenya; in addition to Gambella people of Ethiopia.
Luo (Acholi) women
As i of the Largest Eastern African Nilotic groups, Luo people who are also known to historians in addition to anthropologists as Kavirondo are said to live i of the ancient people of Nile Valley inwards Arab Republic of Egypt in addition to Sudan, i.e Anu people, the tribe of Osiris, yesteryear celebrated Egyptologist Cheikh Anta Diop in addition to renowned British pro-Africanist anthropologist E. E. Evans-Pritchard.
In identifying Anu people with the Luos, Diop (1991) wrote "The Anuak (sub-tribe of Luo) of the Sobat River (Evans-Pritchard, 1940 p. 253) recalls the proto-historic tribe of Anu (of Osiris ethnicity) who originally occupied the Nile Valley" (Diop 1981, p. 121). Both Diop in addition to Evans-Pritchard confirmed that the Luos were the really Nilotic people who maiden off settled the Nile Valley in addition to founded the ancient Kingdom of Koch (Cush, Kush or Quoch). Koch (Cush) was the master copy in addition to powerful "itiyopian" kingdom that maiden off emerged from the Nile valley inwards the modern democracy of Sudan. In the Luo language, "i" agency "thou" in addition to "tiyo" is a verb pregnant "to piece of work or dedicate service to," "pi" agency "for." Anu was a primordial watery mass, god of gods. Thus, "itiyopianu" agency people who dedicate service to Anu.
Luo (Shilluk) people of Sudan
The sovereigns of Koch (Cush) extended Itiyipianu into the lower Nile region, which later on became known as Egypt. So over the years the Koch (Cush) kingdom of Itiyo-pi-anu "expanded into Egypt, Arabia, in addition to Aegian Peninsula" (Drussila D, Houston, 1985). The iv waves of Luo migration from Sudan to other parts of Africa were chiefly from the iv Luo-speaking groups (Lwoo), especially Acholi in addition to Padhola. The Luo comprise a number of communities made upward of various clans ( oganda ) in addition to sub-clans who migrated into Republic of Kenya inwards various little groups led yesteryear clan leaders ( ruoth ). After settling inwards Nyanza region, each clan carved out in addition to defended its ain territory, later on called 'locations' ( piny ).
Luo tribe woman Lupita Nyong'o, Kenyan university award-winning actress of 12 Yeas a Slave fame in addition to Filmmaker
The powerful in addition to intelligent Luo people whose livelihood are mainly fishing, farming in addition to pastoral herding are the 3rd largest ethnic grouping (13%) inwards Kenya, after the Kikuyu (22%) in addition to the Luhya (14%). The Luo in addition to the Kikuyu inherited the mass of political powerfulness inwards the maiden off years next Kenya's independence inwards 1963. The Luo population inwards Republic of Kenya was estimated to live 2,185,000 inwards 1994 in addition to 4.1 meg inwards 2010 according to Govt census. However the figure was disputed yesteryear many Luos as non scientific since a important portion of people previously considered as Luo were at nowadays counted as Suba. The Luos also experience that their overall population has ever been down-scaled yesteryear successive Kenyan regime census inwards an elbow grease to mute the potent Luo political voice. Sample census conducted yesteryear experts justice the total Kenyan Luo population to live currently at around 5 million. The Tanzanian Luo population was estimated at 980,000 inwards 2001 in addition to 1,500,230 inwards 2010.
Outside Luoland, the Luo comprise a important fraction of East Africa's intellectual in addition to skilled labour forcefulness inwards various professions. Others members piece of work inwards eastern Africa as tenant fishermen, little scale farmers, in addition to urban workers. The Luo are the originators of a number of music styles, such as Benga, Ohangla, Dodo.
Historian in addition to Catholic priest, J.P. Crazzolara inwards his foundational in addition to migration study, The Lwoo (1950), writes hyperbolically, “They marched on in addition to came upon people who trembled at their abrupt appearance. The Lwoo were at sight the absolute arbiters of this population, who had no fourth dimension left to think in addition to attempt to repel such an unexpected mass of invaders.”
He describes them as an “irresistible, awful, marvellous people” that “spread (their) shadow” over the older areas of western in addition to southern Uganda.
Luo tribe adult man in addition to US president Barack Obama chatting with Kenyan tribal elders at Nairobi, Kenya.
The most prominent Luo people are Barack Obama, President of United States of America, Raila Amolo Odinga, Kenya`s one-time Prime government minister in addition to main opposition leader, Lupita Nyong'o, Kenyan university award-winning actress of 12 Yeas a Slave fame in addition to Filmmaker, Olara Otunnu,, Former Under-Secretary-General of the UN in addition to Special Representative for Children in addition to Armed Conflict (Ugandan), Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Independence Fighter, First Vice President of Independent Republic of Kenya (Kenyan) in addition to begetter of Raila Odinga, Barack Obama, Sr, Economist, Harvard University Graduate, begetter of electrical flow U.S. President Barack Obama, Tito Okello, Former President of Republic of Uganda in addition to Army Commander, Bazilio Olara-Okello, Former president of Uganda, Joseph Kony, Leader of the Lord's Resistance Army, notorious rebel grouping inwards Republic of Uganda (Ugandan), Okot p'Bitek, poet in addition to author of the Song of Lawino (Ugandan), Tom Mboya,Pan-Africanist, assassinated inwards 1969 (Kenyan) etc.
Luo adult man Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, nationalist, Pan-Africanist, vice president of indepence Republic of Kenya in addition to long-time Kenyan opposition leader. He is an uncle of US president Barack Obama
Language
The Luo people speak the Dholuo language, which belongs to the Western Nilotic branch of the Nilo-Saharan linguistic communication family. it is spoken yesteryear other Luo-speaking peoples, such as the Lango, Acholi, Adhola in addition to Alur (all of Republic of Uganda in addition to parts of Sudan in addition to Eastern Congo). The iv waves of Luo migration were chiefly from the iv Luo-speaking groups (Lwoo), especially Acholi in addition to Padhola. Dholuo, spoken inwards Kenya, is considered to live proper in addition to measure Luo because it contains elements from all other Lwoo languages. It is estimated that Dholuo has 90% lexical similarity with Lep Alur (Alur language); 83% with LepAchol (Acholi language); 81% with Lango language, 93% with Dhopadhola (Padhola language), 74% with Anuak, in addition to 69% with Jurchol(Luwo) & Dhi-Pari (Pari).
Luo tribe adult man Raila Amolo Odinga, Kenya`s one-time Prime government minister in addition to main opposition leader
Greetings:
English linguistic communication Dholuo
How are you? (informal) "Amosi?"
Very well. "Ber ahinya." (This is literally, "I greet you," a-mos-i.)
How is your morning? "Ichiyo nade?"
My forenoon is going well. 'Achiyo ma ber." (This is literally, How did y'all wake?. The verb to wake is chiewo, according to ABO.)
Compare to Acholi Lwo inwards northern Uganda: Ichiyo ni nin? Achiyo ma ber.
English linguistic communication Acholi Lwo
How is your afternoon? Irio nade? (note: this greeting is less commonly used than either the forenoon or eventide forms.)
My afternoon is going well. Ario ma ber.
How is your evening? Idhi nade?
My eventide is going well. Adhi ma ber. (This is literally, How are y'all going?. The verb to go or to live going is dhi, according to ABO.)
How is the morning? Oyaore?
The forenoon is going well. Oyaore ahinya.
How is the day? Osaore? (used around midday)
The twenty-four hours is going well. Osaore ahinya.
How is the evening? Owimore?
The eventide is going well. Owimore ahinya.
General Conversation:
English linguistic communication Dholuo
Thank y'all (very much), Erokamano (ahinya). Note that thank y'all are quite different inwards Uganda's Acholi Lwo: which goes similar "Apwoyo (ma tek)."
I'll live back. Abiroduogo
Slowly, slowly. Mos, mos. (This is equivalent to pole, pole inwards Kiswahili.)
We'll reckon each other [later]. Wabironenore.
Let's reckon each other tomorrow. Wanere kiny.
I'm (very) sorry. Mos (ahinya). (Equivalent to pole (sana) inwards Kiswahili.)
Sleep well. Nindi ma ber.
I want... Adwaro...
You want... Odwaro...
I know... Ang'eyo...
I don't know... Ok ang'eyo...
I like... Ahero...
Goodbye. Oriti.
I desire water, adwaro pii
I am thirsty, riyo nega (ABO translates thirst as riyo, in addition to thirsty as bedo gi riyo.)
Thank you, ero kamano
Child, nyathi
Student, nyathi skul
Sit, bed
Stand,Stop, chung
Hunger, kech
I am starved, kech nega
Father, baba (ABO says, wuoro. Baba is Kiswahili.)
Mother, mama (ABO says, dhako or miyo as well. Mama is Kiswahili.)
God, nyasaye
To help, kony (The verb inwards Acholi is exactly the same. The Lord's Resistance Army--a band of rebels that has terrorized villages inwards northeast Uganda, kidnapped thousands of children, forced them to live kid soldiers, in addition to carried out a multifariousness of other atrocities against civilians--is led yesteryear a adult man named Joseph Kony.)
Luo (anuak) girls from Gambela inwards Ethiopia
Man, dichuo
Woman, dhako
Boy, wuowi
Girl, nyako
Book, buk (or kitabu, the Kiswahili word.)
Youth, rawera
Leader, jatelo,ruoth
Fish, rech
I desire to eat, adwaro chiemo
Grandpa, kwaru,kwara (According to ABO, kwaro.)
Grandma, dani,dana (According to ABO, dayo.)
White man, ja rachar
Black man, ja rateng
Numbers:
One, achiel
Two, ariyo
Three, adek
Four, ang'wen
Five, abich
Six, auchiel
Seven, abiriyo
Eight, aboro
Nine, ochiko
Ten, apar
Eleven, apar gachiel
Twelve, apar gariyo
...
Nineteen, apar ga ochiko
Twenty, piero ariyo
Twenty one, piero ariyo gachiel
Thirty, piero adek
...
Luo Cultural artist, Tony Nyandundo inwards marylad
History
According to Okot (1971, 2), the term Luo is the call of the mythical founder or leader of the Luo peoples. He farther observes that although the call is widespread it does non appear inwards the founding myths of those who telephone telephone themselves Luo. For example, the Shilluck say that their master copy abode was Luo in addition to the other people simply mentions Luo as the maiden off man.
Luo men. Circa 1902. By Charles William Hobley
These myths existence nearly the foundation of the existing political establishment in addition to groups are dominated yesteryear who the founder was; for example, inwards Sudan, alongside the Northern Luo, Nyikang‘o, Gilo, Dak in addition to Dimo; alongside the Acholi, Alur in addition to Chope Labong‘o, Nyipir in addition to their woman parent Nyikal; the Padhola in addition to Kenyan in addition to Tanzania Luo yesteryear Labong‘o, in addition to Gipir but speak to a greater extent than so of Owiny, Podho in addition to Ramogi.
Luo warriors from Nyakach inwards total state of war gear . Charles W. Hobley, nearly 1900
The call Jo-pa-Luo in addition to then agency people, followers or descendants of Luo. Although it is possible to reconstruct histories of the Luo groups separately, it is non possible to describe the history of the Luo people to the maiden off Luo man. However, a comparative report of different Luo myths reveals striking similarities; many of them nearly quarrels over beads or spears. The people telephone telephone themselves Luo, their linguistic communication dho or lep Luo (Luo tongue) in addition to their customs kit Luo. They are witting of their Luo-ness. When shrines are built for ancestors, ii are built; i called tipu Luo in addition to the other tipu Jomiru/kimirwa. The maiden off i refers to those of sociologically pure ethnic stock, who are all agnatically descendants of chiefs in addition to Jumiru /kimirwa refers to all other clans who are regarded as subjects of the Luo. The Kenyan Luo refers to the Kalenjin: Nandi, Suk, Maasai, etc., as the Jo-Lang’o. The Central Luo also calls their eastern neighbours Lang’o.
Luo Origins inwards Sudan
The Luo are portion of the Nilotic grouping of people. The Nilotes themselves had separated from the other members of the East Sudanic theatre unit of measurement yesteryear nearly the 3rd millennium BC. Within Nilotic, Luo forms portion of the Western group. The Luo languages forms i branch of this Western Nilotic group, the other existence Dinka-Nuer (named for the Dinka people in addition to the Nuer people).
The separation of the Luo grouping from Dinka-Nuer presumably took topographic point inwards South Sudan at some dot inwards the maiden off millennium AD. Within Luo, a Northern in addition to a Southern grouping is distinguished. "Luo proper" or Dholuo is portion of the Southern Luo group. Northern Luo is mostly spoken inwards South Sudan, piece Southern Luo groups migrated due south from the Bahr el Ghazal expanse inwards the early on centuries of the 2nd millennium AD (about 8 hundred years ago). This migration was presumably triggered yesteryear the medieval Muslim conquest of Sudan.
H5N1 farther segmentation within the Northern Luo is recorded inwards a "widespread tradition" inwards Luo oral history:[3] the foundational figure of the Shilluk (or Chollo) land was a main named Nyikango, dated to nearly the mid-15th century, who after a quarrel with his blood brother moved northward along the Nile in addition to established a feudal society, piece the Pari people descend from the grouping which rejected Nyikango.
Luo origins inwards Ethiopia
The Anuak are a Luo people whose villages are scattered along the banks in addition to rivers of the southwestern expanse of Ethiopia, with others living straight across the border inwards southern Sudan. The call of this people is also spelled Anyuak, Agnwak, in addition to Anywaa.
The Anuak who live inwards the lowlands of Gambela are distinguished yesteryear the color of their pare in addition to considered to live dark Africans. The Ethiopian peoples of the highlands are of different ethnicities, in addition to distinguish themselves most simply yesteryear lighter pare color.
The Anuak have got alleged that the electrical flow Ethiopian authorities in addition to dominant highlands people have got discriminated against them. This has affected the Anuak access to education, wellness attention in addition to other basic services, as good as limiting opportunities for evolution of the area.
The Anuak of Sudan live inwards a grassy part that is apartment in addition to virtually treeless. During the rainy season, this expanse floods, so that much of it becomes swampland with various channels of deep H2O running through it.
The Acholi, some other Luo people inwards South Sudan, occupy what is at nowadays called Magwi County inwards Eastern Equatorial State. They border the Republic of Uganda Acholi of Northern Uganda. The South Sudan Acholi numbered nearly x M on the 2008 population Census.
Luo footling girls performing traditional dance
Luo origins inwards Uganda
Around 1500, a little grouping of Luo known as the Biito-Luo led yesteryear a Chief called Labongo whose total championship became Isingoma Labongo Rukidi (sometimes named as Mpuga Rukidi), encountered Bantu-speaking peoples living inwards the expanse of Bunyoro. These Luo settled with the Bantu in addition to established the Babiito dynasty, replacing the Bachwezi dynasty of the Empire of Kitara. Labongo, the maiden off inwards the line of the Babiito kings of Bunyoro-Kitara, was according to Bunyoro legend the twin blood brother of Kato Kimera, the maiden off manly individual monarch of Buganda. These Luo were assimilated yesteryear the Bantu, in addition to they lost their linguistic communication in addition to culture.
Luo (Acholi) Dancers from Uganda
Later inwards the 16th century, other Luo-speaking people moved to the expanse that encompasses introduce twenty-four hours Southern Sudan, Northern Republic of Uganda in addition to North-Eastern Congo (DRC) – forming the Alur, Jonam in addition to Acholi. Conflicts developed when they encountered the Lango who had been living inwards the expanse N of Lake Kyoga. Lango also speak a Luo language. According to Driberg (1923), Lango reached eastern province of Republic of Uganda (Otuke Hills) having traveled southeasterly from the Shilluk area, in addition to that Lango linguistic communication is similar with that of the Shilluk language. It is soundless inwards some dispute whether the Lango part ancestry with the luo (with whom they part a mutual language), or if they have got closer kinship with their easterly Ateker neighbours, with whom they part many cultural traits.
Between the middle of the 16th century in addition to the offset of the 17th century, some Luo groups proceeded eastwards. One grouping called Padhola (or Jopadhola - people of Adhola), led yesteryear a main called Adhola, settled inwards Budama inwards Eastern Uganda. They settled inwards a thickly forested expanse as a defense forcefulness against attacks from Bantu neighbours who had already settled there. This self-imposed isolation helped them maintain their linguistic communication in addition to civilisation amidst Bantu in addition to Ateker communities. Those who went farther a land were the joka jok in addition to joka owiny.the jok luo moved deeper into the kaviirondo gulf in addition to are the introduce twenty-four hours jo kisumo in addition to jo Rachuonyo alongside others.Jo owiny occupied an expanse close got ramogi or ramogi loma inwards alego of siaya district.the owiny's ruins are soundless identifiable to this twenty-four hours at bungu owiny close lake kanyaboli.The other notable luo grouping is the omolo luo who inhabited ugenya in addition to precious stone areas of siaya district.The finally immigrants were the jo Kager who are related to the omollo luo in addition to their leader was ochieng waljak ger a formidable leader who with advanced military machine science drove a way the omiya or Bantu groups who were in addition to then living inwards introduce twenty-four hours ugenya around 1750AD
Luo origins inwards Republic of Kenya in addition to Tanzania
Between nearly 1500 in addition to 1800, other Luo groups crossed into present-day Republic of Kenya in addition to eventually into present-day Tanzania. They inhabited the expanse on the banks of Lake Victoria. According to the Joluo, a warrior main named Ramogi Ajwang led them into present-day Republic of Kenya nearly 500 years ago.
As inwards Uganda, some non-Luo people inwards Republic of Kenya have got adopted Luo languages. H5N1 bulk of the Bantu Suba people inwards Republic of Kenya speak Dholuo (albeit mostly as a 2nd language).
The Luo inwards Kenya, who telephone telephone themselves Joluo (aka Jaluo, "people of Luo"), are the 4th largest community inwards Republic of Kenya after the Kikuyu, Kalenjin in addition to Luhya. In 1994 their population was estimated to live 2,185,000. In Tanzania they numbered (in 2001) an estimated 980,000. The Luo inwards Republic of Kenya in addition to Tanzania telephone telephone their linguistic communication Dholuo, which is mutually intelligible (to varying degrees) with the languages of the Lango, Kumam in addition to Padhola of Uganda, Acholi of Republic of Uganda in addition to Sudan in addition to Alur of Republic of Uganda in addition to Congo.
Obama, at his ethnic Luo theatre unit of measurement abode inwards the Kenyan homestead of Alego, poses with, from l., his Grandmother Sarah, Auma Obama (his sister) in addition to Kezia Obama (Barack's stepmother in addition to his father's 2nd wife,
The Luo (or Joluo) are traditional fishermen in addition to practise line-fishing as their main economical activity. Other cultural activities included wrestling (yii or dhao) kwath for the immature boys aged 13-18 inwards their historic menstruation sets. Their main rivals inwards the 18th century were the Lango, the Highland Nilotes, who were traditionally engaged them inwards trigger-happy bloody battles, most of which emanated from the stealing of their livestock.
Luo people of Ethiopia
Economy
The Luo are said to have got practiced a dual economy, with both farming in addition to cattle-keeping existence important. Both cattle, sheep in addition to goats were kept in addition to were used for both food, spousal human relationship payment in addition to also for ritual activities such as sacrifice. Both sorghum (bel ) in addition to finger millet (kal ) were of import crops.
In some parts of Luoland, their economical activities are mostly influenced yesteryear the fresh H2O of Lake Victoria. They are mostly involved inwards fishing. The fish are consumed locally piece some, especially the Nile perch, are exported to Europe in addition to other countries. Fish in addition to ugali are the staple foods of the Luo tribe. They also practise sugarcane in addition to cotton wool farming, inwards other areas where they (Luos) live.
Luo farmer laughing happily
Socio-political structure
Social relations alongside the Luo are governed yesteryear rules of kinship, gender, in addition to age. Descent is patrilineal which is traced through the manly individual line to determine kinship. Kin align themselves for purposes of substitution of goods, marriage, in addition to political alliance.
Names are received through the manly individual line, in addition to after spousal human relationship women reside inwards the homesteads of their husbands. H5N1 married adult woman builds upward alliances for her husband's theatre unit of measurement yesteryear maintaining potent relationships with her brothers in addition to sisters who live at her birthplace or elsewhere. It is expected that after spousal human relationship a adult woman volition bear children for her husband's lineage. Bride wealth, given yesteryear her hubby in addition to his family, contributes to the woman's powerfulness to maintain ties with her ain theatre unit of measurement throughout her life. By having children, a adult woman greatly enhances her powerfulness in addition to influence within the lineage of her husband. As the children grow, they take special attention of her interests. Perhaps as many as 30 percentage of Luo homesteads are polygynous; inwards which a adult man has to a greater extent than than i wife. This contributes to solidarity betwixt a woman parent in addition to her children, in addition to betwixt children born of the same mother. Polygyny is commonly accepted yesteryear both men in addition to women, provided traditional ideas in addition to regulations are maintained. These include, for example, a special recognition for the maiden off married adult woman or "great wife," whose theatre in addition to granary are located prominently at the dorsum of the homestead opposite the main gate. Subsequent wives have got homes alternatively to her right in addition to left inwards the monastic tell of their marriage. Sons are provided with homes next to the main gate of the chemical compound inwards the monastic tell of their birth. The hubby maintains a homestead for himself close the centre of the compound, his ain brothers, if they have got non yet formed their ain homesteads; reside on the border of the chemical compound close its center. As Luo go wealthy inwards Luo terra firma or elsewhere, it is mutual for them to build a large theatre for their mother. This is especially necessary if she is a "great wife," as it is considered improper for younger wives to have got larger homes than wives to a greater extent than senior to themselves. Visiting in addition to existence visited is the major source of pleasance for the Luo. The social principles regarding age, kinship, in addition to gender impose a heavy schedule of ritual obligations on Luo, regardless of their topographic point of residence.
Age is of import factor inwards the Luo society. Age is divided into ii which are age-grating in addition to historic menstruation set; historic menstruation is the stages i passes from infancy through adolescence, adulthood to death. Age-set is grouping of persons of the same sex, age, going through the same life circle at the same measuring in addition to same time. H5N1 Luo have got roles inwards historic menstruation grade i is expected to conduct sure way according to his or her age, they also believe inwards ancestral spirit which is the finally stage inwards historic menstruation grading. Politics is played according to one’s age: children in addition to immature adults are non expected to Pb meetings of were adults in addition to senior adults are, in most cases whatever leader of the Luo similar the Craftsman, Traditional chiefs, or medicine men are either adult manly individual or senior adult male. The historic menstruation set also plays an of import role inwards the Luo society people who are of the same historic menstruation or have got just a slight variation, have got grown in addition to matured together inwards the same mode have got obligations to do sure things together or are expected to conduct inwards sure ways; people of the same historic menstruation are expected to grow in addition to mature inwards the same mode in addition to if i tends to delay it is questioned yesteryear the society in addition to the elders advice the victim to attempt in addition to grab upward with the age-set. However the historic menstruation is non really of import inwards the modern world since some of the roles of an upper historic menstruation grade tin can live taken yesteryear the lower historic menstruation grade hence historic menstruation does non reverberate that much as inwards the past.
Luo (Anuak) immature lady from Dimma
Kinship
This factor is the really social organisation inwards the Luo society, it defined the obligation of the members of the Luo society it also defined privileges of members, kinship has ii levels; the nuclear in addition to the extended family, the nuclear theatre unit of measurement inwards made of the manly individual caput who has unchallenged power, his married adult woman or wives, their children in addition to the single daughters of the manly individual head. The nuclear served many functions in addition to it was of import inwards the Luo society; it is the centre of didactics where parents learn their children values mutual practices in addition to customs , it is also the survival of the Luo society in addition to it has a role to protect the children. The extended theatre unit of measurement comprises the parents, children, relatives, aunts in addition to uncles this formed a clan. The clans where identified yesteryear totems. Kinship hence soundless plays an of import role inwards the Luo society upward to appointment fifty-fifty though some believes in addition to values have got been eroded yesteryear the modern world similar the unchallenged powerfulness of the manly individual head. Politics, economy, in addition to didactics is hence played from the manly individual downwards to the siblings, the manly individual caput is the conclusion maker when it comes to the running of business organisation within the nuclear theatre unit of measurement in addition to the leadership goes downwards to the wives in addition to then to the manly individual sons from the eldest to the youngest. Education is done inwards gender footing the woman individual are educated yesteryear their mothers in addition to aunties piece the manly individual are educated yesteryear their begetter in addition to uncles.
In the traditional Luo society sexual practice is a really of import factor inwards term of payoff inwards the social structure, the woman individual is termed as the 2nd sex, when it comes to nutrient the manly individual has the payoff over the woman individual because the belief says that the manly individual has to take attention of the Kinship in addition to the clans as a whole in addition to hence he has to live potent in addition to eat goodness food. The manly individual also have got an payoff over the women, they are ever the beneficiary inwards segmentation of wealth. In the segmentation of labor men are advantaged, since women are the laborers in addition to this led to men marrying many wives who volition furnish to a greater extent than labor when it comes to theatre piece of work in addition to nutrient production. Sex also plays a large role inwards organized religious belief in addition to leadership within the Luo society, the leadership is that of hierarchal in addition to patriarchal, the women have got a depression status when it comes to leadership fifty-fifty though this chemical factor of sexual practice is non of import inwards the modern world due human rights, in addition to the upraised civil societies. The most notable fact nearly the Luo economic scheme is that women play the primary role inwards farming. Before the introduction of the modern money economy, the garden was the centerpiece of the women's world of work. Industrious women could earn considerable wealth yesteryear exchanging their garden create for animals, handicrafts, pots, in addition to baskets. H5N1 immature young lady is expected to aid her woman parent in addition to her mother's co-wives inwards farming terra firma owned yesteryear her father, brothers, in addition to paternal uncles. Even though a immature lady may go to schoolhouse in addition to ascent to a prominent topographic point inwards society, in that location is ofttimes soundless a potent association with the terra firma in addition to digging. Men are preoccupied with livestock in addition to pass a bully bargain of fourth dimension inwards "social labor" concerned with placing their cattle inwards goodness contexts, such as bride wealth exchanges, trading partnerships, in addition to commercial sales. In the modern economy, cattle in addition to goats have got a monetary value as well. Men have got command over animals in addition to cash crops.
The adult woman cannot build a theatre on her ain in that location has to live a man, inwards instance of decease of her hubby she has to live inherited yesteryear i of the manly individual inwards that community since customs signal that in that location is no theatre without a manly individual caput to brand decisions.
Luo adult man playing a string instrument, Ngomongo Village, Republic of Kenya | The Africa Image Library
Child Naming
Luo call their children after their ancestors. They hence acquire the call of spirits (Nying-Juogi). The basic regulation upon which the Luo acquire these Nying-Juogi is straight from the sun`s different positions inwards relations to the earth. If a kid is born at sunrise, its call is Okinyi for manly individual in addition to Akinyi for female. To a bully extent luo names are based on the regulation of sun`s topographic point during the twenty-four hours in addition to its corresponding positions yesteryear the night. Thus, a kid born betwixt 5 a.m in addition to 7 a.m is named Okinyi for a man child in addition to Akinyi for a girl. H5N1 kid born betwixt 7:00 a.m in addition to 9:00 a.m or 10:00 a.m is named Onyango for a man child in addition to Anyango for a girl; a manly individual kid born betwixt 11:00 a.m in addition to 1:00 p.m is named Ochieng in addition to Achieng for a female, and a manly individual kid born betwixt 2:00 p.m in addition to 5:00 p.m is named Odhiambo in addition to Adhiambo for a female, a manly individual kid born after sunset is named Otieno, in addition to Atieno or Athieno if female. H5N1 kid born midnight is named Odiwuor for a manly individual in addition to Awuor for a female; the i born after midnight to 4:00 a.m is named Ogweno for a manly individual in addition to Agwena for a female.
Luo lady
Other names are given as a termination of special events, such as harvesting, rain, eclipses, child`s birthplace, how the kid came out at nascency in addition to so on. The next are some of Luo names
Luo names Meaning inwards English
Ocholla one who is born after the father`s death
Chieng Sun
Misumba Slave
Monye Mudfish
Engale Guiding spirit
Chuny Soul
Tipo Shadow
Luo people
Religion
The Luo people believe inwards a Supreme existence in addition to creator God known as Jok. Driberg inwards Okot (1971:50) explains that the thought of the word Jok to a Lang‘o (Luo) is "The amount total of the long departed souls merged into i pre-existing deity called Jok, a plurality of spirits merged into i individual of a single godhead, a spiritual forcefulness composed of innumerable spirits, whatever of which may live temporarily detached without diminishing the oneness of the force."
Ogot 1961 noted that the word Jok was found inwards various forms inwards all Nilotic languages in addition to that for the Shilluck Juok in addition to Nyikang are the most full general explanatory concepts. Jok accounting for the existence of nature or reality in addition to Nyikang for the way inwards which it is ordered in addition to interpreted. Jok mal created in addition to maintains the world, piece Juok piny determines how in addition to for what purpose the God‘s gift should live utilized yesteryear man. For the thought of Jok alongside the Lang‘o in addition to Acholi (Hayley1947), it was a neutral powerfulness permeating the universe, neither good nor badly disposed towards mankind, unless made occupation of yesteryear man. Lang‘o organized religious belief was the innovation of this Jok power, in addition to their magic was the practise yesteryear which adult man uses jok power. The world to Acholi (Wright) was i vast champaign enclosed yesteryear the vault of the sky, charged throughout with magical force. The forcefulness is released yesteryear alter from its static status which in addition to then becomes fluid in addition to powerful as seen inwards lightning, whirlwind, curious mountains in addition to rocks. The Lang‘o (Harley) attributes anything of an unusual nature in addition to unusual occurrences to some aspect of jok power. This included abnormal births, peculiarly shaped stones, hills, rain, hail, lightning, locusts in addition to earthquakes. They (Hayley in addition to Wright) noted that it was non the hills or forests that formed the objects of worship; these were mere shrines, the abode of Jok.
When lightning struck a theatre inwards a village, or when pelting failed or hail, locust destroyed crops, prayers were offered to jok in addition to sacrifices made to ancestral ghosts, just as other troubles occurred. But they were non sparks of jok power. Whirlwinds were regarded as jok inwards transit. Twins were regarded as jok. The spiritual portion of man, the exclusively portion which survives death, is jok. Hence, to the Nilotes Jok is non an impartial universal power; it is the essence of everything, the forcefulness which makes everything what it is, in addition to God Himself. The Greatest Jok is life forcefulness inwards itself. Above all forcefulness is God, Juok of Jok mal which is followed yesteryear the famous chiefs of the old such as Nyikang’ alongside the Shilluck in addition to Podho alongside the Kenyan Luo. Next to come upward are the dead followed yesteryear specialists similar ajwaka (ajuoga), medicine men in addition to prophets who are believed to have got special jok power. The specialists are followed yesteryear ordinary mortals, in addition to then animals, plants in addition to finally, inanimate objects (Okot, ibid.:55).
The ajwaka/Ajuoga may live possessed yesteryear a spirit which helps him or her to divine; the witch la-jok also has jok powerfulness inwards him. And to have got to a greater extent than jok powerfulness meant to live a to a greater extent than unsafe witch. The dead alongside the Luo are mostly forgotten, except those that believed to live troublesome. Such are referred to as cen, vengeance ghosts. The ghosts of sure animals such as elephant, king of beasts in addition to leopard are feared. Certain inanimate objects used yesteryear sorcerers to impairment their victims such as lugaga (gagi). But, these are non considered as bits of jok power.
Jok Possession
Outstanding characteristic of the religious activity of the Luo was the annual feast at the chiefdom shrines. Each chiefdom had a shrine on a hill, inwards a dark woods or yesteryear a riverside. Some of the shrines were unusual natural phenomena or outstanding landmarks inwards the landscape. Some of the larger chiefdoms had to a greater extent than than i shrine at which they offered sacrifices. Among the lowland Alur the jok possessed i of the chief‘s wives inwards each reign; she in addition to then had duties inwards the service of the jok. Jok Lokka of Koc inwards Acholi possessed the priest who was also the medium. Jok Langol of Padibe caused the individual possessed to go barren. Jok Lamwoci of the Payira caused barrenness inwards men, in addition to insanity inwards women. Jok Lalangabi of Palaro made the possessed individual loathe members of the opposite sex, so that he or she remained a bachelor or spinster for life, or if married, divorce followed before long after Lalangabi had fallen on i of the couple. Few shrines were founded yesteryear chiefs. In fact, most of the chiefdom shrines in addition to Jok originally belonged to commoner clans who continued to furnish the line of priests. When chiefs see or go to the hamlet of priests they lose their normal prerogatives. Moreover the chiefdom Jok that possessed persons did non possess members of the chief‘s clan. Almost every forcefulness which tin can impact human beings may live in addition to has been spiritualized. The elemental powerfulness of nature, sun, moon, rain, thunder in addition to lightning, lakes in addition to rivers in addition to forests in addition to deserts, all have got been conceived of as spirit in addition to have got go objects of worship in addition to sacrifice. The Luo did non offering sacrifices to the rocks or forests or rivers, they did non worship the spirit of the hills or forests or rivers, but Jok whom they believed lived inwards the caves or inwards the middle of the dark woods or yesteryear the riverside. Areas around these places were sacred grounds. No i mightiness urinate, defecate, drive the blade or the butt of his pike into the earth. The duties of a priest were burdensome, unsafe in addition to profitless. Ibaana (Crazzolara) agency a individual chosen in addition to at times possessed yesteryear Jok. The Lang‘o pose the phenomena of possession yesteryear ghosts inwards the province of Jok Nam which is contrasted with Jok Lang’o. Nam refers to riverine peoples: Pa-Luo, Nyoro in addition to those bordering the Nile in addition to Lake Kyoga. Ajwaka (Driberg) who dealt with diseases caused yesteryear Jok Nam were abanwa or abani (plural) who were men or women possessed yesteryear Jok Nam.
Spirit Possession
When according to the diviner, ajwaka, ill-health or misfortune was due to sure spirits other than ancestral or chiefdom jok, the province of affairs was dealt with yesteryear inducing the offending spirit to possess the victim, in addition to and then depending on whether the particular spirit was friendly or hostile, it was allowed to remain inwards the victim or sent to where it belonged, or killed in addition to destroyed. The preliminary exam of the patient usually took topographic point at the abode of the ajwaka, but the spirit possession ceremony, yeng’ng’o jok, shaking jok, was held at the abode of the patient.
Education yesteryear Proverbs
The Luo elders occupation proverbs intensively for the didactics of their children in addition to grandchildren. Every kid inwards plough is expected to larn these proverbs, fifty-fifty though some of them are quite hard to understand. Examples of some Luo proverbs in addition to their meanings:
1. "Jarakni jamuod nyoyo gi kuoyo" (Don`t go shares inwards the flesh before the buffalo is dead, since he fights inwards the bush). This agency i should non live rushing inwards life. Patience is everything.
2. "Alot muchayo ema tieko kuom" (The hen begins as an egg, adult man as blood). It agency fifty-fifty an insignificant piece of work is soundless of a value done zero at all.
3. "wadu en wadu" (Blood is thicker than water
4. "Kik nyany nyang kapod inwards epige" (Do non abuse crocodile piece y'all are soundless inwards its water). It agency i should reverberate on the consequences of his activity whilst soundless indebted to somebody or nether authority.
5. "Yath achiel ok los bungu" (One tree has never made a forest). It agency it is ever goodness to live united.
6. "Kik iwe ngowo adult man piny to odhi ni adult man malo" (He who stands on the ground sees the fruit improve than the adult man upward inwards the tree). It agency nosotros should honour everyone`s dot of view.
Death in addition to Afterlife
Among the Luo, it is believe that when a individual dies his or her spirit or soul goes to the underworld after few days or weeks. The underworld is determined to live the centre of the Earth, at the bottom of the sea, in addition to at a distant steppe downwards below the mountains.
Luo people believe that decease comes from God in addition to He solitary has command over life in addition to death. When someone dies Luo people just say ""Ekaka olfactory organ wacho" (It is how He has decided), "Ekaka olfactory organ kor" (That was what was predicted) or "Nyasaye okowe" (God has taken him).
Some deaths are considered to live abnormal decease of persons whose torso houses Jachien (troublesome spirits). H5N1 individual who commits suicide is feared that he may go a ghost. The torso of Ngamodere ( suicide man) had to live punished yesteryear whoever comes to his funeral. Because it is a taboo to commit suicide. The torso of Ngamodere is slashed yesteryear a twig from the Powo tree. This is done to remind its Tipo (spirit) that it was the fault of his ain man, in addition to non someone else. If a individual commit suicide on a tree, that tree is at nowadays cutting downwards in addition to burned. On Ngamotho e Pi (Death on sea), it is considered that ones Juok had preferred to live inwards the water. It is hence proper to bury the i who died at body of body of water closer to the sea. It is also necessary to bury the torso of i who dies inwards water, Japi, must live buried yesteryear the Lake or waterside.
Luo, a Western Nilotic people, perform a serial of rituals in addition to many feasts for the dead because of their potent fearfulness in addition to honour for the dead. The Luo mental attitude towards their burial topographic point champaign shows how they fearfulness in addition to honour the deceased ancestors
Luo people perform a total of nearly 14 rituals for i deceased. All rituals are performed exclusively when elderly men died, in addition to a sure number of rituals are omitted depending upon age, sex, in addition to marital status of the deceased. First, I volition furnish a listing of a serial of rituals inwards successive monastic tell of their occurrence, in addition to and then explicate each ritual.
1) Death announcement
2) Vigil (budho)
3) Grave earthworks (kunyo)
4) Burial (iko)
5) Accompanying the spirit of the deceased to the one-time battleground (tero
buru matin)
6) Shaving (liedo)
7) Mourners’ divergence for their houses (kee)
8) Serving a repast to the deceased in addition to its theatre unit of measurement yesteryear married women (yaodhoot)
9) Serving a repast to the deceased in addition to its theatre unit of measurement yesteryear married women (tedo)
10) Going to the one-time battleground with the spirit of the deceased (tero buru
maduong’)
11) Visiting the widow’s natal abode (tero cholla)
12) Dividing articles left yesteryear the deceased (keyo nyinyo)
13) Remembrance (rapar)
14) Serving a repast to the theatre unit of measurement of the deceased yesteryear affines (budho)
I. Death in addition to Its Announcement
People come upward to know of a decease yesteryear hearing the women’s long, quivering wail, followed yesteryear the audio of drums. The decease is ever announced inwards the early on forenoon or inwards the evening. Never have got I heard this wail inwards broad daylight.
There are rules prescribing the fourth dimension of announcement. The fourth dimension varies with the dead person’s age, sex, in addition to occupation. If a infant died inwards the morning, its decease is announced immediately, in addition to its torso is buried the next morning. If old men or diviners died, their decease must live announced after sunset, that is, women must hold off for the right fourth dimension to start wailing.
II. Vigil (budho)
The closed relatives of the deceased such as the spouse(s), parents, step-mothers, brothers in addition to sisters, in addition to maiden off in addition to 2nd patrilineal cousins, must remain within the chemical compound of the deceased throughout several nights until the burial day. Two to iv days transcend before the burial, because relatives living inwards cities have got to render to
their rural homeland. H5N1 light is lit through the vigil. Inside the theatre of the decreased, stools are placed
for as many relatives in addition to church building members as possible. Whenever novel visitors acquire inwards for condolence, some must measuring exterior to brand room.
Men in addition to women shape separate groups within the compound. Especially on the twenty-four hours of the death, they go along to call in addition to sing their lamentations in addition to state of war songs throughout the night. Christian songs are sung if the dead individual in addition to his/her closed kin are Catholics or followers of overseas-based Protestant Churches. People who belong to the Roho, an African Independent Church, pray, piece they trip the low-cal fantastic in addition to play drums in addition to metallic instruments.
Most of the vigil visitors follow either Catholic or Protestant ways of expressing condolence. However, as they measuring slow within the house, older women in addition to men may start crying in addition to telephone telephone out the call of the dead individual as if talking to the body. Outside the house, some sit down on stools in addition to others slumber on the African mats nether the eaves. Men brand terminate called magenga close the theatre for warmth, because it becomes really mutual depression temperature at night, nearly 10 °C. They say that this terminate is made also for the departed to warm him/herself. The vigil continues upward to the burial.
From the twenty-four hours next the death, the surviving theatre unit of measurement in addition to relatives of the deceased busy themselves to prepare for the burial service: edifice the shade, cooking for visitors, in addition to preparing the coffin in addition to cloth. They must take a twenty-four hours off to fulfill their part of such obligations.
Neighbours start turning upward to bid farewell to the deceased for the finally time. Married women elevate a unusual vocalism before entering the chemical compound to denote their arrival. Men displace into the chemical compound playing their whistles in addition to singing their ain elegies. These visitors go straight into the theatre where the torso is set without greeting other people, in addition to and then they pray, sing, or call inwards their ain ways. After a piece they come upward out of the house, greet other people in addition to bring together them. The relatives remain within the deceased’s chemical compound during the mourning hours, which is called padho, pregnant ‘sitting without doing anything.’ Most of the neighbours usually acquire out the chemical compound inwards twos in addition to threes after spending ii or 3 hours. Some old people inwards particular, remain inwards the chemical compound during the daytime. Most who come upward to pay condolence on the burial twenty-four hours are either married or marriageable.
III. Grave Digging (kunyo)
According to some old men, people used to dig a grave inwards the daytime inwards the old times. These days, people prepare the grave inwards midnight before the burial day, because, they say, it is also exhausting to dig nether the potent sun. Digging begins around nine p.m. in addition to is completed nearly 3 to 4 a.m. of the burial day. Sometimes it
takes many hours because of the rocks inwards the soil. Young in addition to middle-aged manly individual relatives in addition to several neighbours bring together forces inwards digging.
The right topographic point for the grave is decided yesteryear a church building fellow member or whatever of the deceased’s manly individual kin, including the begetter in addition to the father’s brother. Men with pregpregnant wives are non allowed to participate inwards grave digging. If they did, their wives would give premature birth. Nor are twins allowed to participate inwards earthworks the grave.
IV. Burial (iko)
For deceased adults, the burial ritual unremarkably starts at 2 o’clock p.m. The begetter or i of brothers of the deceased presides over the proceeding of the ritual. The programme of the ritual includes: speeches nearly the memories of the deceased yesteryear parents, brothers in addition to sisters, children, in addition to friends, etc.; a harambee bespeak for donations to screen expenses for light oil, food, in addition to other items which are consumed for this occasion; in addition to several political speeches yesteryear politicians. Then, burying the torso ensues.
Because these speeches in addition to the harambee take a long time, the surviving theatre unit of measurement are sometimes forced to serve a repast to their affines before the burial takes place. Other mourners are served a repast after the burial. The surviving theatre unit of measurement in addition to other relatives eat in addition to slumber within the chemical compound of the deceased for i total week, which is followed yesteryear the buru.
V. Accompanying the Spirit of the Deceased to the Former Battleground (tero buru matin)
This surgical physical care for marks the offset of cholla (mourning period). It tin can live done i or ii weeks after the burial. To get this ritual, several relatives take their cattle to the deceased’s chemical compound early on inwards the forenoon around 7 o’clock.
This ritual is performed exclusively for a man, in addition to participants are also basically men. Men in addition to boys who include neighbours in addition to relatives of the deceased take their ain cattle in addition to goats to the one-time battlefield located along the boundary betwixt the clans. The cattle of the deceased are also taken in that location yesteryear the relatives. They kill a cock without using a knife, in addition to split in addition to eat pieces of the meat. Sometimes a hen is substituted for the cock. Then, they render to the abode of the deceased. Men in addition to cattle shape a cheerful procession. Men blow horns of buffaloes in addition to rhinoceroses (oporro), in addition to play drums (bul).
On their way home, the procession swells, as to a greater extent than men in addition to women bring together them. The procession becomes longer in addition to noisier as people sing in addition to play the instruments to a greater extent than in addition to to a greater extent than loudly. Women handgrip upward leafy branches, some men elevate their spears, in addition to other men wearing traditional hats in addition to mantles of brute skins, handgrip upward shields in addition to clubs.
Returning close the abode of the deceased, people go extremely excited. They shout, cry, in addition to run with tree branches, spears, in addition to shields inwards their hands. Some blow whistles in addition to others play drums in addition to metallic instruments (ongeng’). There are also many people waiting at the deceased’s compound. People inwards the
procession struggle to rush into the chemical compound through the main gate, taking their cattle with them. Upon entering the compound, they start running about, crying in addition to shouting. Some call loud in addition to throw their torso on to the grave. Others go along to repeat entering the theatre in addition to the main gate, piece crying. This spectacular scene continues for 20 to 30 minutes. Later, the participants in addition to visitors are served a meal. While all this take place, other relatives slaughter i of a few heads of cattle for this ritual. Sometimes a grouping of musicians are invited. They play traditional music in addition to people trip the low-cal fantastic until dawn.
This ritual reminds the people of the fourth dimension when forefathers engaged inwards inter-clan wars. When i fellow member lost his life inwards a battle, the forefathers worried that their fighting powerfulness mightiness diminish. Thus, an thought was born that the loss of i fellow member should live compensated yesteryear killing i of their enemies.
According to the old men, people went for the buru early on inwards the forenoon before burial inwards the old days. Later, they went ii days after burial. And nowadays, ii kinds of the buru, major in addition to minor, are conducted.
The burial was formerly done on the twenty-four hours next the death. People other than those participating inwards the buru were inwards accuse of preparing the grave. After the participants inwards the buru returned, the burial was held at noon. Participants of the buru was divided into ii groups. The maiden off i had their ain special role to practise divination on whether they had a goodness gamble of winning if they tried to kill i enemy to compensate for the life of the deceased. This was the ground why the maiden off grouping included some fighters in addition to a diviner, together with a cock in addition to cattle. When they reached the boundary, the diviner killed the cock in addition to conducted divination yesteryear examining its intestines. With bad omen, they returned home. With goodness omen, the
2nd grouping consisting of fighters in addition to cattle were called, in addition to the ii groups joined for a battle.
People give next reasons for performing the buru:
1) To chase away the evil spirits,
2) To have got the many spirits of state of war heroes of yore in addition to novel spirits bring together them for this occasion. Eating chicken killed on the battlefield symbolized such solidarity,
3) To take away the shadow (spirit) of the deceased. The buru must live done yesteryear the river, because they believe that the shadow volition go away through the river. The shadow must live taken away from the home, otherwise it lingers,
4) To drive the evil spirits to the bush or to the enemies,
5) To topographic point who may brand a goodness leader in addition to who is brave in addition to skillful inwards state of war tactics.
6) To demonstrate that they have got lost a fellow member of their community. The Roho people conduct ‘buru for women,’ which was non strictly a Luo tradition in addition to hence non ever performed. This buru is called suda alongside the Roho.
VI. Shaving (liedo)
Four days after the burial, people shave their heads. H5N1 razor blade is usually used. The maiden off shave is supposed to grade the offset of the mourning period. At the terminate of mourning, those who were shaven are shaven again, which marks the offset of their novel life.
There are 3 types of shaving. The maiden off i is for the spouse(s) of the deceased in addition to children of the deceased, conducted i or ii weeks after the burial. It marks the offset of the mourning taboos. In the old days, people were shaven before long after the buru matin before the relatives departed for their home.
The 2nd i is for children, betwixt ii weeks in addition to i calendar month after the burial. After shaving, the children are gratis to measuring out of the compound. This leaves the widow(s) to follow the mourning taboos.
The 3rd is done to gratis the widow(s) from the mourning taboos. After this, a widow tin can pick out a adult man who inherits her inwards the tero cholla, explained later. The shaving used to live conducted at the keyo nyinyo when the articles of the deceased were distributed.
The maiden off in addition to 2nd shaving must live performed before long after death, but the 3rd tin can take topographic point i month, i year, or fifty-fifty ii years after the burial. Nowadays, however, most people do non psyche the above-mentioned 3 types of shaving, which must live done at different times. They perform all the shaving i time in addition to for all, in addition to shave exclusively a footling on the dorsum of their caput inwards a symbolic manner.
VII. Mourners’ Departure for Home (kee)
The kee refers to the members of surviving theatre unit of measurement in addition to other relatives returning to their respective abode inwards monastic tell of age. The first-born departs first, followed yesteryear the second, in addition to then the third, in addition to finally they all depart. This whole physical care for may take topographic point inwards just i day, a few days, or fifty-fifty i calendar week depending on the number of sons in addition to daughters inwards the theatre unit of measurement of the deceased. It is because exclusively i individual a twenty-four hours departs. The relatives who do non have got to live shaven may remain for a piece in addition to go abode exclusively after they made sure that the shaving (liedo) was done early on inwards the morning, next the twenty-four hours of the tero buru matin. The kee is unremarkably completed i calendar week after the shaving.
The menstruation betwixt the decease in addition to the kee is called budho, which genuinely refers to the mourning period, in addition to literally agency ‘sitting without doing anything,’ because people are supposed to remain within the deceased person’s chemical compound without doing whatever worthwhile work.
VIII. Serving a Meal to the Deceased (yaodhoot)
The relatives render to the deceased’s abode i time once to a greater extent than before long after returning home. Married women (wagoguni) convey nutrient in addition to ready to comfort those who remained, such as children in addition to spouse(s) of the dead person. They invite neighbours to part the meal. They think that eating together with the deceased pleases him/her. They celebrate the occasion yesteryear dancing, playing music, drinking local beer to attempt their best to forget the deplorable event.
Literally, yaodhoot agency ‘opening the door,’ which implies that the survivors start their novel life. Some explicate that wagoguni render to opened upward the door, which has been closed since the individual died. After the door is opened, the surviving theatre unit of measurement start a novel life. Others say, “we do non do this for bachelors, because they don’t have got their ain family. For whose sake the married women must opened upward the door? They don’t have got a married adult woman or children who should live inwards his abode after he died.” At present, people perform the yaodhoot for every decease of an adult. If the surviving theatre unit of measurement have got many domestic animals, they slaughter some of them for their guests. Otherwise they purchase fish in addition to meat inwards the market.
IX. Serving a Meal to the Deceased (tedo)
The tedo, which literally agency cooking, follows the yaodhoot. On the twenty-four hours of the tedo the sons in addition to daughters render to their natal abode to ready for the dead woman parent or father. Children contribute a sure amount of various kinds of nutrient according to their income.
The first-born, boy or daughter, is the maiden off individual to opened upward the fireplace, in addition to the nutrient he/she contributed should live cooked first. The nutrient include meat, fish, in addition to sugar, in addition to depend on what the theatre unit of measurement similar to eat. The relatives should live informed of the twenty-four hours of the tedo inwards advance. They come upward that twenty-four hours to celebrate the occasion with the children of the dead person. It is just similar a get-together political party for the children in addition to their relatives.
X. Going to the Former Battleground with the Spirit of the Deceased (tero buru maduong’)
This ritual is performed exclusively for the decease of elderly men. This buru is performed on a much larger scale than the previous buru: buru maduong’ agency ‘big buru’ piece the previous buru matin agency ‘small buru.’ The theatre unit of measurement in addition to relatives of the dead adult man take their cattle to the one-time battlefield inwards the same way as they did inwards the little buru. This time, however, they do non kill a cock inwards the field. Returning to the compound, they regain a lot to a greater extent than people in addition to far to a greater extent than abundant nutrient than inwards the little buru. The relatives slaughter many heads of cattle, called dher buru, in addition to goats, in addition to serve local alcoholic drinkable including changa, busa, in addition to mbare. They invite traditional musicians in addition to dancers.
The people must prepare a huge amount of nutrient in addition to much money for this occasion. This is why they must set the twenty-four hours of the large buru to come upward right after harvesting with much of maize in addition to sorghum for preparing nutrient in addition to drinks.
A adult woman performs a traditional Luo Ohangla trip the low-cal fantastic to entertain guests at the Barack Obama Nyangoma Kogelo primary schoolhouse inwards Kenya
XI. Visiting the Widow’s Natal Home (tero cholla)
This is the ritual which ends the mourning. Right after this ritual, the surviving theatre unit of measurement members start their novel life, in addition to the surviving spouse starts his/her life with a novel partner. Widows, inwards particular, must have got a adult man inwards her psyche as her prospective inheritor before the twenty-four hours of the tero cholla. If a hubby died, the widow in addition to her eldest boy pay a see to the abode of the widow’s parents. They pass exclusively i nighttime there. The next day, before departure, a caprine animal called cholla is slaughtered. Part of its meat is eaten yesteryear the widow’s parents in addition to the residue is taken yesteryear the widow to her home.
The widow’s prospective inheritor (sing. jater, pl. joter) sleeps inwards the widow’s theatre piece she is visiting her natal home. When the widow returns, she cooks the meat she brought back. The widow in addition to her inheritor eat the meat. They engage inwards sexual intercourse that night, in addition to the adult man must evidence that he is a existent inheritor.
Then, the inheritor starts edifice their novel house, helped yesteryear the widow. H5N1 widow also old to have got sexual practice selects a adult man who is nearly her age. When she returns from her natal home, her inheritor prepares a fireplace for cooking. She cooks in addition to they eat together. They pass the nighttime without sex. But the inheritor must maintain within the theatre his belongings. This is done so that visitors may know that the old adult man in addition to adult woman remain together in addition to honey each other. With a immature widow, it is practically impossible for whatever adult man to inherit her in addition to non have got sex. If a married adult woman died, the widower follows the mourning taboos exclusively when she was the maiden off wife. In that event, the hubby takes his children to the deceased’s parents. They remain i nighttime in addition to render the next day. The children are given meat or a hen yesteryear their grandparents.
The parents of the dead married adult woman sometimes give i of their single daughters to the hubby as his novel wife. The immature lady unremarkably comes over to the husband’s abode on the twenty-four hours of the tero cholla. She begins to live inwards the theatre in addition to inherit whatever her sis had. If the hubby marries some other woman, he should build a novel theatre for her.
XII. Dividing the Articles Left yesteryear the Deceased (keyo nyinyo)
This is the occasion when the theatre unit of measurement in addition to relatives split betwixt themselves articles left yesteryear the deceased, such as clothes, furniture, dishes, calabashes, in addition to cooking pots. Land in addition to animals are divided alongside surviving sons non that day, but some other day.
Women acquire out behind many things or few things largely depending upon how old they were when they died. Old women may acquire out behind many cooking pots, H2O pots, in addition to dishes. Old men would acquire out clothes, three-legged stool (komnya luo), spear, shield, mantle, brute skins, in addition to horns of animals he hunted.
XIII. Remembrance (rapar)
This is the ritual inwards which the relatives acquire together inwards the dead person’s abode to remember, comfort, in addition to delight the dead person. The parents, children, brothers in addition to sisters, in addition to affines of the deceased come upward in addition to relish a lot of nutrient together. The host invites his neighbours in addition to accommodate a trip the low-cal fantastic which continues through the nighttime of the rapar.
The relatives may build a little temporary hut (akumba) if the master copy hut is gone. The maiden off thing the married daughters (wagoguni) of the dead individual should do upon their arrival is to displace into the hut in addition to pose their luggages in addition to clothes within as a sign of greeting the dead person. They in addition to then start cooking inwards the little infinite within the hut in addition to cutting the meat of the animal, slaughtered for the dead person. People surroundings the hut in addition to eat together. The spouse of the deceased must slumber within the hut during the nighttime of the rapar. The next day, the spouse pulls downwards the hut. Because this ritual requires heavy expenses, it depends on the relatives’ finances how many times they handgrip the rapar for the dead person.
XIV. Serving a Meal to the Family of the Deceased yesteryear Affines (budho)
This is a ritual feast organized yesteryear affines. The purposes of this feast are to brand sure the human relationship betwixt affines fifty-fifty after the decease of the mediator in addition to to consort the remaining family. The affines set the twenty-four hours after preparing plenty money in addition to nutrient for the feast. So the budho may take topographic point before the rapar. On the day, the affines come upward with maize flours in addition to animals for slaughter. Since affines have got the human relationship called luor, which agency honour in addition to fear, they are expected to hit the chemical compound of the dead after sunset (agi an’gich welo) in addition to to remain exclusively for i nighttime without sleeping. Following morning, they render home.
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LUO ORIGIN OF CIVILISATION: TOWARDS H5N1 POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION OFbTHE ANCIENT ITIYO-PI-ANU PEOPLES
Dr. Terence Okello Paito - Abstract
After the Second World War, Henri Frunkfort, an eminent Egyptologist, suggested that in that location are distinct groups of Africans surviving today, whose ancestors tin can live traced dorsum to the ancient Egyptians. H5N1 couplet of decades later, at a symposium on the peopling of ancient Arab Republic of Egypt in addition to the deciphering of the Meroitic script, C.A. Diop, resolved to send out a comparing of the languages of ancient Arab Republic of Egypt in addition to those of contemporary Africa. Both Diop in addition to Frunkfort believed that in that location are people live today inwards Africa who speak the really same linguistic communication or i really closed to the linguistic communication spoken inwards ancient Egypt. The identification of such a people would add together a linguistic dimension to the conventional report in addition to improve agreement of ancient Egyptian history.
This newspaper presents an declaration inwards back upward of the contestation that the survivors of the ancient Egyptian civilisation are the Nilotic people at nowadays commonly known as the Luo (or Lwoo). It is suggested that the Luo were the founders of the ancient Koch or Cushitic kingdom at Napata, which had expanded into Egypt. It volition live farther argued that the Luo pledged collective loyalty to the god Anu in addition to were the really Itiyo-pi-anu peoples.
Luo women with basketry fish traps (osech kiteng' ) going to fish inwards a shallow river water.
Charles W. Hobley, nearly 1900
Introduction
The identities of the earliest settlers in addition to builders of the bully ancient Itiyo-pi-an in addition to Egyptian civilisations have got been a land of report of protracted debate that has largely remained inwards abeyance for sometime. At the peak of the early on 19th century Euro-imperialism in addition to colonialism inwards Africa, the‘civilisation/barbarism’ dichotomy was a build in addition to an ideological tool to explicate the justification for colonialism. Throughout the colonial in addition to early on post-independence period, the imposition of a euro-centric curriculum summation western anthropologists’ sustained denigration of the African personality in addition to culture, deterred Africans from considering, ‘The African Origin’ of civilisation. Nevertheless, Henri Frunkfort (1948), i of the Western scholars whose attending was drawn to the achievements of the early on Egyptians wrote, “…. There are live today inwards Africa groups of people who are the truthful survivors of that bully East African substratum out of which the Egyptian civilisation arose ….” (Henri Frunkfort, 1948, p.6). Resistance to the contradictions inherent
inwards colonial policies, curricula in addition to the distortion of African history, later on produced a generation of African scholars who were prepared to examine facts on ancient Egyptian history. It was inwards that low-cal that C.A. Diop (1974), stood out in addition to published ‘The African Origin of Civilisation: Myth or Reality’.
In the preface of that work, Diop advocated a linguistic approach to link the history of dark Africa to that of ancient Egypt. Following the symposium on ‘The peopling of Ancient Arab Republic of Egypt in addition to Deciphering of the Meroitic script’, he repeated the telephone telephone for the application of the linguistic approach to analyse ancient Egyptian history. So far, from the literature on ancient Egypt, 3 main observations tin can live made. First in addition to foremost, the literature suggests that much ground has been covered towards the reclamation in addition to linking of ancient Arab Republic of Egypt to African history thank y'all to the efforts of African-American in addition to other diasporan scholars. Secondly, despite the bully strides made, most of the diasporan scholars go along to confuse ancient Itiyopianu with modern
Ethiopia. Thirdly, in addition to most importantly for this paper, Diop’s Pb inwards which he identified Osiris race with the Nilotic Luo has non been followed, despite Simon Simonse’s (1992) assertion that Luo antecedents have got relevance for the reconstruction of the past. Similarly, J.B. Webster’s (1979), telephone telephone for a linguistic approach to reconstruct in addition to expand Crazzolara’s piece of work on the Luo has been largely ignored.
In this paper, nosotros fence that the people referred to as the Luo were the really builders of the ancient Itiyo-pi-anu civilisation known as Koch (Cush, Kush). The Koch (Cush) kingdom expanded into Egypt, Arabia, Mesopotamia in addition to Phoenicia. The newspaper is divided into v sections. In the 2nd section, nosotros review the attempts yesteryear some scholars to de-link the Luo from ancient Egyptian civilisation; department 3 presents a give-and-take on how the identification of Luo Cradle-land became such a contentious number inwards the historiography of the Great Lakes region. In department four, the Luo volition live identified as the ancient Itiyopianu peoples. Luo presence inwards ancient Arab Republic of Egypt is discussed inwards department five, followed yesteryear conclusions.
The Luo
In the opening declaration of his piece of work ‘The Lwoo’, Fr. J.P. Crazzolara (1950), wrote, “The Lwo racial grouping of people has had a yesteryear so total of exciting adventures that their history - i time it were fairly completely written upward - would read similar an absorbing novel” (Crazzolara, 1950,p.1). Fr. Crazzolara, an Italian Catholic Missionary, linguist in addition to historian had lived, worked in addition to conducted field- piece of work alongside the Luos for over xxx years. Most importantly, he had access to the Meroitic scripts. Apart from the 3 volumes on the Lwoo, Crazzolara (1938) wrote ‘A Study of the Acooli Language’. For the composition of the Luo racial grouping who are scattered across thousands of miles inwards Eastern in addition to Central Africa, Fr. Crazzolara, noted that,
“The tribe into which the master copy grouping of the Lwo divided after leaving their terra firma of origin, are as follows, 1. Boor, 2. Jo- Luuo, (Thuri, Bwodho, Jur), 3. Collo (Shilluk), Anywaa, 5.Paari (Lokooro, Ber, Nyorro), 6. Acholi, 7.Alur, 8. Jo-Pawir (Jur), 9. Lango, 10. Kumam, 11. Jo- Pa- Wiir alias Jo-KaWeer, 12. Jo-Pa- Adhola, 13. Jo-Lwo, 14. Barabaig”. (Fr. J.P. Crazzolara, 1950: 5).
Thus, the Luo grouping of peoples are found inwards the Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania in addition to the Congo. Though Crazzolara was ecstatic at the prospect of reconstructing Luo history, he had underestimated the opposition towards such an endeavour. Before looking at attempts yesteryear some Africanist to de-link the Luo from ancient Itiyopia in addition to Egypt, the query that arises is, what is meant yesteryear the really term Luo or Lwoo?
Luo people
What is Luo or Lwoo?
According to Nalder (1937), the word Luo derives from the eventide terminate around which people sat. He suggested that, “A characteristic of the hamlet life is the ‘O’, men’s sitting – place, rather similar a gild ….” (Nalder, 1937, p.147). Nalder was peculiarly aware that, alongside some Luo groups such as the Acholi, ‘Lu’ is a plural prefix (sing. ‘La’) which agency ‘those who….’, in addition to denotes a grouping inwards relation to some activities, profession or full general behaviour. On the other hand, the i alphabetic lineament word ‘o’ agency the eventide terminate around which a theatre unit of measurement or friends sat inwards an opened upward courtroom yard to chat, discuss, educate, gaze into the clear sky, in addition to relish the fresh eventide air, before retiring to bed. By combining ‘Lu’ in addition to ‘o’, Nalder claimed to have got explained the identity of the Luo people.
Nalder’s explanation is non peculiarly satisfactory when it is considered that some members of the same grouping refer to themselves as the Lwo. In whatever case, sitting around the eventide terminate is non peculiar to the Luo, as many African peoples part the same habit. H5N1 clue to an alternative explanation was provided yesteryear the Rev. Fr. Crazzolara who observed that “The call Lwoo (the pregnant of which is unknown) is soundless widely used, as I have got shown elsewhere ….” (1938, p.xiii). However, elsewhere, he also noted that, the “the morphologically interrelated terms: Luuo - Lwoo - (Loh), Lao - Loo -Lowi -Lowoi - Looi, Luui in addition to Luu do sure as shooting advise an master copy unity” (Crazzolara, 1950, p. 338). According to Fr. Crazzolara, the higher upward were the various ways of spelling the same word but he did non specify the right one. The master copy word that was to live spelled inwards different ways tin can best live identified when Luo spirituality in addition to world- watch is looked at
to a greater extent than closely.
According to S. Santandrea, “The Luo are yesteryear far the nearest inwards ‘royal’ traditions to the bully homonymous tribe of the Nile. They too, maintain that their chiefs are (or rather were) possessed of a divine power, inherited from their bully ancestors” (Stefano Santandrea, 1968, p.48). In other words, the Luo believed inwards a supernatural authorisation through whom their kings ruled. For example, the bully god of the Nile was known as ‘Hapi’ (Wallis Budge, 1994, p, cxxiii). The Luos are familiar with this divinity whom they refer to as, ‘Lhapi’. The word, ‘Pi’ inwards Luo agency water. ‘Lha’ or ‘La’ is a singular prefix. Thus Lhapi agency ‘of water’. The Lango Luos would simply omit the ‘L’ in addition to telephone telephone it Hapi. The Nile was described as “…. the type of life giving waters out of the midst of which sprang the gods in addition to all created things” (E.A. Wallis Budge: cxxiii). In a reference to Lhapi, an Acholi historian wrote, “Lok, cik maber twotwal ma wan wanongo bot Ludito mewa me Acholi, en yep Lam nyo Lapii. Acholi pe gidonyo i lweny ata labongo Lapii nyo labongo lam mamit….” (L. Okech, 1953:22). “We have got inherited from our Acholi ancestors the thought of consulting Lapii or obtaining a approbation from him. The Acholi volition non acquire involved inwards a state of war without consulting Lapii or obtaining a blessing
from him” (my translation).
In ‘Customs of the Acholi’, Capt.Grove (1919) presented a Luo spiritualist world watch in addition to wrote, “The adult man inwards problem addresses a prayer non exclusively to his deceased begetter in addition to granddaddy but to ‘Everything that went before or begot him’. He addresses himself to God in addition to the Sun in addition to Luna in addition to “my ancestors spirits, in addition to all y'all who begot me” throwing a sort of full general responsibleness for his existence in that location on the universe at large, in addition to pointing out that as they were responsible for putting him in that location they ought to do something nearly it” (Capt. Grove, 1919, p.174, My emphasis inwards italics)
Cattle-owning, Shilluk tribesman. Duk Fadiat. Upper Nile Province. Sudan. 1948 | © George Rodger
From Capt. Grove’s account, the Luo adult man believes that some supernatural existence caused his really presence on ground in addition to together with ancestors, could aid ease his problems. In other words, the adult man was suggesting that he was simply a production of creation in addition to was at the mercy of the creator. Any casual observer familiar with the Luo or Lwo linguistic communication volition authorities annotation that the morphologically related price that were presented yesteryear Fr. Crazzolara refer to the story of creation. Rev. Fr. Alfred Malandra (1956) genuinely pointed out the master copy word when he wrote of the Acholi dialect, “There are a sure number of words, mostly monosyllabic, which terminate inwards a long or stressed vowel, which is hither written double. In this measure orthography doubling is recommended inwards exclusively a selected listing of nouns viz. aluu (vapour) (Malandra, 1956, p.9). Elsewhere, Fr. Malandra pointed out that ‘Kuto aluu = exhale (Malandra, 1956, p.132). Thus, the master copy term that Crazzolara failed to topographic point was ‘Luu’ (pronounced as inwards Lhuu) – agency God’s life- bearing- exhalation. On the other hand, inwards the same language, Luuo, (pronounced as inwards Lhuuo), – means, ‘of God’s life – bearing exhalation, the production of creation, the created beings. Thus ‘Luo’ is the word variously spelled as Lou or Lwoo in addition to which became the collective identity of the Nilotic grouping variously known as the Lwo or Luo.
Interestingly, inwards the Acholi – Luo version of the volume of Genesis, the word Luu is used to depict the breath of life breathed into the nostrils of the maiden off created man. It is also inwards the same context that the people telephone telephone themselves ‘Joo-Jok- Amalo’, pregnant people of the high god. In texts related to the story of creation, the word Luo is clearly distinguishable despite serious distortions. For example, according to Jacob H. Caruthers (1999), “The creator then, after having impregnated itself, sneezes in addition to Shu comes into existence (Shu is pronounced shwoo, similar a sneeze” (Caruthers, 1999, .287). Caruthers was referring to ‘Lhu’, i.e. ‘God’s life bearing exhalation’, pronounced as in, ‘Lhwoo’ or Lhuo’ or ‘Lwoo’. Cf. “Shou = sou = space, the maiden off divinity created yesteryear Ra” (Diop, 1991, p.359). Having defined the pregnant of the term Luo, the next chore is to appear at how some Africanists viewed the human relationship betwixt Africans in addition to ancient Egyptian civilisation.
H5N1 grouping of Luo warriors inwards total warrior clothes with long spears in addition to shields, posed inwards front end of the administrative edifice at Kisumu. This grouping is peculiarly distinguished yesteryear their extraordinary headdresses, including colobus monkey tail ones (kondo bim). Their chests are also adorned yesteryear cowrie rhythm out decorated belts (okanda gaagi). Their shields are typical of Luo shields inwards the period, taking a curved shape in addition to with geometrical patterns. Pitt Rivers Source (Charles William Hobley). Circa 1900
2.0 Attempts yesteryear some Africanist scholars to de-link the Luos from ancient Egypt.
In 1911, the attending of the Egyptologist E.A. Wallis Budge (1911) was drawn to the similarities he saw betwixt the myths in addition to rites of ancient Arab Republic of Egypt in addition to those of sub-Saharan Africa including Buganda. Nilotic or Sudanic inwards the broadest significance of the word”(Budge, 1911, p.vii). Wallis Budge’s assertion came against the back- drib of concerted efforts to de-link Africa from ancient Egypt. Attempts yesteryear some western scholars to de-link Africa from ancient Arab Republic of Egypt had been going on good before the advent of the 19th century colonialism. In ‘The Wealth of Nations’, Adam Smith (1776) noted:
"The nations that, according to the best authenticated history, appear to have got been maiden off civilised,
were those that dwelt around the coast of the Mediterranean Sea …. Of all the countries on the
coast of the Mediterranean Sea, Arab Republic of Egypt seems to have got been the maiden off inwards which either agriculture or
manufactures were cultivated in addition to improved to whatever considerable degree" (Smith, 1776, p.124)
Smith attributed the early on economical success of the ancient Egyptians to a well-developed inland navigation network similar to what existed inwards Kingdom of the Netherlands during his time. While Adam Smith features highly inwards the history of economical thoughts, ancient Egypt, a source of his inspiration, is never mentioned. Smith in addition to then went on to de-link ancient Arab Republic of Egypt from the residue of the continent in addition to wrote, “All the inland parts of Africa, …. seems inwards all ages of the world to have got been inwards the same fell in addition to uncivilised province inwards which nosotros regain them at present”(Smith, 1776, p.125). The portrayal of Africa as fell was widespread alongside European scholars. In his give-and-take on Africa, George Wilhelm Freidrich Hegel (1956), remarked; “It …. surprises to regain alongside them, inwards the vicinity of African stupidity reflective intelligence, a thoroughly rational organisation characterizing all institutions in addition to the most astonishing works of art” (Hegel, 1956, p.199). Hegel, who showed enormous contempt for Africa, added:
"At this dot nosotros acquire out Africa non to advert it again. For it is non a historical portion of the world; it
has no movements or evolution to exhibit. Historical movements inwards it – that is inwards the northern
portion – belong to the Asiatic or European world. Carthage displayed in that location an important
transitionary stage of civilisation; but, as a Phoenician colony, it belongs to Asia. Arab Republic of Egypt volition be
considered inwards references to its western phase, but it does non belong to the African Spirit. What we
properly empathise yesteryear Africa is the unhistorical, undeveloped spirit, soundless involved inwards the
weather of mere nature, in addition to which had to live presented hither exclusively as on the threshold of the
world’s history. (Hegel, 1956, p.99)
Hegel was dismissive of whatever contribution Africans had made towards the world’s development. For him, whatever exhibits that existed pertaining to the developments inwards Carthage or Arab Republic of Egypt were largely Asiatic or European. It is worth noting that the essential notion inwards Hegel’s piece of work was ‘dialectics’. He had borrowed the term ‘dialectics’ from Plato’s Republic. However, it is known that the latter was, mocked yesteryear his contemporaries as having borrowed the ‘Republic’, from the ancient Egyptians.
Marx for instance pointed out that, “Plato’s Republic, inwards so far as segmentation of labour is treated inwards it, as the formative principles of the state, is simply an Athenian idealisation of the Egyptian caste system, Arab Republic of Egypt having served as the model of an industrial terra firma to others of his contemporaries, e.g. Isocrates. It retained this importance for the Greeks fifty-fifty at the fourth dimension of the Roman Empire (Marx, Capital I, pp 488-489). Thus if Marx found Hegel upside downwards in addition to pose him upright, the latter needed to live sat upright on the African origins of Greek Philosophy. Christopher Arthur (1993), a proponent of ‘new dialectics’ suggested that ‘a direct appeal to Hegel’ live made as ‘the measure move’ to empathise the Hegel-Marx connection1. An analysis of dialectics is beyond the range of this paper. However, for a consummate agreement of dialectics nosotros advise that in that location is a demand to go beyond Hegel in addition to Plato into its origins inwards Egypt. Yet the influence of Hegel was
widespread alongside some Egyptologists. In ‘A History of Egypt: From the Earliest fourth dimension to the Western Farsi Conquest’, James Henry Breasted (1937) argued that in that location was no link betwixt ancient Arab Republic of Egypt in addition to Africa, “The conclusion maintained yesteryear some historians that the Egyptian was of African Negro beginning is at nowadays refuted …. at best he may have got been slightly tinctured with Negro blood” (Breasted, 1937, p.36). For a long time, prejudices as discussed above, contributed significantly tothe concealment of the truth nearly the history of Africa. Attempts to separate Arab Republic of Egypt from Africa in addition to deny the latter its yesteryear was widespread. The de-linking of ancient Arab Republic of Egypt from dark Africa is soundless tempting to some scholars such as yesteryear Benjamin C. Ray (1991) who, quite latterly wrote,
“Archaeological enquiry has non turned upward a single object inwards the inter-lacustrian part or
elsewhere due south of the Sahara that derives from the lower or middle Nile valley. Nor is in that location any
decisive evidence that in that location were contacts anywhere betwixt Arab Republic of Egypt in addition to Africa due south of Meroe”
(Benjamin C Ray, 1991, p.196).
However, Ray did non engage with ancient historiography inwards which contacts betwixt ancient Arab Republic of Egypt in addition to modern twenty-four hours Republic of Uganda were fairly good documented. For example, Rev. Fisher (1904), found, artefacts inwards Uganda, from ancient Arab Republic of Egypt nearly which he wrote,
“In the extremely fragile in addition to various forms of string in addition to baskets working peculiar to the Batoro
tribe, i notices marked similarity to Egyptian design. Then, again, alongside the tribe of the
Bakuku is some other suggestive point: whilst staying inwards their vicinity for a menstruation of 6 weeks, I
made a potent elbow grease to collect together a alternative of their war-horns, which consist of minute
ivory tusks shaved downwards in addition to scooped out. It was non an piece of cake thing to procure them, as they are
regarded as the heirlooms of the family, in addition to have got been handed downwards from ancient times.
Offering, however, high in addition to tempting price inwards the shape of goats, I succeeded inwards procuring 6 or
seven. I in addition to then found that each had its ain peculiar mark: i resembled most clearly the planet
Saturn, another, the Pleiades, others various hieroglyphic designs. Questioning the folk as to the
important pregnant of each, they expressed total ignorance beyond that they were intended for
ornamentation yesteryear their early on fathers ….” (A.B. Fisher, 1904, p.250).
In whatever instance the ancient Egyptians did appear to Republic of Uganda as their abode of origin. The ‘Papyrus of Hunefer’ in addition to the ‘Book of the Coming Forth yesteryear the Day in addition to Night’, incorporate the message which the ancient Egyptians recorded nearly their beginning in addition to which read, “We came from the offset of the Nile where the god Hapi dwells, at the foothills of the mountains of the moon” (Yosef benJochanannan in addition to John Hendrik Clarke, 1991, p.5). In a desperate elbow grease to reinforce the de-linking of Africa from ancient Egypt, a construct, the ‘Hamitic theory’ was developed to distort the identities of the ancient Egyptians.
2.1 Hamitic theory
In its master copy formulation, the ‘hamitic theory’ stipulates that, “ …. The divine kingship of ancient Arab Republic of Egypt derived from a pre-historic Caucasian/Negro civilisation called ‘Hamitic’. …. This civilisation had given ascent to many East African societies, including the kingdom of the Shilluk inwards the Southern Sudan in addition to the Kingdoms of Bunyoro in addition to Buganda farther south” (C.G. Seligman, 1966, p.100). On the reverse though, the Shilluk, who are portrayed as Hamites do genuinely belong to the Luo racial group. The same Luo grouping had indeed founded the Kitara empire inwards the Great Lakes region. For example, Onyango ku Odongo in addition to Webster (1976) specifically wrote,
“Banyoro sources advise that the adult man who founded the Lwo Bito dynasty of Bunyoro-Kitara was
called Isingoma Mpuga Rukidi1. Even a layman tin can easily reckon that the ii names have got no
etymological affinity to Lwo ones, but the finally i mightiness have got been Lakidi or Lukidi. The maiden off two
names, Isingoma Mpuga, are typically Bantu. It is possible, however, that these were the names
given to the Lwo rulers yesteryear his subjects, non his actual names. ….” (Ku Odongo, Webster, 1979, p.118)
Consciously or unconsciously, Ku Odongo in addition to Webster have got suggested that the Luo were the really founders of the Kitara empire inwards the Great Lakes region. Thus, ii competing models, the ‘Nilotic-Luo’ versus the ‘Hamitic’ have got been advanced to explicate the origins of the province builders inwards the Great Lakes part on the i hand, in addition to that of the ancient Egyptian civilisation on the other. Seligman, a proponent of the Hamitic model, farther claimed that, “The in-coming Hamites were pastoral Europeans- arriving waves after waves – improve armed in addition to quicker witted than the dark agricultural negroes” (Seligman, 1966, p.100). Whilst ecstatic nearly the Hamitic theory, the proponents were deeply divided on the truthful identities of the Hamites. For example, Driberg (1923), a British colonial administrator who for 7 years lived in addition to worked alongside the Lango of Uganda, described the ‘Hamites’ as “…. Latuka, Taposa, Dodotho, Karamojong, Iteso, Akum,
Turkana, Suk, Masai, Nandi, in addition to the grouping of tribes contained nether the full general heading Langu, viz. the Ajie, Olok ….” (Driberg, 1923, p.9). Despite the confusion over the identities of the socalled Hamites, some western anthropologists in addition to colonial administrators continued to lend tremendous back upward to Seligman’s theory. Margaret Trowell (1943), a curator of the Republic of Uganda museum during the colonial menstruation was i of the ‘Hamitic’ enthusiasts. In the 1940s she reignited the hamitic debate in addition to posed the question, “Who are the Hamitic people, known to us chiefly through the Bahima of Ankole but comprising also many other groups inwards the Kingdom of Belgium Congo in addition to downwards due south in addition to due west of the Lake? They are low-cal skinned, long faced, fine featured
people of Caucasian stock coming from the North; but how they arrived is a job upon which
piece of work has yet to live done”2. The Bahima of Republic of Uganda in addition to the Tutsi of Ruanda, Republic of Burundi in addition to the
Congo may have got some Caucasian features described yesteryear Margaret Trowell. However, they are of
somali descended migrants, who settled inwards the Great Lakes part good after the arrivals of the
Luos inwards the part (Karugire, 1971). In whatever case, the Kingdom of Koch (Cush), inwards the upper Nile
part of northern Sudan developed largely out of sedentary agricultural activities, rather than
pastoral nomadism as enjoyed yesteryear the Bahima in addition to the Tutsis. Besides, the ancient Egyptian
divinities are unknown alongside the Bahima in addition to Tutsis. As no historical evidence has ever been
uncovered that linked the Bahimas to the Nile Valley civilisation, interests inwards the ‘Hamitic theory’
begun to wane. One of the enthusiasts later on admitted the flaws surrounding the theory and
confessed that, “The topographic point of the beginning of the hamitic invaders is uncertain in addition to the route they
followed to Republic of Uganda soundless unknown …. There has been some considerable sympathy for the
proposition that they ultimately derived from Egypt”3. But the finally nail inwards the coffin of the theory
was hammered yesteryear Evans-Pritchard, Seligman’s ain pupil who wrote, “No i today would
uphold the hamitic theory that was held yesteryear Seligman. …. Seligman would ever muddle upward the
categories of race in addition to language, an error, which tin can exclusively Pb to confusion. He was also a firm
believer inwards Nordic superiority (as his student, I had to read a lot of literature inwards back upward of his
belief)”4. As volition live discussed farther below, Seligman contributed to the identification of the
Anyuak of the Sudan in addition to Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia with the Osiris’ race.
The ‘Hamitic theory’ reveals serious ambiguity in addition to needs to live examined closely. More precisely,
the beginning in addition to pregnant of the term ‘hamite’ needs to live set bare. According Dr. Finch (1991),
“Our call ‘Ham’ comes from the Hebrew Cham which inwards plough is derived from the Egyptian word
KAM, pregnant ‘black’….” (C.S. Finch, 1991:133). The word ‘Ham’ may live Egyptian but as for the
meaning, nosotros beg to disagree with Dr. Finch. For the master copy pregnant of the concept ‘Ham’, we
have got to plough to the Old Testament. After i of Noah’s sons showed disrespect to his drunken
father, he was supposedly cursed. This was what he begetter said, “Cursed live Canaan!….” (Genesis
9:25). The key word hither is ‘curse’. Interestingly, the Shilluk people mentioned yesteryear Seligman,
together with the other Luo groups occupation the word ‘Laam’ or ‘Lham which, is similar inwards pregnant to
the context used inwards the Bible. Therefore, it is likely that the word ‘Ham’ is a distortion of ‘Lham’ or
‘Laam’, which inwards the Luo linguistic communication agency ‘Curse’. Accordingly, Crazzolara (1938) defined the transitive verb ‘Laamo’, “Laamo …. To wishing sick to, curse, cast a spell on i …. “ (Crazzolara,
1938, p.279). Amongst the Shilluk in addition to the Acholi, ‘Lham’ or ‘Laam’ remains a mutual name. The
Luo footing of the biblical story of the ‘curse’ becomes apparent when nosotros appear further, at the
identities of the Ham’s brothers who were blessed in addition to bestowed with luck. Here again, the Old
Testament offers a useful clue in addition to indicates that their names were Luo inwards origin. For example,
‘Japhet’ or ‘Laphet’ means, a loiterer, a wanderer inwards the Luo language. Coincidentally this is how
Noah’s Japhet is described inwards the bible. Similarly, the Old Testament tells us that Shem’s
grandsons were named as; Joktany, Obal, Ophir (Genesis 10: 26- 29). Interestingly, these are all
Luo names soundless inwards occupation today. According to i of the experts on Luo history, Ophir or Opiir was
the leader who brought the Luos to Uganda. Fr.Crazzolara (1950), who supports this view-point,
specifically wrote,
“Owiny, Labongo in addition to Opiir, were the 3 men that came from Misr (Egypt). After traversing
several river tributaries they reached the Kuku, Moyo, Arua in addition to finally Pubungu. ….Opiir remained
in addition to begot many children but inwards the terminate he left also in addition to moved inwards the management of the Logbara. One
of Opiir’s sons was Wiir.” (Crazzolara, 1950:256).
Thus, the so- called Semitics were inwards fact Luos. Therefore, the medieval European mythology on
the multi-genetic beginning of humanity, which links Shem as the ancestor of Jews, Japhet to the
Europeans in addition to Laam to Africa was baseless in addition to must live discarded. This is simply because they all
were from the same race, the Luo people. H5N1 give-and-take on the Luo presence inwards the bible is
reserved for a later on work
Thus, the ‘Hamitic theory’, as discussed above, was non exclusively a flawed elbow grease to introduce inwards an
unscientific mode a theory nearly the beginning of races, but was also intended to deter the Luo
people from laying credible claims to their heritage in addition to to ancient civilisations. Jacob Caruthers
(1999) has observed that the liberation of African history was a state of war existence fought against
intellectuals bent on fabricating facts that would deny Africans their rich heritage. As the ‘Hamitic
theory’ was gradually discredited, attending turned to the distortion of Luo history.
3.0 Luo history as a battle-ground;
From the fourth dimension the Nile Valley came nether the Turco-Egyptian in addition to European colonial subjugation,
the history of the Nilotic Luo, has come upward nether intense scrutiny, in addition to subjected to distortion and
denigration. For example, according to I. Richards (1969), “None of the Nilotes in addition to Nilo-hamitic people of Republic of Uganda had achieved a centralised scheme of governance yesteryear the fourth dimension of Speke’s see in
1862. They were organised on a clan in addition to lineage footing ….” (Richards, 1969, p.41). For Richards,
the Nilotiocs were incapable of developing whatever social institutions, including that of the state.
Richards’ ideas emerged as portion of an anthropological epitome known as the ‘Lineage theory’
that was existence promoted yesteryear E.E. Evans-Pritchard (1940). The footing of the lineage theory was that
in that location was a dichotomy betwixt societies with states in addition to those without. Further more, the latter
were considered to have got had no history in addition to could at best live studied from the perspectives of
kinship analysis. The anthropological approach was seized upon yesteryear neo-Marxist writers such as
Mahmood Mamdani (1984) who on sheer speculation argued that, “When colonised inwards the early
portion of this century, the people of Northern Republic of Uganda were just at the threshold betwixt primitive,
but egalitarian, tribal democracies in addition to the state-governed shape divided societies. Communal form
of life, in addition to then prevalent, continued to be as remnants today”5. The dot Mamdani was trying to
pose across was that a major chemical factor of civilisation was lacking alongside the Nilotics. However,
both Richards in addition to Mamdani did non offering whatever explanation as to why the Nilotic Shilluk in addition to the
Anuak, from whom the Acholi separated, had good established province organisation, piece the latter
allegedly, did not. Yet much earlier, after careful observation, Evans-Pritchard (1940) noted,
“The Anuak are linguistically much to a greater extent than akin to the Acholi of the due south than to the Shilluk inwards the
north, in addition to they are probably, also much to a greater extent than akin to them inwards civilisation in addition to social organisation
generally. On the other hand, the Anuak kingship is undoubtedly really similar to that of the Shilluk,
in addition to is quite different anything recorded alongside the Acholi (Evans-Pritchard, 1940, p.133)
While similarities existed betwixt the Anuak in addition to the Acholi social organisations, the State
organisation of the Acholi differed from those of the anuak in addition to the Shilluk. Even to a greater extent than explicitly,
Girling (1960) insisted, “The antithesis betwixt ‘state’ in addition to ‘stateless’ societies inwards Africa has
go a mutual topographic point of contemporary social anthropology, but inwards my watch this distinction is
meaningless. …. In the instance of the Acholi they were sure as shooting non ‘stateless’ inwards 1860, in addition to in that location is
no evidence that they ever had been” (Girling, 1960, p.3). Meanwhile, Onyango Ku Odongo and
Webster (1976) suggested that the Kitara kingdom was indeed founded yesteryear the Luos. Quite
recently, Simon Simonse (1992) concluded that, “Since the Lwo are known to have got played an
of import role inwards the pre-colonial processes of province formation inwards the interlacustrine area, …. Luo
antecedents inwards our expanse of enquiry have got relevance for the reconstruction of the yesteryear over a more
extensive area” (Simonse, 1992, p.53). Once it became apparent that lineage theory was non useful
inwards the denigration of Luo history, attending focussed on re-examining the identities of the Central
Luos inwards Uganda.
It was inwards the recent piece of work of R.R. Atkinson (1995) that the distortion of Luo identity took a new
twist. Atkinson had come upward to Republic of Uganda as a fellow member of the American Peace Corp, but later on carried
out enquiry nether Makerere University’s Oral history projection that had been spearheaded yesteryear J.B.
Webster. In his before work, ‘State Formation in addition to Language Change inwards Westernmost Acholi inwards the
18th Century’, Atkinson (1984) had provided a useful business organisation human relationship of province formation inwards Acholi during
the 18th century. In his latter work, The Roots of Ethnicity, The Origin of the Acholi of Uganda
Before the 18th Century, Atkinson embraced the lineage theory in addition to had wanted to apply it to the
analysis of pre-colonial Acholi society. Faced with difficulties, Atkinson in addition to then sought to portray the
Acholi as distinctively non-Luo after all in addition to wrote, “ The independent but mutually interacting
communities of early on Acholi were made upward of speakers of 3 major linguistic communication groups: Central
Sudanic, Eastern Nilotic, Western Nilotic Luo” (R.R. Atkinson, 1985, p.71). He added that, “ …. I
challenge i of the most mutual themes of East African historiography, which attributes the
beginning of kingship or chiefship throughout the region, including, Acholi, to early on Luo-speaking
migrants from the Southern Sudan circa 1500 ….” (R.R Atkinson, 1995, p. 18). Atkinson was aware
that a number of states inwards Acholi were founded yesteryear fugitive Luo princesses in addition to followers from
Bunyoro in addition to never questioned the Luo-ness. However, he later on wanted to label Luos who passed
through Central Sudanic in addition to the so-called Nilo-hamitic regions as non-Luos, just to distort Luo
migration into Acholiland. Amongst the Central Luos, (Acholi, Alur, Lango), the Alur dialect in addition to that of the Lamogi of Acholi are quite closed to that of the Kavirondo (Kenya & Tanzanian) Luos and
differ slightly from the main dialect spoken inwards wider Acholi. Two main factors could have got brought
nearly the differences. Firstly, if Crazzolara’s (1950) piece of work is taken seriously, the Acholi part has
to live seen as the convergence dot of all the Luo groups migrating from lower in addition to Upper Egypt,
Arabia in addition to Mesopotamia. While the migrants may have got traversed Eastern Sudanic Nilo-hamitic
territories, they were Luos who had set off from the regions that the Cushites or Kushites (Koch
people) had i time settled in addition to had various backgrounds. Secondly, the priestly in addition to courtroom language
of Nilotic Kingdoms differs from the commonly spoken versions. (cf the corresponding ‘hieratic’
in addition to ‘demotic’ scripts inwards the ancient Itiyopianu in addition to Egypt). Thus, inwards Acholiland, in that location was a fusion
of the ii spoken Luo dialects. The higher upward factors necessarily led to the evolution and
simplification alongside the Acholi of the really Luo dialect, which is soundless spoken yesteryear the Alur, Lamogi
in addition to Jo-Luo. Crazzolara (1938), specifically noted that the Acholi did non adopt unusual words, “The
Acooli, on the other hand, have got in all probability been less influenced inwards their vocabulary, but have
changed in addition to simplified the forms of the words, dropping nearly every variety of stalk modification,
as inwards substantive plurals, &c., to a much greater extent than the rest” (Crazzolara,1938, p. xii).
Elsewhere, Fr. Crazzolara, (1950) wrote, “If an Acholi inwards ordinary conversation wants to assert that
he spoke inwards champaign intelligible homely language, he says: aloko lok Lwoo do! << I spoke inwards plain
Lwoo!>> ….”( Crazzolara, 1950, p.4). Thus, reverse to the assertion of Atkinson, the Acholi are
pure Luo in addition to spoke a dialect that was a production of internal development. Atkinson (1985) wanted
to disregard linguistic, archaeological in addition to written accounts of Luo history in addition to revert to
anthropological approach inwards monastic tell to downplay, denigrate in addition to deny the Luo, whatever contribution to
civilisation.
If Atkinson questioned whether or non the Acholi were a Luo group, other writers focussed on the
distortion of Luo cradle-land. J. B Webster (1976, 1979), a Canadian Africanist in addition to a proponent of
the oral historical tradition had taught inwards Ibadan in addition to at Makerere Universities in addition to was aware of
the nature of distortions nearly the Luo that some of the Africanists were engaged inwards in addition to with
Onyango Ku Odongo, had this to say,
“The query of the beginning of the Lwo, their migration in addition to settlement inwards many parts of East Africa,
has already been examined yesteryear many historians of integrity. The location of the Lwo cradle-land
has, however, remained an unsolved historical problem. So far, ii versions have got been given of the likely location of the master copy homeland of the Lwo. The maiden off version came from
Westernmann, Hofmayr in addition to Seligman,1 who have got all postulated a mutual Nilotic cradleland
somewhere to the due east of some unidentified bully lakes. ….” (Webster & Ku Odongo, 1976, p.25)
Westernmann, Hofmayr in addition to Seligman did non topographic point the location or topographic point of the Great Lakes
from whose vicinity the Lwo were purported to have got originated. All they wanted was to obscure
the cradle-land or at to the lowest degree manoeuvre it away from the confluence of ancient civilisations inwards Upper
Egypt. There was no dot on their portion inwards suggesting an easterly management of a place, which
remained unidentified. For the trio, an beginning of the Lwo should live left to speculation but
anywhere, away from the Sudan in addition to Arab Republic of Egypt would do. J. B. Webster in addition to Ku Odongo (1976) added
that,
“ The 2nd version came from Reverend Father Crazzolara2 who placed the master copy homeland
of the Nilotes to the due west of the Nile, inwards the Bahr-el-Ghazal, close Rumbek. He came to this
watch after a really exhaustive in addition to painstaking collection of oral traditions from the Nilotes. But it
would appear that the oral traditions, which he collected, did non extend dorsum far plenty to cover
the whole menstruation of Lwo evolution. What he collected seemed to refer exclusively to the events, which
took topographic point after the maiden off dispersal of the Nilotes from the legendary abode of the Lwo, known as
“Dog Nam” or the Lake Shore Settlement”.(Webster & Ku Odongo, 1976, p.25)
Africa with a yesteryear every bit as chequered as the Lwoo, but with most of them in that location remain only
slight traces, a few historical fragments hither in addition to in that location – i tin can hardly speak of ‘a people’ any
longer. Of such fragments in that location remain many inwards the introduce habitat of the Acholi as volition be
revealed” (Crazzolara, 1950, p.1). However, he was non keen to uncover aspects of Luo history
which he knew impacted on the evolution of Western philosophy in addition to religion. Most
importantly, Fr. Crazzolara in addition to other missionaries were non also keen to dispense with organized religious belief as
a tool in addition to wanted to impose the western version of Christianity inwards monastic tell to command the colonised.
Thus, Fr. Crazzolara remained evasive nearly the master copy abode terra firma of the Luo. His claim that
Bahr-el- Ghazal was that master copy terra firma was the same old strategy so ofttimes employed yesteryear some
Euro-centric scholars to de-link Africa from the ancient civilisations. Most aspects of the menstruation of
Lwo evolution has been good documented inwards both the oral traditions in addition to written sources. The
identification of the Cradle-land would uncover the part formerly known as Upper Egypt
(modern Northern Sudan). The part is rich inwards archaeological materials that are related to the
ancient Koch (Cush) kingdom. It should non live a surprise that those scholars keen to deny an
African link to ancient Arab Republic of Egypt were every bit determined to bound the Luo cradle-land to Southern
Sudan. J.B. Webster (1979) who was non at all satisfied with the ii versions, pointed out that, “As
other historians have got suggested, mayhap a to a greater extent than useful approach inwards searching for a correct
answer to this hard query of the Lwo cradle-land would live through the fields of linguistics
in addition to archaeology. For the 2nd nosotros appear into the traditions of the key Lwo who are known
today as the Acholi” (Webster, 1976, p.25). Ironically, as volition live discussed below, the oral tradition
of the Acholi contained all the information i needed to topographic point the Luo cradle-land.
Luo Cradle-Land at Tekidi (Napata), the Grand Court of Koch (Kush)
During the colonial period, indigenous scholars inwards Northern Republic of Uganda were keen to introduce their
ain history in addition to expose as fallacies, the accounts presented yesteryear colonial scholars. Girling (1960),
an anthropologist, witnessed the activities of the indigenous writers in addition to noted that, “…. In many
parts of the district I found men with little exercise books inwards which they had written accounts of
the past, taken from the lips of their grandfathers in addition to other old men” (Girling, 1960, p.202). One
such adult man was Onyango ku Odongo (1976) who wrote,
“It was inwards 1942 that I maiden off developed an involvement inwards oral traditions in addition to begun to brand some notes
on them. As I did non in addition to then know that these notes would go useful inwards future, inwards writing a book, they were carelessly in addition to disorderly scribbled inwards a schoolhouse exercise book. The stories were
mixed upward with old proverbs, songs, rituals in addition to many odd things related to every Acholi life. The
main contributor was my grandmother, Alunga Lujim. Unfortunately, the Second World War
interrupted my remain with Alunga Lujim, in addition to I could non tape to a greater extent than notes which mightiness have got been
useful inwards throwing some low-cal on the dim yesteryear of the key Lwo. ….” (Onyango ku Odongo, 1976,
p.27)
Ku Odongo’s collection in addition to documentation of Luo history was interrupted as he was conscripted
into the King’s African Rifle of the British regular army that fought inwards the Second World War. After the war,
he resumed the documentation of oral history in addition to travelled to the Sudan to do land piece of work amongst
the Shilluk in addition to the Anuak. Unfortunately, the Anyanya civil state of war broke out inwards 1956 whilst Ku
Odongo was inwards the Sudan. Subsequently, the valuable historical information that he had collected from
his land trip was confiscated in addition to destroyed yesteryear the Sudanese soldiers. However, through sheer
determination, he was able to pose together the accounts passed to him yesteryear oral historian, Alunga
Lujim6.
According to Ku Odongo, the Luo had developed a prosperous kingdom with the working capital alphabetic lineament or grand
courtroom at the pes of a mountain. Ku Odongo specifically pointed out that, “The key Lwo people,
who lived inwards a settlement known inwards the legend as Tekidi or “ on the pes of mountains”, had a
bully kingdom which was making steady progress inwards many fields of human endeavour”(Ku
Odongo, 1976, p.80). Though unaware, Ku Odongo was referring to the Koch (Kush) kingdom at
Napata. He added that, “This bully kingdom was destroyed yesteryear the maiden off dark-brown men to encounter the
Lwo. The finally rwot or manly individual monarch of this kingdom was called Owiny wod Pule Rac Koma” (Ku Odongo,
1976, p.80). Interestingly, archaeological piece of work has unearthed the ancient Kushitic kingdom at
Napata, inwards Northern Sudan. According to G. Mokhtar (1990), “Taharqa’s call is found on
numerous monuments throughout the whole length of the Nile Valley. He built his sanctuaries at
the pes of the holy mount of Djabal Barkal, a variety of sandstone tabular array formation, which
dominates the large fertile basin of Napata. ….” (Mokhtar, 1990, p. 163). It was considered to be
the terra firma of the Gods. Thus, reverse to the assertion of Westernmann, Seligman, Hofmayr and
Fr.Crazzolara, the Luo cradle-land was non due east of some unidentified Great Lakes or Rumbek in
Bar-el-Ghazal, but Napata inwards Northern Sudan. The main ground for misrepresenting the location of
the Luo cradle-land was to de-link the Luo from in addition to deny them whatever claims on the ancient
kingdom of Kush (or Koch).
Chancellor Williams (1987) observed that the greatest dream of all the bully kings of the Nile
Valley was the consolidation of the southern in addition to northern regions, hence the constant wars
betwixt upper in addition to lower Egypt. Tekidi, the grand courtroom of the kingdom, the terra firma of the gods also
bore the brunt of military machine incursions from lower Egypt. According to Onyango Ku Odongo &
Webster (1976),
“ …. the people of Rwot Owiny wod Pule Rac Koma of tekidi lived peacefully for some years. Later,
their peace was interrupted yesteryear a unusual people who were thought to live jok or super-natural
beings. These strangers invaded the Lwo settlement from the north. They shattered the formerly
invincible bully Lwo kingdom of Rwot Owiny. Some old men inwards Acholi said these strangers were
white but others believe that they were brown, crimson or yellow. It was mostly agreed, however,
that these maiden off white, dark-brown or crimson invaders had long dark silky pilus in addition to untidy beards. ….” (Ku
Odongo & webster, 1976, p.131)
Coincidentally, an incursion for the command over Tekidi is soundless recalled inwards songs yesteryear musicians and
royal bwola dancers inwards Acholi:
Lakila oywaro mony me lanek Oyuro do! Oyuro do! I Tekidi
Tong pa Oyuro odong, I Tekidi!
Iyee Lakila oywayo mony me lanek Oyuro ye! I Tekidi
Oyuro ye!
Nok rac ocera lweny!
Oneko Oyuro ye! I Tekidi
Nok rac ocera lweny ….!7
Lakila mobilised an regular army to annihilate Oyuro! At Tekidi
Oyuro’s pike was abandoned at Tekidi
Iyee, Lakila mobilised an regular army to annihilate Oyuro ye!
Oyuro ye!
Poor province of conscription made the state of war difficult
Oyuro got killed at Tekidi!
Poor province of conscription made the state of war difficult. (The writer’s translation inwards Italics)
The Agoro State of the Acholi, do recall Lakila as i of their bully kings. Interestingly, the Acholi
occupation the word Yuro or Yuru to depict the densely silky haired which fits the description of the
untidy bearded invaders who vanguished at Tekidi. Once deconstructed, the proper call Bwomoono that exists alongside the Acholi, does discover the wars that were fought betwixt the Luos
in addition to the white/brown invaders. The word ‘Bwo’ inwards the Acholi linguistic communication agency to overcome or
defeat. On the other hand, ‘Moono’ is an Acholi substantive meaning, “ …. the white man, ….”
(Crazzolara, 1938, p. 310). Thus the call ‘Bwomoono’ is a telephone telephone for the defeat of the white.
Recent enquiry findings have got confirmed the invasion of Napata yesteryear a mercenary supported
Egyptian military machine forcefulness led yesteryear Harmachis or Amasis. According to G. Mokhtar (1990),
“Aspelta was a contemporary of Psammetik II. This is i of the few genuinely secure synchronisms,
almost the exclusively i inwards a M years of history. In – 591, or the 2nd twelvemonth of the king’s
reign, the terra firma of Kush was invaded yesteryear an Egyptian expedition, reinforced yesteryear Greek in addition to Carian
mercenaries, nether ii generals, Amasis in addition to Potasimto, in addition to Napata was captured. ….” ( Mokhtar,
1990, p.164).
Amasis, i of the leaders of the invaders, succeeded in addition to became the finally indigenous Egyptian
Pharaoh. He became a loathe figure alongside the Luos in addition to his humiliation at the manus of Cyrus,
which has been captured inwards an Acholi vocal in addition to ‘folk- tale’ volition live discussed farther below. Suffice
to advert that Napata was indeed the grand working capital alphabetic lineament of the ancient Koch8 kingdom, which was
also known as Cush or Kush. Constant threats in addition to incursions from lower Arab Republic of Egypt led to the
relocation of the grand courtroom of Koch, from Tekidi to Meroe as noted yesteryear G. Mokhtar (1990), when
he wrote, “…. It is undoubtedly to the Egyptian raid, whose importance has long been
underestimated, that nosotros must attribute the transfer from Napata to Meroe, much farther south, at
no bully distance from the Sixth cataract. Aspelta is inwards fact the maiden off attested Meroe sovereign. ….”
(Mokhtar, 1990, p.174). Ample evidence exists to exhibit that the Meroitic kingdom was of Luo
origin
Diop (1974), who laboured so much in addition to convinced the world that Meroitic State was of Nilotic
origin, showed a lapse of sentence when he suggested that, “The call Meroe does non seem to
derive from an African root. It is in all probability what foreigners used after Cambysis to designate the
Capital of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (in the Sudan)” (Diop, 1974, p.143, 288). Yet inwards his article ‘Origin of the Ancient
Egyptians’, Diop also noted that inwards ancient Egyptian, “mer = love”(Diop, 1990, p.29).
Coincidentally, inwards the Luo language, the same word ‘mer’ = harmony, or to live friendly with, while
“mar = love”. The author is inclined to believe that the call Meroe derives from a Luo word Mero
(or Meru) which means, ‘cultivate an harmonious relationship’. Linguistic evidence exists to show
the affinity betwixt the Luo linguistic communication in addition to the Meroitic script. According to A.A Hakem (1990),
“The rulers of Napata in addition to Meroe used traditional Pharaonic titles inwards their inscriptions. Nowhere in
their titulature do nosotros encounter a Meroitic word for king. The championship kwr (read qere, qer or qeren)
appears exclusively inwards Psammetik II’s business organisation human relationship of his conquest of Kush when he mentions the king
Aspelta. Though this championship must have got been the usual shape of address of Kushite sovereigns, it was
non allowed to intrude into the monuments of Kush. ….”(Hakem, 1990, p.174).
In the Acholi - Luo dialect, Ker (Qer) agency royalty or Kingship. For example, Reuben Anywar
(1954) wrote, Acoli ki ker megi, which translates as Kingship of the Acoli. Similarly, Lacito Okech
(1953), some other author also wrote, Tekwaro ki Ker Lobo West Acholi, which translates as, History in addition to Kingship inwards West Acholi. Meanwhile, inwards the same Acholi dialect, Ot Ker denotes the royal
theatre unit of measurement or household. Thus the Meroitic championship - Ker is a Luo word. On the other hand, the championship used
yesteryear the sovereigns of Meroe was Reth, or Rwoth, or Rwot. According to A.C.A. Wright (1940), “Reth
is a frequent championship inwards Demotic in addition to is translated as Inspector or ‘Agent’ (Cat. Of the Demotic Papyri
inwards the Ryland library III p.367). Demotic ‘rt’ is Egyptian ‘rwd’ – agent found also inwards Coptic”9. It is
worth noting that ‘rt’ (Reth) is the championship of the Shilluk King, piece rwd (Rwot) is the championship of an Acholi
King. Amongst the Luos, women participated fully inwards governance. In a farther scrutiny of the title
of Meroe’s woman individual rulers, A.A. Hakim (1990) added that:
“The championship is derived from the Meroitic Ktke or Kdke pregnant queen mother. Another championship – qere –
pregnant ruler was non used until the Meroitic script appeared. As a thing of fact nosotros have got only
iv queens known to have got used this title, namely Amanirenas, Amanishekhete, Nawidemak and
Maleqereabar, all yesteryear Definition existence candaces. ….” (Ahakim, 1990, p.174).
Coincidentally, alongside the Acholi, the queen woman parent occupies a special place, in addition to was (is)
referred to either as Min Rwot or Dak ker. Kdke inwards the Meroitic script simply refers to Dak ker. The
best known of whom was Daca. Just as threats at Napata forced the location of the Koch Kingdom
to Meroe, the devastation of Meroe led to the decline in addition to autumn of the greatest civilisation of the Nile
Valley, forcing the Luos to displace to bully Lakes part in addition to other parts of Africa. In the Great Lakes
region, the Luos before long begun to build themselves upward in addition to founded the Kitara empire. In a
description of the elaborate province organisation reconstructed yesteryear the Nilotics, the Rev. B. Fisher
wrote,
“Then as regards government, if they had non modelled it after a higher illustration shown them,
how tin can nosotros business organisation human relationship for the intricate in addition to highly developed shape of native direction which we
found existing inwards these parts, in addition to which the British Government was non able to improve upon for
these people” (The Geographical Journal, Vol 24, No.3 A. B. Fisher, 1904, p.250)
The Kitara Kingdom was non pristine or Bantu inwards origin. Curiously enough, the Nilotic rulers who
founded that province soundless had fond retention of Meroe. For example, the Meroitic beginning of Kitara was,
revealed to the British explorer, Major John Hannington Speke, yesteryear Rumanika, the 19th century
manly individual monarch who ruled Karagwe as a satellite of the Kitara. In a conversation with Major Speke, King
Rumanika pointed to the ancient kingdom of Meroe or Meru inwards the Sudan as the beginning of the
Kitarans:
This conversation diversified yesteryear numerous sharp remarks on the portion of Rumanika, led to his
bespeak how I could business organisation human relationship for the decline of countries, instancing the dismemberment of the
Wahuma of Kitara, in addition to remarking that formerly Karagwe including Urundi in addition to Kishakka, which
collectively were known as the kingdom of Meru governed yesteryear i adult man (Speke, 1863, p.226)
Rumanika suggested that, Kitara had fragmented in addition to was no longer a powerful empire as it once
was. Most importantly, he also confirmed that Kitara was the successor of the i time powerful state
known as Meru or Meroe. The Meroitic State was also described as Ethiopian. Therefore, of
involvement to us hither is the link betwixt Meroe in addition to Itiyopi-anu (Ethiopia).
H5N1 grouping of Luo warriors inwards total warrior clothes with long spears in addition to shields, posed inwards front end of the administrative edifice at Kisumu. This grouping is peculiarly distinguished yesteryear their extraordinary headdresses, including colobus monkey tail ones (kondo bim). Their chests are also adorned yesteryear cowrie rhythm out decorated belts (okanda gaagi). Their shields are typical of Luo shields inwards the period, taking a curved shape in addition to with geometrical patterns. Pitt Rivers Source (Charles William Hobley). Circa 1900
4.0 The Luo in addition to dedication of service to Anu - the Itiyopianu people
The Egyptologist who contributed so much to the identification of the earliest settlers inwards the Nile
valley was the Frenchman, Abbe Emile Amelineau, As an archaeologist, he was also credited with
the regain of Osiris’ tomb at Abydos (Diop, 1974, p.76). It was Amelineau who identified the
early on settlers as the Anu people in addition to wrote that inwards their migration downwards the Nile, the Anu peoples
founded cities such as Esneh, Erment, Quoch in addition to Heliopolis, pointing out that, “All those cities
have got the characteristic symbol which serves to denote the call Anu. It is also an ethnic sense, that nosotros must read the term Anu applies to Osiris” (Amelineau, 1916, pp.124-125). Quoch later
became the most famous as it expanded into lower Egypt, Asia in addition to the Aegean sea. It was also
variously known in addition to written as Kush, Cush or Koch (Drussilla Houston, 1985, p.222). Following
Amelineau, Diop made farther revelation nearly the same people when he wrote,
“These Anu …. were an agricultural people, raising cattle on a large scale along the Nile, shutting
themselves upward inwards walled cities for defensive purposes. To this people nosotros tin can attribute, without
fearfulness of error, the most ancient Egyptian Books, The Book of the Dead, in addition to the Texts of the
Pyramids, consequently, all the myths or religious teaching. I would add together almost all the
philosophical in addition to then known in addition to soundless called Egyptian ….” (Diop, 1974, p.77).
According to Diop, it was the Anu people who authored the various books in addition to scripts associated
with Egyptian organized religious belief in addition to philosophies. The Anu people were also referred to as the ‘Agu’.
According to Houston (1985), “This was the aboriginal race of Abyssinia. It was symbolised yesteryear the
bully Sphinx in addition to the marvellous human face upward of Cheops …. The ‘Agu’ of the monuments represented this
aboriginal race. They were the ancestors of the Nubians, in addition to were the ruling race of Egypt
(Houston, 1985, p.35). D.D. Houston added that, “This old race of the Upper Nile, the Agu or Anu
of the ancient traditions spread their arts from Arab Republic of Egypt to the Aegian, from Sicily to Italy in addition to Spain
(Houston, 1985, p.49). Up to the 1960s ‘Agu’ was soundless worshipped alongside the Acholis inwards Uganda
in addition to the Sudan. It was offered a sacrifice on a mount known as Got or mount ‘Agu’, “1. Keny,
boy of Ocak came from Lepfool to Got Agu, where he died. 2. Obaak, boy of Keny, died at Got
Agu. 3. Atanga, boy of Obaak, died similar wise at Got Agu. (Crazzolara, 1950, p.177). Though
Amelineau, Diop in addition to Houston all identified the early on settlers as the Anu, they neither explained
nor defined the pregnant of the word Anu.
Prez Obama in addition to his luo theatre unit of measurement from Kenya
4.1 What is Anu in addition to who were the Anu peoples?
The ancient systems of philosophies are recorded inwards the Egyptian Book of the Dead. In monastic tell to
empathise the emergence of the philosophical systems, i has to appear at the economic
problems at the time. The most serious of which were droughts in addition to floods, all of which posed
serious threats to land, an of import agency of production in addition to livelihood. The Nile along whose
valley the Anu people descended was regarded as the source of prosperity in addition to honoured as the
life – giving waters out of which the universe in addition to all it contains emerged. Droughts, floods and
threats to the agency of livelihood were attributed to a supernatural forcefulness or god that played a
reconciliatory role betwixt humans in addition to nature. Thus inwards the Anu peoples’ cosmogony, it was held
that the universe developed from a primordial watery thing known as ‘Nu’. “ represents the
primeval watery mass from which all the gods were evolved …. This god’s championship are “Father of the
gods” ….” (E.A. Wallis Budge, cvii). The prefix ‘A’ agency ‘of’. Thus ‘Anu’ means, ‘of the begetter of
gods’. Anu was considered to have got the properties of self- evolution known as Khapere.
Amongst the Acholi, Khapere or Lhacere is a mutual name, which, signifies ‘unstable-ness’ or
i who never settles downwards at all. Through the physical care for of self- development, Anu or Lhapi was
transformed into Ra, the Lord's Day god. The Acholi are the exclusively people inwards the Eastern Africa part who
recognised ‘Ra’. Writing nearly the arrival in addition to settlement of a key Luo grouping nether i named
Ocaak, Fr. Crazzolara noted, “Paari mythology tends to signal that he was killed yesteryear some evil
Jwook (spirit); that is why they telephone telephone this people Parajook (para jwook, they dreaded this spirit or
disease) …. (Crazzolara, 1950, p.174). As a thing of fact, the call of an Acholi province inwards the
Sudan is known as the Parajok. Once deconstructed, the truthful pregnant of the province comes out as
‘Pa-Ra-Jok’ (‘Pa’ is a possessive preposition of, Ra is the Lord's Day god in addition to Jok is spirit). Thus, Parajok
agency ‘Of the spirit Ra’, in addition to a dedication to the Lord's Day god, which completed the creation of the
universe.
The price used to depict the metamorphosis of the Lord's Day or Ra, have got bearings with the Luo
language. For example, Horu (Oru) inwards Acholi agency the ‘sun has arisen’ in addition to the ‘day has broken’.
In the same language, Hru-piny means, “…. Dawn, when the Sun breaks through in addition to drives away
the screen of darkness in addition to nighttime ….” (P’Bitek, 1980, p.155). It is simply the ‘coming forth yesteryear day’.
Today, a Luo linguistic communication weekly tidings newspaper inwards Republic of Uganda is known as Hru-piny. To the Acholi, the
setting Sun at dusk is said to live dying. ‘Too’ or ‘Thoo’ is a neuter verb pregnant ‘to die’. Amongst
the Acholi, a goddess known as ‘Atoo or A’tho’ (read as inwards Hathor) is worshipped on a Got Atoo
mountain. Writing nearly the migration of the Bwobo peoples who had retreated from the
Kavirondo Luo in addition to rejoined the Acholi, Fr. Crazzolara pointed out that, “Later, they moved southwest across the Acaa to Ureet, Odac, Lovaa in addition to Got Atoo, (Pa-Icoo), where Ongoom is mentioned
as their Rwoot. Could A’thoo live the Hathor the goddess that reproduces life? Interestingly, Horus
the king, was said to live the boy of ‘Hathor’, the woman parent of his incarnation. Fr. Crazzolara also
noted that, Jo-Lamwoo were inwards accuse of Jook Lacic, whose abode was on Got Lacic, called also
Got Lamwoo. They had to offering sacrifices to Jook Lacic on this mountain, ….” (Crazzolara, 1950,
p.175). The goddess the Acholi refer to the ‘Lacic’ is the ancient Isis. Amongst the Luos, the word ‘Cier’(Cyer) is a verb, which means, to ascent from the dead. Similarly, ‘Ciero’ (Ciero) is some other verb
pregnant to elevate from the dead. On the other hand, ‘Ocier’ means, has risen. Coincidentally Ausar
(or Osiris) was the Egyptian god who had passed through decease in addition to had the powerfulness of bringing to
life, out of death. In linking Osiris with the Luo people, Henry Frankfort (1948) wrote,
“…. We should consider for the 2nd a really similar god worshipped yesteryear the Shilluk, modern
Nilotes who are related to the ancient Egyptians. We have got referred above* to Nyakang, who like
Osiris, counts as a one-time king. Like Osiris, too, he is credited with having given to his people the
chemical factor of culture. Both are permanently concerned with the good existence of their people and
influence it from beyond. …. Nyakang is the equivalent of both Horus in addition to Osiris inwards this respect
(Frankfort, 1948, p.198-199)
The human relationship betwixt the Nilotic Shilluk that Frankfort referred to higher upward was confirmed yesteryear Fr.
Crazzolara who wrote nearly the decease disappearance of Nyikango next his murder, as was
the instance with Osiris,
“Nyikango …. became tired of their unending disputes. One such contender went i twenty-four hours and
threw a pike at Nyikango hitting him inwards the chest. <> Nyikango said to his people. He was taken
to a hut. Its roof opened of itself, in addition to Nyikango went into the peak – into heaven, inwards the shape of
smoke, keta mal a iiro. The of import chiefs were called. …..the members of Nyikango’s family
said to the chiefs: <> - turning to the gazing people Nyikango said reprovingly: <> ….”
(Crazzolara, 1950, p.126 –127).
Nyikango was similar Osiris, a god of the dead. As a royal, Nyikango had rivals in addition to in that location were feuds
similar to that encountered yesteryear Osiris with his blood brother Set. In Nyikango’s case, the main competition was a
Dowaat as noted yesteryear Fr. Crazzolara who wrote, “Nyikango was driven away yesteryear his half-brother
Dowaat, because he aspired to take his topographic point ….” (Crazzolara, 1950, p.130). Without doubt, there
is a potent affinity betwixt principal characters inwards the Shilluk tradition in addition to those inwards the
philosophy of ancient Ethiopians/Egyptians religion.
Besides Frankfort’s observations, the link betwixt ancient Arab Republic of Egypt in addition to the Luos did attract the
attending of Chiek Anta Diop. In identifying the Anu people with the Luos, Diop (1991) wrote, “The
Anuak of the Sobat River (Evans-Pritchard, p.253) recall the proto-historic tribe of Anu (of Osiris’s
ethnicity), who originally occupied the Nile valley” (Diop, 1981, p.121). To recall agency to have got knowledge. Thus the Anuak have got knowledge nearly the maiden off in addition to the master copy inhabitants of the Nile
Valley, Osiris’s tribe the Anu. As for the identity of the Anuak, E.E. Evans-Pritchard (1940) noted,
“The Anuak belong to the Shilluk-Luo grouping of the Nilotic peoples in addition to this monograph provides
farther information for comparative report of their political systems. The grouping comprises the Shilluk,
Anuak, Acholi, Luo of L.Victoria, Luo of the Bahr-el-Ghazal in addition to the closely related Dembo, Shat,
in addition to Mannangir, Alur, Lango, Jo-Pa-Dhola, Kumam, Bor, in addition to Fori….” (Evans-Pritchard, 1940, p.5)
Both Diop in addition to Evan-Pritchard confirmed that the Luos were the really Nilotic peoples who first
settled the Nile Valley in addition to founded the ancient Kingdom of Koch (Cush, Kush, or Quoch). In the
Luo language, i- means, thou in addition to ‘tiyo’ is a verb to piece of work or dedicate service to, pi- means, for.
‘Anu’ was the primordial watery mass, the god of gods. Thus, itiyopianu agency people who
dedicated services to Anu. The Koch kingdom of the Itiyo-pi-anu expanded into Egypt, Arabia,
Chaldea in addition to the Aegian penisula (Drussila D. Houston, 1985). The Luo presence inwards Arab Republic of Egypt is
discussed below.
5.0. The Luo inwards Ancient Egyptian history.
Luo expansion into Egypt.
Koch (Kush, Cush, Quoch) was the master copy in addition to powerful Itiyopian kingdom that maiden off emerged in
the Nile Valley inwards the modern Republic of the Sudan. The sovereigns of Koch extended Itiyopianu
dominion into the Lower Nile region, which later on became known as Egypt. More specifically, it was the
Thebban priest/kings from the Upper Nile Valley of Koch that established theocratic dominion in
ancient Egypt. The maiden off manly individual monarch of Dynasty I, was Menya (Mena, or Menes). Speakers of IndoEuropean languages have got difficulties inwards pronouncing African words with the consonant ‘ny’ as inwards Republic of Kenya or Nyerere.
In the instance of Menya, the alphabetic lineament the ‘y’ was omitted altogether so that Menya is spelt in addition to read as Mena in addition to quite ofttimes distorted as Mene. This distortion in addition to the omission of the alphabetic lineament ‘y’ was pointed out yesteryear E.A. Wallis Budge (BOTD: xii). Thus the maiden off manly individual monarch of Arab Republic of Egypt was non Mena or Menes as has been depicted inwards many texts but Menya, the Thebban in addition to originally, i of the Itiyopian priests (Dunjee Houston, 1985:69). Menya is a Luo call in addition to a mutual i alongside the Acholi today. The call ‘Menya’ agency ‘shines on me’. Amongst the Acholi, Menya is soundless remembered as a rich in addition to powerful person, inwards the next proverb; “Tong gweno oloyo Menya”- translates as ‘Menya failed to acquire an egg’ (Okot P’Bitek, 1985:86). For such a powerful figure, zero was beyond his reach. However, on i fateful twenty-four hours fifty-fifty an egg was not
affordable. It was beyond Menya’s reach. Menya’s clan, the ‘Pa-Menya’ are today affiliates of the
one-time Payira province of Acholi.
Luo kochia dancers
It was Menya who built i of the maiden off temples inwards Egypt. One of the temples, ‘Ptah’ was so named
inwards honour of the solar god. The solar god illuminates the world yesteryear the terminate of its eyes. Thus it was
the illuminary that ‘shines on him’. Coincidentally, Tah is also a Luo word pregnant brilliant low-cal or
an illuminary. ‘Ptah’ agency ‘of the illuminary’ or ‘of the light’. The prefix ‘P’ agency ‘of’ as inwards Okot
of Bitek above. A-gy-ptah or Ae-gy-ptah agency ‘I am of the light’. Thus the call Arab Republic of Egypt is not
‘Kemit’, but comes from the term ‘AEGYPTAH’ in addition to was a build of Menya, the maiden off king. Menya
went on in addition to instituted the maiden off dynastic in addition to theocratic monarchy. Menya saw himself as the solar
god that has descended alongside men.
He was succeeded yesteryear i ‘ Aha’. Interestingly, this is a familiar mutual Luo name. In the Luo
language, this call is an expression, which means, ‘I have got risen’. He was succeeded yesteryear ‘Djer’(H.
Frankfort, 1948:xxiv). His call agency ‘set back’. Meanwhile, ‘Dimu’, the finally ruler of the first
dynasty is the ancestor of the Shilluk. In acknowledging Dimu as the ancestors of the Shilluk, Fr.
Crazzolara wrote, “Nyikango fled to Dhimmo (Collo spelling), who is said to have got been a Reth,
king, whose terra firma was distinct from that of Dowaat ….” (Fr. Crazzolara, 1950, p.123). The
2nd dynastic ruler ‘Nacca’ soundless carried a Luo mutual call in addition to this tendency continued. The Fifth
dynastic ruler who assumed powerfulness around 2340 B. C. was ‘Tet-ka-Ra’. The word ‘Tet’ or ‘Teth’ is Luo meaning, ‘forge, design, mould, build or create’. The call meant ‘the creation of or the
manus piece of work of ‘Ra’’. In the 6th dynasty, which ended inwards 2180 B. C, the maiden off Pharaoh carried the
call ‘Teti’ pregnant ‘design in addition to make’ inwards the Luo language. The 18th dynasty rulers included
‘Ahmose’, whose call translates inwards Luo as ‘I hail him/her’ in addition to ‘Akhena-tuon’, pregnant ‘I am the
i in addition to exclusively bull’. He was succeeded by, the boy- king, ‘Tute-ankh-amunu’. The word ‘tute’ in
Luo means, strive, endeavour or struggle. On the other hand, ‘ankh’ is the eternal life (BenJochannan, 1972, p.362). Thus, the man child manly individual monarch who was likened to the life giver was urged, ‘struggle
patiently similar that the life giver’.
In the belatedly menstruation 750 BC Kabaka or ‘Pi-ankh’ reasserted Itiyopian dominion over Egypt. Do these titles
have got whatever significance alongside the Luos? According to Kabaka Mutesa, the manly individual monarch who ruled the
Buganda kingdom at the dawn of British colonialism inwards Uganda, ‘Kabaka’ the king’s championship means
“the glorious messenger of Baka”10. As for the pregnant of ‘Baka’, P’Bitek provided a useful
explanation he wrote, “ I swear inwards the call of Baka, the Jok of Patiko Chiefdom, that I shall speak
the truth, without hiding anything from you, or tell a lie, but all the truth as I know it” (P’Bitek,
1989, p.69). Okeca Ladwong, an Acholi native from Patiko in addition to the main grapheme inwards P’Bitek’s
satirical novel ‘White Teeth’, was swearing inwards a British courtroom inwards colonial Uganda. Patiko was a precolonial Acholi State inwards Northern Republic of Uganda that was destroyed yesteryear Turko-Egyptian in addition to British
colonialism, in addition to Baka was the State Deity. The dot hither is that through Luo migration and
relocation, the occupation of the titles ‘Baka’ of the Koch ruler continued inwards the post Meroitic States inwards the
Great Lakes region. Meanwhile, ‘Pi-ankh’s influence inwards the Great Lakes part in addition to Central Africa is
seen inwards the recognition of the supreme existence alongside the Bantus. For illustration inwards the Luo
founded Bunyoro- Kitara kingdom, the supreme- existence became known as ‘Ru-hanga’. Today, the
existence of mutual names such as ‘Lu-anga’, in addition to ‘Mu-anga’ are a direct outcome of the
influence of the ancient ruler of Koch inwards the bully Lakes region.
Married Luo men in addition to women inwards traditional ornaments. D. V. Figueira, nearly 1925
In the Nile Valley the magnificent seats of authorities such as Thebbes in addition to temples at Karnak
in addition to Luxor soundless send Luo names. For example, inwards the maiden off topographic point the word Thebbe or Tebbe is
Acholi for ‘seat of government’. For illustration Rwot (King) Olya of the Atyak urban substance province of Acholi
described his headquarters as his “Tebbe” (Lacito Okech, 1953:87). Meanwhile, Karnak is a
distortion of Luo word ‘Ka-naka’ which means, ‘the topographic point of the everlasting’. Luxor on the other
manus comes from the Luo word ‘Lu-kwor’ meaning, ‘the living’. As lower Arab Republic of Egypt increasingly came nether unusual domination, the people of Lukwor (Luxor) retreated to Koch, at Te-Kidi, the grand
capital, where Onyango-ku- Odongo (1976), noted, “Here the people of Lukwor prospered and
made progress inwards many fields” (Ku Odongo, 1976, p.80). The finally indigenous Egyptian Pharaoh
was Amacic (Harmachis or Amasis) who was pose to decease yesteryear Cambysis inwards 525 BC. Amasis is still
remembered inwards Acholi today in addition to was a loathe figure, having participated inwards the devastation of
‘Tekidi’, the grand working capital alphabetic lineament Koch. He was derided as a traitor for colluding with foreigners in addition to more
so for his inability to stand upward firm, inwards the human face upward of flagrant aggression yesteryear Cyrus in addition to his boy Cambysis.
Cyrus had wanted the service of an Egyptian Oculist (Herodotus, 1954:203). However, the expert
selected was resentful in addition to inwards revenge, suggested to Cambysis to demand Amacic’s immature lady for a
wife. Amacic’s humiliation has been captured inwards an Acholi ‘folk tale’ in addition to a vocal passed downwards to
me, in addition to which inwards portion says,
“Got Amacic yee! Got Amacic ni immii dako, Got Amacic! Man rwot ma ocwala got Amacic ni imii
dako got Amacic!”11
“Oh Amacic the mountain, delight furnish a bride. Amacic the mount I am the king’s messenger
sent to collect the bride!” (My translation).
Amasis’ humiliation yesteryear Cambyses is good documented inwards Herodotus’ ‘The Histories’. Through sheer
coincidence, the story was passed onto the writer, as a ‘folk tale’ yesteryear Safira Anek, a native of the
one-time Acholi State of Alero, who describe their beginning to Egypt. Fr. Crazzolara (1950) gave a brief
business organisation human relationship of the beginning of the Alero peoples in addition to noted, “Owiny, Labongo, Opiir were the 3 men
that came fro Misri (Egypt) (Crazzolara, 1950, p.256). Safira’s narrative farther shows that oral
tradition remains relevant peculiarly if backed yesteryear written sources. Without doubt, the demise of
Amacic sparked a frantic migration from Arab Republic of Egypt downwards to the Sudan in addition to later on to the bully Lakes
part in addition to beyond.
6.0. Conclusion
The reclamation of African heritage from ancient Egyptian civilisation has been a daunting
endeavour. This has been due a bully deception nearly the identity of the ancient Egyptians and
also to the obstacles placed yesteryear some euro-centric scholars to deny Africans their historical
heritage portraying them as a people without history. From the advent of colonialism till now, the
history curriculum inwards most African didactics institutions was based on the experiences of
Europeans in addition to their world-view. The faux perception of the colonialism as a civilising mission led Africans to comprehend a euro-centric curriculum. Though the ancient Egyptians invented writing
through which they documented their history, the really loss yesteryear Africans, of Cush, Egypt, Akum,
(Axum), in addition to Meroe culminated inwards migration in addition to the gradual loss of their ancient fine art of writing.
The inability of Africans to read ancient scripts remains a large obstruction inwards their quest to re-discover
their past.
H5N1 grouping portrait of a seated adult woman surrounded yesteryear immature women in addition to younger girls, in addition to described as belonging to Kisumu clan of the Luo, captured inwards a humorous 2nd inwards relaxed fashion despite the posed formality of the group. Their personal adornments are uncomplicated drinking glass bead necklaces (tik ng'ut), front end aprons (olemo), string waist belt in addition to waist beads (tik nungo) in addition to earrings (stadi). The shaven caput pilus styles are really youthful in addition to would have got been a fashion inwards the menstruation for immature women.
The historical analysis inwards this newspaper is a contribution towards the reclamation in addition to linking of Luo
in addition to African history to that of ancient Itiyopianu in addition to Egypt. We have got argued that the conception
in addition to evolution of the ‘Hamitic theory’ was undertaken to thwart such an effort. Attempts by
some western historians, Egyptologists in addition to missionary scholars to conceal the Luo cradle-land,
distort the identities of some Luo groups of peoples in addition to their migration patterns, were portion of a
strategy calculated to rob non exclusively the Luos, but Africans of their historical heritage. Using
linguistic, oral in addition to written sources, nosotros have got presented an declaration to back upward the contestation that
the Itiyopianu kingdom of Koch (Cush), which expanded into lower- Egypt, was indeed founded by
the Luos. From Napata, the people of Koch migrated in addition to settled inwards Arabia, Mesopotamia and
Phoenicia. The Luo presence inwards those areas volition live a land of report of hereafter discussion.
Notes.
1. Chris Arthur (1993), ‘Review of Shamsavari’s Dialectics in addition to Social Theory’, Capital & Class, 50
(1993)
2. Margaret Trowell, (1943), ‘Who are the Hamites’? The bulletin Of the Ugandan Society, No 1,
Dec 1943.
3. Ingham Kenneth (1957), ‘Some aspect of the History of Western Uganda’, The Republic of Uganda Journal,
Vol 21, No. 1, The Ugandan Society, Kampala.
4. reckon Benjamin C. Ray (1991), Myth, Ritual in addition to Kingship inwards Buganda, Oxford University press,
New York, p 191.
5. Mahmood Mamdani (1984), ‘Forms of Labour in addition to Accumulation of Capital: Analysis of a village
inwards Lango, Northern Uganda, Mawazo, Vol 5, No.4, Dec 1984, Makerere University Kampala
6. Some of Ku Odongo’s contemporaries neglected the recording of the Oral Historical traditions
of the Luo. Consequences, valuable historical information was lost. Ku Odongo lamented
“It is regrettable that modern key Lwo scholars have got preferred to report European history.
Many to whom I spoke told me that it was non possible to report what was “non-existent”.
Apparently, they had cutting themselves from the old folks in addition to were non aware of the living oral
traditions alongside their ain community. Although in that location is wealth of conflicting stories,
tradtitional, linguistic evidence in addition to place-names which brand the report of the key Lwo’s past
really exciting ….” (Onyango ku Odongo, 1979, p.28)
7. Also inwards ‘Exile’, a rails inwards Luo, yesteryear Goeffrey Oryema (1990), H5N1 Womad Production for real
Sounds, London, Virgin Records Ltd. The vocal is pop with entertainers in addition to creative individual who
perform the ‘Bwola’ royal dance. In London the Luo Cultural Group regularly sing the lyric
during their ‘Bwola’ trip the low-cal fantastic performances.
8. Koch inwards the Acholi dialect refers to, ‘solitary, gigantic in addition to formidable’.
9. Mrs Griffith, quoted inwards A.C. H5N1 Wright (1940) who reviewed J.P. Crazzolara 91938), - ‘A report of
the Acholi language, Republic of Uganda Journal, 1940, Vol VII no 4.
10. reckon Wilson C J. (1878), Letter to a Mr. Wright dated , G 3 A6/ C.M.S archives, University of
Birmingham
11. See Herodotus, (1972), ‘The Histories’, p.203-205. During, his 2nd twelvemonth at Mary Knoll
primary school, (Purongo, Acholi district), the author narrated the same story to swain pupils as
portion of ‘role play’ in addition to ‘confidence building’ learning strategy that had been adopted yesteryear Ms.
Magdelen Labol who took that class. Safira Anek, the writer’s woman parent had passed the story, on to
Him.
REFERENCES.
Arthur, Chris (1993), Review of Shamsavari’s Dialectics in addition to Social Theory, Capital & Class, 50
(1993)
Atkinson R.R (1995), The Roots of Ethnicity; The Origin of the Acholi of Republic of Uganda Before 1800,
Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania Press.
Baker Samuel White (1877), Albert Nyanza, Macmillan in addition to Co, London.
Ben-Jochannan Yosef A.A. (1970), Black Man of the Nile, Black Classic Press, Baltimore.
Bernal M. (1987), Black Athena. Vols 1&2, Free Association Books, London.
Breasted, James Henry (1937), H5N1 History of Egypt: From the Earliest Times to the Persian
Conquest, New York, Charles Scribner in addition to Sons.
Churchward A. (1903), Signs in addition to Symbols of Primordial Man, A&B Books Publishers, Brooklyn
New York.
Carruthers, Jacob (1999), Intellectual Warfare, Chicago, Third World Press
Crazzolara J.P. Rev. Fr. (1938), H5N1 Study of the Acooli Language, London, Oxford University Press.
Crazzolara J. P. Rev. Fr. (1950), The Lwoo, Verona Fathers, Verona, Italy.
Diop C. A. (1974), The African Origin Of Civilisation, Chicago, Lawrence Hill Books.
Diop C. A. (1981), Civilisation or Barbarism, Brooklyn, New York, Lawrence Hill Books.
Driberg, J.H. (1923) The Lango, London, Fisher Unwin
Dwonga Jackson, (1992), Luo from the Biblical times, Radio Republic of Uganda Luo programme, Luo
programme archives, Kampala.
Evans-Pritchard E. E. (1940), The Political System of the Anuak of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan,
Percy Lund Humphries &Co, London.
Finch S. Charles, (1991), Echoes of the Old Darkland, Khenti, Decatur, Geogia.
Fisher, Rev. A.B. (1904), ‘Western Uganda’, Geographical Journal, Vol 24, No.3
Frunkfort H. (1948), Kingship in addition to the Gods, The University of Chicago Press, London.
Girling, F.K.(1960), The Acholi of Uganda, London, Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.
Grove, E.T.N (1919), ‘Custons of the Acholi’, Sudan Notes in addition to Records, Vol II, 1919
Hakeem, A.A (1990), The Civilisation of Napata in addition to Meroe, inwards G. Mokhtar (1990) (ed), General
History of Africa, California, James Cur
source:http://www.acholitimes.com/cultureacholi/index.php/culture/6-luo-origin-of-civilisation
Obama in addition to his Luo tribe grandmum
Kogelom, Kenya: Sarah Obama, step-grandmother of Barack, celebrates with members of her theatre unit of measurement Photograph: Tony Karumba/AFP/Getty Images
Barack Obama Doing Farm Work In Republic of Kenya Many Years Ago.
Orawo Luo tribal warrior dancer from Kenya
The amalgamated Luo-speaking people consist of many sub-groups or tribes which includes: Acholi people of South Sudan in addition to Uganda, Anuak people of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in addition to Sudan, Jo Luo people of Republic of Kenya in addition to Tanzania in addition to Alur people of Republic of Uganda in addition to DRC. The residue are Lango, Jopadhola, Kumam in addition to Jonam people of Uganda; Shilluk, Mabaan, Thuri, Pari, Funj, Jumjum, Jur Bel, Blanda Boore in addition to Luwo people of South Sudan; Luo Suba in addition to Jokanywa people of Kenya; in addition to Gambella people of Ethiopia.
Luo (Acholi) women
As i of the Largest Eastern African Nilotic groups, Luo people who are also known to historians in addition to anthropologists as Kavirondo are said to live i of the ancient people of Nile Valley inwards Arab Republic of Egypt in addition to Sudan, i.e Anu people, the tribe of Osiris, yesteryear celebrated Egyptologist Cheikh Anta Diop in addition to renowned British pro-Africanist anthropologist E. E. Evans-Pritchard.
In identifying Anu people with the Luos, Diop (1991) wrote "The Anuak (sub-tribe of Luo) of the Sobat River (Evans-Pritchard, 1940 p. 253) recalls the proto-historic tribe of Anu (of Osiris ethnicity) who originally occupied the Nile Valley" (Diop 1981, p. 121). Both Diop in addition to Evans-Pritchard confirmed that the Luos were the really Nilotic people who maiden off settled the Nile Valley in addition to founded the ancient Kingdom of Koch (Cush, Kush or Quoch). Koch (Cush) was the master copy in addition to powerful "itiyopian" kingdom that maiden off emerged from the Nile valley inwards the modern democracy of Sudan. In the Luo language, "i" agency "thou" in addition to "tiyo" is a verb pregnant "to piece of work or dedicate service to," "pi" agency "for." Anu was a primordial watery mass, god of gods. Thus, "itiyopianu" agency people who dedicate service to Anu.
Luo (Shilluk) people of Sudan
The sovereigns of Koch (Cush) extended Itiyipianu into the lower Nile region, which later on became known as Egypt. So over the years the Koch (Cush) kingdom of Itiyo-pi-anu "expanded into Egypt, Arabia, in addition to Aegian Peninsula" (Drussila D, Houston, 1985). The iv waves of Luo migration from Sudan to other parts of Africa were chiefly from the iv Luo-speaking groups (Lwoo), especially Acholi in addition to Padhola. The Luo comprise a number of communities made upward of various clans ( oganda ) in addition to sub-clans who migrated into Republic of Kenya inwards various little groups led yesteryear clan leaders ( ruoth ). After settling inwards Nyanza region, each clan carved out in addition to defended its ain territory, later on called 'locations' ( piny ).
Luo tribe woman Lupita Nyong'o, Kenyan university award-winning actress of 12 Yeas a Slave fame in addition to Filmmaker
The powerful in addition to intelligent Luo people whose livelihood are mainly fishing, farming in addition to pastoral herding are the 3rd largest ethnic grouping (13%) inwards Kenya, after the Kikuyu (22%) in addition to the Luhya (14%). The Luo in addition to the Kikuyu inherited the mass of political powerfulness inwards the maiden off years next Kenya's independence inwards 1963. The Luo population inwards Republic of Kenya was estimated to live 2,185,000 inwards 1994 in addition to 4.1 meg inwards 2010 according to Govt census. However the figure was disputed yesteryear many Luos as non scientific since a important portion of people previously considered as Luo were at nowadays counted as Suba. The Luos also experience that their overall population has ever been down-scaled yesteryear successive Kenyan regime census inwards an elbow grease to mute the potent Luo political voice. Sample census conducted yesteryear experts justice the total Kenyan Luo population to live currently at around 5 million. The Tanzanian Luo population was estimated at 980,000 inwards 2001 in addition to 1,500,230 inwards 2010.
Outside Luoland, the Luo comprise a important fraction of East Africa's intellectual in addition to skilled labour forcefulness inwards various professions. Others members piece of work inwards eastern Africa as tenant fishermen, little scale farmers, in addition to urban workers. The Luo are the originators of a number of music styles, such as Benga, Ohangla, Dodo.
Historian in addition to Catholic priest, J.P. Crazzolara inwards his foundational in addition to migration study, The Lwoo (1950), writes hyperbolically, “They marched on in addition to came upon people who trembled at their abrupt appearance. The Lwoo were at sight the absolute arbiters of this population, who had no fourth dimension left to think in addition to attempt to repel such an unexpected mass of invaders.”
He describes them as an “irresistible, awful, marvellous people” that “spread (their) shadow” over the older areas of western in addition to southern Uganda.
Luo tribe adult man in addition to US president Barack Obama chatting with Kenyan tribal elders at Nairobi, Kenya.
The most prominent Luo people are Barack Obama, President of United States of America, Raila Amolo Odinga, Kenya`s one-time Prime government minister in addition to main opposition leader, Lupita Nyong'o, Kenyan university award-winning actress of 12 Yeas a Slave fame in addition to Filmmaker, Olara Otunnu,, Former Under-Secretary-General of the UN in addition to Special Representative for Children in addition to Armed Conflict (Ugandan), Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Independence Fighter, First Vice President of Independent Republic of Kenya (Kenyan) in addition to begetter of Raila Odinga, Barack Obama, Sr, Economist, Harvard University Graduate, begetter of electrical flow U.S. President Barack Obama, Tito Okello, Former President of Republic of Uganda in addition to Army Commander, Bazilio Olara-Okello, Former president of Uganda, Joseph Kony, Leader of the Lord's Resistance Army, notorious rebel grouping inwards Republic of Uganda (Ugandan), Okot p'Bitek, poet in addition to author of the Song of Lawino (Ugandan), Tom Mboya,Pan-Africanist, assassinated inwards 1969 (Kenyan) etc.
Luo adult man Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, nationalist, Pan-Africanist, vice president of indepence Republic of Kenya in addition to long-time Kenyan opposition leader. He is an uncle of US president Barack Obama
Language
The Luo people speak the Dholuo language, which belongs to the Western Nilotic branch of the Nilo-Saharan linguistic communication family. it is spoken yesteryear other Luo-speaking peoples, such as the Lango, Acholi, Adhola in addition to Alur (all of Republic of Uganda in addition to parts of Sudan in addition to Eastern Congo). The iv waves of Luo migration were chiefly from the iv Luo-speaking groups (Lwoo), especially Acholi in addition to Padhola. Dholuo, spoken inwards Kenya, is considered to live proper in addition to measure Luo because it contains elements from all other Lwoo languages. It is estimated that Dholuo has 90% lexical similarity with Lep Alur (Alur language); 83% with LepAchol (Acholi language); 81% with Lango language, 93% with Dhopadhola (Padhola language), 74% with Anuak, in addition to 69% with Jurchol(Luwo) & Dhi-Pari (Pari).
Luo tribe adult man Raila Amolo Odinga, Kenya`s one-time Prime government minister in addition to main opposition leader
Greetings:
English linguistic communication Dholuo
How are you? (informal) "Amosi?"
Very well. "Ber ahinya." (This is literally, "I greet you," a-mos-i.)
How is your morning? "Ichiyo nade?"
My forenoon is going well. 'Achiyo ma ber." (This is literally, How did y'all wake?. The verb to wake is chiewo, according to ABO.)
Luo tribe man Barack Obama, Sr, Economist, Harvard University Graduate, begetter of electrical flow U.S. President Barack Obama
Compare to Acholi Lwo inwards northern Uganda: Ichiyo ni nin? Achiyo ma ber.
English linguistic communication Acholi Lwo
How is your afternoon? Irio nade? (note: this greeting is less commonly used than either the forenoon or eventide forms.)
My afternoon is going well. Ario ma ber.
How is your evening? Idhi nade?
My eventide is going well. Adhi ma ber. (This is literally, How are y'all going?. The verb to go or to live going is dhi, according to ABO.)
How is the morning? Oyaore?
The forenoon is going well. Oyaore ahinya.
How is the day? Osaore? (used around midday)
The twenty-four hours is going well. Osaore ahinya.
How is the evening? Owimore?
The eventide is going well. Owimore ahinya.
Luo man Tom Mboya,Pan-Africanist, assassinated inwards 1969 (Kenyan)
General Conversation:
English linguistic communication Dholuo
Thank y'all (very much), Erokamano (ahinya). Note that thank y'all are quite different inwards Uganda's Acholi Lwo: which goes similar "Apwoyo (ma tek)."
I'll live back. Abiroduogo
Slowly, slowly. Mos, mos. (This is equivalent to pole, pole inwards Kiswahili.)
We'll reckon each other [later]. Wabironenore.
Let's reckon each other tomorrow. Wanere kiny.
I'm (very) sorry. Mos (ahinya). (Equivalent to pole (sana) inwards Kiswahili.)
Sleep well. Nindi ma ber.
I want... Adwaro...
You want... Odwaro...
I know... Ang'eyo...
I don't know... Ok ang'eyo...
I like... Ahero...
Goodbye. Oriti.
I desire water, adwaro pii
I am thirsty, riyo nega (ABO translates thirst as riyo, in addition to thirsty as bedo gi riyo.)
Thank you, ero kamano
Child, nyathi
Student, nyathi skul
Sit, bed
Stand,Stop, chung
Hunger, kech
I am starved, kech nega
Father, baba (ABO says, wuoro. Baba is Kiswahili.)
Mother, mama (ABO says, dhako or miyo as well. Mama is Kiswahili.)
God, nyasaye
To help, kony (The verb inwards Acholi is exactly the same. The Lord's Resistance Army--a band of rebels that has terrorized villages inwards northeast Uganda, kidnapped thousands of children, forced them to live kid soldiers, in addition to carried out a multifariousness of other atrocities against civilians--is led yesteryear a adult man named Joseph Kony.)
Luo (anuak) girls from Gambela inwards Ethiopia
Man, dichuo
Woman, dhako
Boy, wuowi
Girl, nyako
Book, buk (or kitabu, the Kiswahili word.)
Youth, rawera
Leader, jatelo,ruoth
Fish, rech
I desire to eat, adwaro chiemo
Grandpa, kwaru,kwara (According to ABO, kwaro.)
Grandma, dani,dana (According to ABO, dayo.)
White man, ja rachar
Black man, ja rateng
Luo woman
Numbers:
One, achiel
Two, ariyo
Three, adek
Four, ang'wen
Five, abich
Six, auchiel
Seven, abiriyo
Eight, aboro
Nine, ochiko
Ten, apar
Eleven, apar gachiel
Twelve, apar gariyo
...
Nineteen, apar ga ochiko
Twenty, piero ariyo
Twenty one, piero ariyo gachiel
Thirty, piero adek
...
Luo Cultural artist, Tony Nyandundo inwards marylad
History
According to Okot (1971, 2), the term Luo is the call of the mythical founder or leader of the Luo peoples. He farther observes that although the call is widespread it does non appear inwards the founding myths of those who telephone telephone themselves Luo. For example, the Shilluck say that their master copy abode was Luo in addition to the other people simply mentions Luo as the maiden off man.
Luo men. Circa 1902. By Charles William Hobley
These myths existence nearly the foundation of the existing political establishment in addition to groups are dominated yesteryear who the founder was; for example, inwards Sudan, alongside the Northern Luo, Nyikang‘o, Gilo, Dak in addition to Dimo; alongside the Acholi, Alur in addition to Chope Labong‘o, Nyipir in addition to their woman parent Nyikal; the Padhola in addition to Kenyan in addition to Tanzania Luo yesteryear Labong‘o, in addition to Gipir but speak to a greater extent than so of Owiny, Podho in addition to Ramogi.
Luo warriors from Nyakach inwards total state of war gear . Charles W. Hobley, nearly 1900
The call Jo-pa-Luo in addition to then agency people, followers or descendants of Luo. Although it is possible to reconstruct histories of the Luo groups separately, it is non possible to describe the history of the Luo people to the maiden off Luo man. However, a comparative report of different Luo myths reveals striking similarities; many of them nearly quarrels over beads or spears. The people telephone telephone themselves Luo, their linguistic communication dho or lep Luo (Luo tongue) in addition to their customs kit Luo. They are witting of their Luo-ness. When shrines are built for ancestors, ii are built; i called tipu Luo in addition to the other tipu Jomiru/kimirwa. The maiden off i refers to those of sociologically pure ethnic stock, who are all agnatically descendants of chiefs in addition to Jumiru /kimirwa refers to all other clans who are regarded as subjects of the Luo. The Kenyan Luo refers to the Kalenjin: Nandi, Suk, Maasai, etc., as the Jo-Lang’o. The Central Luo also calls their eastern neighbours Lang’o.
H5N1 formal portrait of iv immature Luo men. The adult man standing to the left, seen inwards other images, wears a Luo caprine animal pare apron (pien nyadiel) as good as a bead cervix ornament. The adult man standing to the right in addition to the ii sitting are wearing ornaments including headdresses non genuinely identifiable with Luo custom inwards the period, in addition to may good live from other areas of Nyanza, visiting Kisumu.Pitt Rivers SourceCharles William Hobley. circa 1900
Luo Origins inwards Sudan
The Luo are portion of the Nilotic grouping of people. The Nilotes themselves had separated from the other members of the East Sudanic theatre unit of measurement yesteryear nearly the 3rd millennium BC. Within Nilotic, Luo forms portion of the Western group. The Luo languages forms i branch of this Western Nilotic group, the other existence Dinka-Nuer (named for the Dinka people in addition to the Nuer people).
The separation of the Luo grouping from Dinka-Nuer presumably took topographic point inwards South Sudan at some dot inwards the maiden off millennium AD. Within Luo, a Northern in addition to a Southern grouping is distinguished. "Luo proper" or Dholuo is portion of the Southern Luo group. Northern Luo is mostly spoken inwards South Sudan, piece Southern Luo groups migrated due south from the Bahr el Ghazal expanse inwards the early on centuries of the 2nd millennium AD (about 8 hundred years ago). This migration was presumably triggered yesteryear the medieval Muslim conquest of Sudan.
H5N1 farther segmentation within the Northern Luo is recorded inwards a "widespread tradition" inwards Luo oral history:[3] the foundational figure of the Shilluk (or Chollo) land was a main named Nyikango, dated to nearly the mid-15th century, who after a quarrel with his blood brother moved northward along the Nile in addition to established a feudal society, piece the Pari people descend from the grouping which rejected Nyikango.
Luo men of West Nile
Luo origins inwards Ethiopia
The Anuak are a Luo people whose villages are scattered along the banks in addition to rivers of the southwestern expanse of Ethiopia, with others living straight across the border inwards southern Sudan. The call of this people is also spelled Anyuak, Agnwak, in addition to Anywaa.
The Anuak who live inwards the lowlands of Gambela are distinguished yesteryear the color of their pare in addition to considered to live dark Africans. The Ethiopian peoples of the highlands are of different ethnicities, in addition to distinguish themselves most simply yesteryear lighter pare color.
The Anuak have got alleged that the electrical flow Ethiopian authorities in addition to dominant highlands people have got discriminated against them. This has affected the Anuak access to education, wellness attention in addition to other basic services, as good as limiting opportunities for evolution of the area.
The Anuak of Sudan live inwards a grassy part that is apartment in addition to virtually treeless. During the rainy season, this expanse floods, so that much of it becomes swampland with various channels of deep H2O running through it.
The Acholi, some other Luo people inwards South Sudan, occupy what is at nowadays called Magwi County inwards Eastern Equatorial State. They border the Republic of Uganda Acholi of Northern Uganda. The South Sudan Acholi numbered nearly x M on the 2008 population Census.
Luo footling girls performing traditional dance
Luo origins inwards Uganda
Around 1500, a little grouping of Luo known as the Biito-Luo led yesteryear a Chief called Labongo whose total championship became Isingoma Labongo Rukidi (sometimes named as Mpuga Rukidi), encountered Bantu-speaking peoples living inwards the expanse of Bunyoro. These Luo settled with the Bantu in addition to established the Babiito dynasty, replacing the Bachwezi dynasty of the Empire of Kitara. Labongo, the maiden off inwards the line of the Babiito kings of Bunyoro-Kitara, was according to Bunyoro legend the twin blood brother of Kato Kimera, the maiden off manly individual monarch of Buganda. These Luo were assimilated yesteryear the Bantu, in addition to they lost their linguistic communication in addition to culture.
Luo (Acholi) Dancers from Uganda
Later inwards the 16th century, other Luo-speaking people moved to the expanse that encompasses introduce twenty-four hours Southern Sudan, Northern Republic of Uganda in addition to North-Eastern Congo (DRC) – forming the Alur, Jonam in addition to Acholi. Conflicts developed when they encountered the Lango who had been living inwards the expanse N of Lake Kyoga. Lango also speak a Luo language. According to Driberg (1923), Lango reached eastern province of Republic of Uganda (Otuke Hills) having traveled southeasterly from the Shilluk area, in addition to that Lango linguistic communication is similar with that of the Shilluk language. It is soundless inwards some dispute whether the Lango part ancestry with the luo (with whom they part a mutual language), or if they have got closer kinship with their easterly Ateker neighbours, with whom they part many cultural traits.
Between the middle of the 16th century in addition to the offset of the 17th century, some Luo groups proceeded eastwards. One grouping called Padhola (or Jopadhola - people of Adhola), led yesteryear a main called Adhola, settled inwards Budama inwards Eastern Uganda. They settled inwards a thickly forested expanse as a defense forcefulness against attacks from Bantu neighbours who had already settled there. This self-imposed isolation helped them maintain their linguistic communication in addition to civilisation amidst Bantu in addition to Ateker communities. Those who went farther a land were the joka jok in addition to joka owiny.the jok luo moved deeper into the kaviirondo gulf in addition to are the introduce twenty-four hours jo kisumo in addition to jo Rachuonyo alongside others.Jo owiny occupied an expanse close got ramogi or ramogi loma inwards alego of siaya district.the owiny's ruins are soundless identifiable to this twenty-four hours at bungu owiny close lake kanyaboli.The other notable luo grouping is the omolo luo who inhabited ugenya in addition to precious stone areas of siaya district.The finally immigrants were the jo Kager who are related to the omollo luo in addition to their leader was ochieng waljak ger a formidable leader who with advanced military machine science drove a way the omiya or Bantu groups who were in addition to then living inwards introduce twenty-four hours ugenya around 1750AD
Luo warrior
Luo origins inwards Republic of Kenya in addition to Tanzania
Between nearly 1500 in addition to 1800, other Luo groups crossed into present-day Republic of Kenya in addition to eventually into present-day Tanzania. They inhabited the expanse on the banks of Lake Victoria. According to the Joluo, a warrior main named Ramogi Ajwang led them into present-day Republic of Kenya nearly 500 years ago.
As inwards Uganda, some non-Luo people inwards Republic of Kenya have got adopted Luo languages. H5N1 bulk of the Bantu Suba people inwards Republic of Kenya speak Dholuo (albeit mostly as a 2nd language).
Luo adult man from Kenya
The Luo inwards Kenya, who telephone telephone themselves Joluo (aka Jaluo, "people of Luo"), are the 4th largest community inwards Republic of Kenya after the Kikuyu, Kalenjin in addition to Luhya. In 1994 their population was estimated to live 2,185,000. In Tanzania they numbered (in 2001) an estimated 980,000. The Luo inwards Republic of Kenya in addition to Tanzania telephone telephone their linguistic communication Dholuo, which is mutually intelligible (to varying degrees) with the languages of the Lango, Kumam in addition to Padhola of Uganda, Acholi of Republic of Uganda in addition to Sudan in addition to Alur of Republic of Uganda in addition to Congo.
Obama, at his ethnic Luo theatre unit of measurement abode inwards the Kenyan homestead of Alego, poses with, from l., his Grandmother Sarah, Auma Obama (his sister) in addition to Kezia Obama (Barack's stepmother in addition to his father's 2nd wife,
The Luo (or Joluo) are traditional fishermen in addition to practise line-fishing as their main economical activity. Other cultural activities included wrestling (yii or dhao) kwath for the immature boys aged 13-18 inwards their historic menstruation sets. Their main rivals inwards the 18th century were the Lango, the Highland Nilotes, who were traditionally engaged them inwards trigger-happy bloody battles, most of which emanated from the stealing of their livestock.
Luo people of Ethiopia
Economy
The Luo are said to have got practiced a dual economy, with both farming in addition to cattle-keeping existence important. Both cattle, sheep in addition to goats were kept in addition to were used for both food, spousal human relationship payment in addition to also for ritual activities such as sacrifice. Both sorghum (bel ) in addition to finger millet (kal ) were of import crops.
In some parts of Luoland, their economical activities are mostly influenced yesteryear the fresh H2O of Lake Victoria. They are mostly involved inwards fishing. The fish are consumed locally piece some, especially the Nile perch, are exported to Europe in addition to other countries. Fish in addition to ugali are the staple foods of the Luo tribe. They also practise sugarcane in addition to cotton wool farming, inwards other areas where they (Luos) live.
Luo farmer laughing happily
Socio-political structure
Social relations alongside the Luo are governed yesteryear rules of kinship, gender, in addition to age. Descent is patrilineal which is traced through the manly individual line to determine kinship. Kin align themselves for purposes of substitution of goods, marriage, in addition to political alliance.
Names are received through the manly individual line, in addition to after spousal human relationship women reside inwards the homesteads of their husbands. H5N1 married adult woman builds upward alliances for her husband's theatre unit of measurement yesteryear maintaining potent relationships with her brothers in addition to sisters who live at her birthplace or elsewhere. It is expected that after spousal human relationship a adult woman volition bear children for her husband's lineage. Bride wealth, given yesteryear her hubby in addition to his family, contributes to the woman's powerfulness to maintain ties with her ain theatre unit of measurement throughout her life. By having children, a adult woman greatly enhances her powerfulness in addition to influence within the lineage of her husband. As the children grow, they take special attention of her interests. Perhaps as many as 30 percentage of Luo homesteads are polygynous; inwards which a adult man has to a greater extent than than i wife. This contributes to solidarity betwixt a woman parent in addition to her children, in addition to betwixt children born of the same mother. Polygyny is commonly accepted yesteryear both men in addition to women, provided traditional ideas in addition to regulations are maintained. These include, for example, a special recognition for the maiden off married adult woman or "great wife," whose theatre in addition to granary are located prominently at the dorsum of the homestead opposite the main gate. Subsequent wives have got homes alternatively to her right in addition to left inwards the monastic tell of their marriage. Sons are provided with homes next to the main gate of the chemical compound inwards the monastic tell of their birth. The hubby maintains a homestead for himself close the centre of the compound, his ain brothers, if they have got non yet formed their ain homesteads; reside on the border of the chemical compound close its center. As Luo go wealthy inwards Luo terra firma or elsewhere, it is mutual for them to build a large theatre for their mother. This is especially necessary if she is a "great wife," as it is considered improper for younger wives to have got larger homes than wives to a greater extent than senior to themselves. Visiting in addition to existence visited is the major source of pleasance for the Luo. The social principles regarding age, kinship, in addition to gender impose a heavy schedule of ritual obligations on Luo, regardless of their topographic point of residence.
Age is of import factor inwards the Luo society. Age is divided into ii which are age-grating in addition to historic menstruation set; historic menstruation is the stages i passes from infancy through adolescence, adulthood to death. Age-set is grouping of persons of the same sex, age, going through the same life circle at the same measuring in addition to same time. H5N1 Luo have got roles inwards historic menstruation grade i is expected to conduct sure way according to his or her age, they also believe inwards ancestral spirit which is the finally stage inwards historic menstruation grading. Politics is played according to one’s age: children in addition to immature adults are non expected to Pb meetings of were adults in addition to senior adults are, in most cases whatever leader of the Luo similar the Craftsman, Traditional chiefs, or medicine men are either adult manly individual or senior adult male. The historic menstruation set also plays an of import role inwards the Luo society people who are of the same historic menstruation or have got just a slight variation, have got grown in addition to matured together inwards the same mode have got obligations to do sure things together or are expected to conduct inwards sure ways; people of the same historic menstruation are expected to grow in addition to mature inwards the same mode in addition to if i tends to delay it is questioned yesteryear the society in addition to the elders advice the victim to attempt in addition to grab upward with the age-set. However the historic menstruation is non really of import inwards the modern world since some of the roles of an upper historic menstruation grade tin can live taken yesteryear the lower historic menstruation grade hence historic menstruation does non reverberate that much as inwards the past.
Luo (Anuak) immature lady from Dimma
Kinship
This factor is the really social organisation inwards the Luo society, it defined the obligation of the members of the Luo society it also defined privileges of members, kinship has ii levels; the nuclear in addition to the extended family, the nuclear theatre unit of measurement inwards made of the manly individual caput who has unchallenged power, his married adult woman or wives, their children in addition to the single daughters of the manly individual head. The nuclear served many functions in addition to it was of import inwards the Luo society; it is the centre of didactics where parents learn their children values mutual practices in addition to customs , it is also the survival of the Luo society in addition to it has a role to protect the children. The extended theatre unit of measurement comprises the parents, children, relatives, aunts in addition to uncles this formed a clan. The clans where identified yesteryear totems. Kinship hence soundless plays an of import role inwards the Luo society upward to appointment fifty-fifty though some believes in addition to values have got been eroded yesteryear the modern world similar the unchallenged powerfulness of the manly individual head. Politics, economy, in addition to didactics is hence played from the manly individual downwards to the siblings, the manly individual caput is the conclusion maker when it comes to the running of business organisation within the nuclear theatre unit of measurement in addition to the leadership goes downwards to the wives in addition to then to the manly individual sons from the eldest to the youngest. Education is done inwards gender footing the woman individual are educated yesteryear their mothers in addition to aunties piece the manly individual are educated yesteryear their begetter in addition to uncles.
Luo (Shilluk) adult man from Sudan
In the traditional Luo society sexual practice is a really of import factor inwards term of payoff inwards the social structure, the woman individual is termed as the 2nd sex, when it comes to nutrient the manly individual has the payoff over the woman individual because the belief says that the manly individual has to take attention of the Kinship in addition to the clans as a whole in addition to hence he has to live potent in addition to eat goodness food. The manly individual also have got an payoff over the women, they are ever the beneficiary inwards segmentation of wealth. In the segmentation of labor men are advantaged, since women are the laborers in addition to this led to men marrying many wives who volition furnish to a greater extent than labor when it comes to theatre piece of work in addition to nutrient production. Sex also plays a large role inwards organized religious belief in addition to leadership within the Luo society, the leadership is that of hierarchal in addition to patriarchal, the women have got a depression status when it comes to leadership fifty-fifty though this chemical factor of sexual practice is non of import inwards the modern world due human rights, in addition to the upraised civil societies. The most notable fact nearly the Luo economic scheme is that women play the primary role inwards farming. Before the introduction of the modern money economy, the garden was the centerpiece of the women's world of work. Industrious women could earn considerable wealth yesteryear exchanging their garden create for animals, handicrafts, pots, in addition to baskets. H5N1 immature young lady is expected to aid her woman parent in addition to her mother's co-wives inwards farming terra firma owned yesteryear her father, brothers, in addition to paternal uncles. Even though a immature lady may go to schoolhouse in addition to ascent to a prominent topographic point inwards society, in that location is ofttimes soundless a potent association with the terra firma in addition to digging. Men are preoccupied with livestock in addition to pass a bully bargain of fourth dimension inwards "social labor" concerned with placing their cattle inwards goodness contexts, such as bride wealth exchanges, trading partnerships, in addition to commercial sales. In the modern economy, cattle in addition to goats have got a monetary value as well. Men have got command over animals in addition to cash crops.
The adult woman cannot build a theatre on her ain in that location has to live a man, inwards instance of decease of her hubby she has to live inherited yesteryear i of the manly individual inwards that community since customs signal that in that location is no theatre without a manly individual caput to brand decisions.
Luo adult man playing a string instrument, Ngomongo Village, Republic of Kenya | The Africa Image Library
Child Naming
Luo call their children after their ancestors. They hence acquire the call of spirits (Nying-Juogi). The basic regulation upon which the Luo acquire these Nying-Juogi is straight from the sun`s different positions inwards relations to the earth. If a kid is born at sunrise, its call is Okinyi for manly individual in addition to Akinyi for female. To a bully extent luo names are based on the regulation of sun`s topographic point during the twenty-four hours in addition to its corresponding positions yesteryear the night. Thus, a kid born betwixt 5 a.m in addition to 7 a.m is named Okinyi for a man child in addition to Akinyi for a girl. H5N1 kid born betwixt 7:00 a.m in addition to 9:00 a.m or 10:00 a.m is named Onyango for a man child in addition to Anyango for a girl; a manly individual kid born betwixt 11:00 a.m in addition to 1:00 p.m is named Ochieng in addition to Achieng for a female, and a manly individual kid born betwixt 2:00 p.m in addition to 5:00 p.m is named Odhiambo in addition to Adhiambo for a female, a manly individual kid born after sunset is named Otieno, in addition to Atieno or Athieno if female. H5N1 kid born midnight is named Odiwuor for a manly individual in addition to Awuor for a female; the i born after midnight to 4:00 a.m is named Ogweno for a manly individual in addition to Agwena for a female.
Luo lady
Other names are given as a termination of special events, such as harvesting, rain, eclipses, child`s birthplace, how the kid came out at nascency in addition to so on. The next are some of Luo names
Luo names Meaning inwards English
Ocholla one who is born after the father`s death
Chieng Sun
Misumba Slave
Monye Mudfish
Engale Guiding spirit
Chuny Soul
Tipo Shadow
Luo people
Religion
The Luo people believe inwards a Supreme existence in addition to creator God known as Jok. Driberg inwards Okot (1971:50) explains that the thought of the word Jok to a Lang‘o (Luo) is "The amount total of the long departed souls merged into i pre-existing deity called Jok, a plurality of spirits merged into i individual of a single godhead, a spiritual forcefulness composed of innumerable spirits, whatever of which may live temporarily detached without diminishing the oneness of the force."
Ogot 1961 noted that the word Jok was found inwards various forms inwards all Nilotic languages in addition to that for the Shilluck Juok in addition to Nyikang are the most full general explanatory concepts. Jok accounting for the existence of nature or reality in addition to Nyikang for the way inwards which it is ordered in addition to interpreted. Jok mal created in addition to maintains the world, piece Juok piny determines how in addition to for what purpose the God‘s gift should live utilized yesteryear man. For the thought of Jok alongside the Lang‘o in addition to Acholi (Hayley1947), it was a neutral powerfulness permeating the universe, neither good nor badly disposed towards mankind, unless made occupation of yesteryear man. Lang‘o organized religious belief was the innovation of this Jok power, in addition to their magic was the practise yesteryear which adult man uses jok power. The world to Acholi (Wright) was i vast champaign enclosed yesteryear the vault of the sky, charged throughout with magical force. The forcefulness is released yesteryear alter from its static status which in addition to then becomes fluid in addition to powerful as seen inwards lightning, whirlwind, curious mountains in addition to rocks. The Lang‘o (Harley) attributes anything of an unusual nature in addition to unusual occurrences to some aspect of jok power. This included abnormal births, peculiarly shaped stones, hills, rain, hail, lightning, locusts in addition to earthquakes. They (Hayley in addition to Wright) noted that it was non the hills or forests that formed the objects of worship; these were mere shrines, the abode of Jok.
When lightning struck a theatre inwards a village, or when pelting failed or hail, locust destroyed crops, prayers were offered to jok in addition to sacrifices made to ancestral ghosts, just as other troubles occurred. But they were non sparks of jok power. Whirlwinds were regarded as jok inwards transit. Twins were regarded as jok. The spiritual portion of man, the exclusively portion which survives death, is jok. Hence, to the Nilotes Jok is non an impartial universal power; it is the essence of everything, the forcefulness which makes everything what it is, in addition to God Himself. The Greatest Jok is life forcefulness inwards itself. Above all forcefulness is God, Juok of Jok mal which is followed yesteryear the famous chiefs of the old such as Nyikang’ alongside the Shilluck in addition to Podho alongside the Kenyan Luo. Next to come upward are the dead followed yesteryear specialists similar ajwaka (ajuoga), medicine men in addition to prophets who are believed to have got special jok power. The specialists are followed yesteryear ordinary mortals, in addition to then animals, plants in addition to finally, inanimate objects (Okot, ibid.:55).
The ajwaka/Ajuoga may live possessed yesteryear a spirit which helps him or her to divine; the witch la-jok also has jok powerfulness inwards him. And to have got to a greater extent than jok powerfulness meant to live a to a greater extent than unsafe witch. The dead alongside the Luo are mostly forgotten, except those that believed to live troublesome. Such are referred to as cen, vengeance ghosts. The ghosts of sure animals such as elephant, king of beasts in addition to leopard are feared. Certain inanimate objects used yesteryear sorcerers to impairment their victims such as lugaga (gagi). But, these are non considered as bits of jok power.
Jok Possession
Outstanding characteristic of the religious activity of the Luo was the annual feast at the chiefdom shrines. Each chiefdom had a shrine on a hill, inwards a dark woods or yesteryear a riverside. Some of the shrines were unusual natural phenomena or outstanding landmarks inwards the landscape. Some of the larger chiefdoms had to a greater extent than than i shrine at which they offered sacrifices. Among the lowland Alur the jok possessed i of the chief‘s wives inwards each reign; she in addition to then had duties inwards the service of the jok. Jok Lokka of Koc inwards Acholi possessed the priest who was also the medium. Jok Langol of Padibe caused the individual possessed to go barren. Jok Lamwoci of the Payira caused barrenness inwards men, in addition to insanity inwards women. Jok Lalangabi of Palaro made the possessed individual loathe members of the opposite sex, so that he or she remained a bachelor or spinster for life, or if married, divorce followed before long after Lalangabi had fallen on i of the couple. Few shrines were founded yesteryear chiefs. In fact, most of the chiefdom shrines in addition to Jok originally belonged to commoner clans who continued to furnish the line of priests. When chiefs see or go to the hamlet of priests they lose their normal prerogatives. Moreover the chiefdom Jok that possessed persons did non possess members of the chief‘s clan. Almost every forcefulness which tin can impact human beings may live in addition to has been spiritualized. The elemental powerfulness of nature, sun, moon, rain, thunder in addition to lightning, lakes in addition to rivers in addition to forests in addition to deserts, all have got been conceived of as spirit in addition to have got go objects of worship in addition to sacrifice. The Luo did non offering sacrifices to the rocks or forests or rivers, they did non worship the spirit of the hills or forests or rivers, but Jok whom they believed lived inwards the caves or inwards the middle of the dark woods or yesteryear the riverside. Areas around these places were sacred grounds. No i mightiness urinate, defecate, drive the blade or the butt of his pike into the earth. The duties of a priest were burdensome, unsafe in addition to profitless. Ibaana (Crazzolara) agency a individual chosen in addition to at times possessed yesteryear Jok. The Lang‘o pose the phenomena of possession yesteryear ghosts inwards the province of Jok Nam which is contrasted with Jok Lang’o. Nam refers to riverine peoples: Pa-Luo, Nyoro in addition to those bordering the Nile in addition to Lake Kyoga. Ajwaka (Driberg) who dealt with diseases caused yesteryear Jok Nam were abanwa or abani (plural) who were men or women possessed yesteryear Jok Nam.
Spirit Possession
When according to the diviner, ajwaka, ill-health or misfortune was due to sure spirits other than ancestral or chiefdom jok, the province of affairs was dealt with yesteryear inducing the offending spirit to possess the victim, in addition to and then depending on whether the particular spirit was friendly or hostile, it was allowed to remain inwards the victim or sent to where it belonged, or killed in addition to destroyed. The preliminary exam of the patient usually took topographic point at the abode of the ajwaka, but the spirit possession ceremony, yeng’ng’o jok, shaking jok, was held at the abode of the patient.
Education yesteryear Proverbs
The Luo elders occupation proverbs intensively for the didactics of their children in addition to grandchildren. Every kid inwards plough is expected to larn these proverbs, fifty-fifty though some of them are quite hard to understand. Examples of some Luo proverbs in addition to their meanings:
1. "Jarakni jamuod nyoyo gi kuoyo" (Don`t go shares inwards the flesh before the buffalo is dead, since he fights inwards the bush). This agency i should non live rushing inwards life. Patience is everything.
2. "Alot muchayo ema tieko kuom" (The hen begins as an egg, adult man as blood). It agency fifty-fifty an insignificant piece of work is soundless of a value done zero at all.
3. "wadu en wadu" (Blood is thicker than water
4. "Kik nyany nyang kapod inwards epige" (Do non abuse crocodile piece y'all are soundless inwards its water). It agency i should reverberate on the consequences of his activity whilst soundless indebted to somebody or nether authority.
5. "Yath achiel ok los bungu" (One tree has never made a forest). It agency it is ever goodness to live united.
6. "Kik iwe ngowo adult man piny to odhi ni adult man malo" (He who stands on the ground sees the fruit improve than the adult man upward inwards the tree). It agency nosotros should honour everyone`s dot of view.
Death in addition to Afterlife
Among the Luo, it is believe that when a individual dies his or her spirit or soul goes to the underworld after few days or weeks. The underworld is determined to live the centre of the Earth, at the bottom of the sea, in addition to at a distant steppe downwards below the mountains.
Luo people believe that decease comes from God in addition to He solitary has command over life in addition to death. When someone dies Luo people just say ""Ekaka olfactory organ wacho" (It is how He has decided), "Ekaka olfactory organ kor" (That was what was predicted) or "Nyasaye okowe" (God has taken him).
Some deaths are considered to live abnormal decease of persons whose torso houses Jachien (troublesome spirits). H5N1 individual who commits suicide is feared that he may go a ghost. The torso of Ngamodere ( suicide man) had to live punished yesteryear whoever comes to his funeral. Because it is a taboo to commit suicide. The torso of Ngamodere is slashed yesteryear a twig from the Powo tree. This is done to remind its Tipo (spirit) that it was the fault of his ain man, in addition to non someone else. If a individual commit suicide on a tree, that tree is at nowadays cutting downwards in addition to burned. On Ngamotho e Pi (Death on sea), it is considered that ones Juok had preferred to live inwards the water. It is hence proper to bury the i who died at body of body of water closer to the sea. It is also necessary to bury the torso of i who dies inwards water, Japi, must live buried yesteryear the Lake or waterside.
Luo, a Western Nilotic people, perform a serial of rituals in addition to many feasts for the dead because of their potent fearfulness in addition to honour for the dead. The Luo mental attitude towards their burial topographic point champaign shows how they fearfulness in addition to honour the deceased ancestors
Luo people perform a total of nearly 14 rituals for i deceased. All rituals are performed exclusively when elderly men died, in addition to a sure number of rituals are omitted depending upon age, sex, in addition to marital status of the deceased. First, I volition furnish a listing of a serial of rituals inwards successive monastic tell of their occurrence, in addition to and then explicate each ritual.
1) Death announcement
2) Vigil (budho)
3) Grave earthworks (kunyo)
4) Burial (iko)
5) Accompanying the spirit of the deceased to the one-time battleground (tero
buru matin)
6) Shaving (liedo)
7) Mourners’ divergence for their houses (kee)
8) Serving a repast to the deceased in addition to its theatre unit of measurement yesteryear married women (yaodhoot)
9) Serving a repast to the deceased in addition to its theatre unit of measurement yesteryear married women (tedo)
10) Going to the one-time battleground with the spirit of the deceased (tero buru
maduong’)
11) Visiting the widow’s natal abode (tero cholla)
12) Dividing articles left yesteryear the deceased (keyo nyinyo)
13) Remembrance (rapar)
14) Serving a repast to the theatre unit of measurement of the deceased yesteryear affines (budho)
I. Death in addition to Its Announcement
People come upward to know of a decease yesteryear hearing the women’s long, quivering wail, followed yesteryear the audio of drums. The decease is ever announced inwards the early on forenoon or inwards the evening. Never have got I heard this wail inwards broad daylight.
There are rules prescribing the fourth dimension of announcement. The fourth dimension varies with the dead person’s age, sex, in addition to occupation. If a infant died inwards the morning, its decease is announced immediately, in addition to its torso is buried the next morning. If old men or diviners died, their decease must live announced after sunset, that is, women must hold off for the right fourth dimension to start wailing.
II. Vigil (budho)
The closed relatives of the deceased such as the spouse(s), parents, step-mothers, brothers in addition to sisters, in addition to maiden off in addition to 2nd patrilineal cousins, must remain within the chemical compound of the deceased throughout several nights until the burial day. Two to iv days transcend before the burial, because relatives living inwards cities have got to render to
their rural homeland. H5N1 light is lit through the vigil. Inside the theatre of the decreased, stools are placed
for as many relatives in addition to church building members as possible. Whenever novel visitors acquire inwards for condolence, some must measuring exterior to brand room.
Men in addition to women shape separate groups within the compound. Especially on the twenty-four hours of the death, they go along to call in addition to sing their lamentations in addition to state of war songs throughout the night. Christian songs are sung if the dead individual in addition to his/her closed kin are Catholics or followers of overseas-based Protestant Churches. People who belong to the Roho, an African Independent Church, pray, piece they trip the low-cal fantastic in addition to play drums in addition to metallic instruments.
Most of the vigil visitors follow either Catholic or Protestant ways of expressing condolence. However, as they measuring slow within the house, older women in addition to men may start crying in addition to telephone telephone out the call of the dead individual as if talking to the body. Outside the house, some sit down on stools in addition to others slumber on the African mats nether the eaves. Men brand terminate called magenga close the theatre for warmth, because it becomes really mutual depression temperature at night, nearly 10 °C. They say that this terminate is made also for the departed to warm him/herself. The vigil continues upward to the burial.
From the twenty-four hours next the death, the surviving theatre unit of measurement in addition to relatives of the deceased busy themselves to prepare for the burial service: edifice the shade, cooking for visitors, in addition to preparing the coffin in addition to cloth. They must take a twenty-four hours off to fulfill their part of such obligations.
Neighbours start turning upward to bid farewell to the deceased for the finally time. Married women elevate a unusual vocalism before entering the chemical compound to denote their arrival. Men displace into the chemical compound playing their whistles in addition to singing their ain elegies. These visitors go straight into the theatre where the torso is set without greeting other people, in addition to and then they pray, sing, or call inwards their ain ways. After a piece they come upward out of the house, greet other people in addition to bring together them. The relatives remain within the deceased’s chemical compound during the mourning hours, which is called padho, pregnant ‘sitting without doing anything.’ Most of the neighbours usually acquire out the chemical compound inwards twos in addition to threes after spending ii or 3 hours. Some old people inwards particular, remain inwards the chemical compound during the daytime. Most who come upward to pay condolence on the burial twenty-four hours are either married or marriageable.
III. Grave Digging (kunyo)
According to some old men, people used to dig a grave inwards the daytime inwards the old times. These days, people prepare the grave inwards midnight before the burial day, because, they say, it is also exhausting to dig nether the potent sun. Digging begins around nine p.m. in addition to is completed nearly 3 to 4 a.m. of the burial day. Sometimes it
takes many hours because of the rocks inwards the soil. Young in addition to middle-aged manly individual relatives in addition to several neighbours bring together forces inwards digging.
The right topographic point for the grave is decided yesteryear a church building fellow member or whatever of the deceased’s manly individual kin, including the begetter in addition to the father’s brother. Men with pregpregnant wives are non allowed to participate inwards grave digging. If they did, their wives would give premature birth. Nor are twins allowed to participate inwards earthworks the grave.
IV. Burial (iko)
For deceased adults, the burial ritual unremarkably starts at 2 o’clock p.m. The begetter or i of brothers of the deceased presides over the proceeding of the ritual. The programme of the ritual includes: speeches nearly the memories of the deceased yesteryear parents, brothers in addition to sisters, children, in addition to friends, etc.; a harambee bespeak for donations to screen expenses for light oil, food, in addition to other items which are consumed for this occasion; in addition to several political speeches yesteryear politicians. Then, burying the torso ensues.
Because these speeches in addition to the harambee take a long time, the surviving theatre unit of measurement are sometimes forced to serve a repast to their affines before the burial takes place. Other mourners are served a repast after the burial. The surviving theatre unit of measurement in addition to other relatives eat in addition to slumber within the chemical compound of the deceased for i total week, which is followed yesteryear the buru.
V. Accompanying the Spirit of the Deceased to the Former Battleground (tero buru matin)
This surgical physical care for marks the offset of cholla (mourning period). It tin can live done i or ii weeks after the burial. To get this ritual, several relatives take their cattle to the deceased’s chemical compound early on inwards the forenoon around 7 o’clock.
This ritual is performed exclusively for a man, in addition to participants are also basically men. Men in addition to boys who include neighbours in addition to relatives of the deceased take their ain cattle in addition to goats to the one-time battlefield located along the boundary betwixt the clans. The cattle of the deceased are also taken in that location yesteryear the relatives. They kill a cock without using a knife, in addition to split in addition to eat pieces of the meat. Sometimes a hen is substituted for the cock. Then, they render to the abode of the deceased. Men in addition to cattle shape a cheerful procession. Men blow horns of buffaloes in addition to rhinoceroses (oporro), in addition to play drums (bul).
On their way home, the procession swells, as to a greater extent than men in addition to women bring together them. The procession becomes longer in addition to noisier as people sing in addition to play the instruments to a greater extent than in addition to to a greater extent than loudly. Women handgrip upward leafy branches, some men elevate their spears, in addition to other men wearing traditional hats in addition to mantles of brute skins, handgrip upward shields in addition to clubs.
Returning close the abode of the deceased, people go extremely excited. They shout, cry, in addition to run with tree branches, spears, in addition to shields inwards their hands. Some blow whistles in addition to others play drums in addition to metallic instruments (ongeng’). There are also many people waiting at the deceased’s compound. People inwards the
procession struggle to rush into the chemical compound through the main gate, taking their cattle with them. Upon entering the compound, they start running about, crying in addition to shouting. Some call loud in addition to throw their torso on to the grave. Others go along to repeat entering the theatre in addition to the main gate, piece crying. This spectacular scene continues for 20 to 30 minutes. Later, the participants in addition to visitors are served a meal. While all this take place, other relatives slaughter i of a few heads of cattle for this ritual. Sometimes a grouping of musicians are invited. They play traditional music in addition to people trip the low-cal fantastic until dawn.
This ritual reminds the people of the fourth dimension when forefathers engaged inwards inter-clan wars. When i fellow member lost his life inwards a battle, the forefathers worried that their fighting powerfulness mightiness diminish. Thus, an thought was born that the loss of i fellow member should live compensated yesteryear killing i of their enemies.
According to the old men, people went for the buru early on inwards the forenoon before burial inwards the old days. Later, they went ii days after burial. And nowadays, ii kinds of the buru, major in addition to minor, are conducted.
The burial was formerly done on the twenty-four hours next the death. People other than those participating inwards the buru were inwards accuse of preparing the grave. After the participants inwards the buru returned, the burial was held at noon. Participants of the buru was divided into ii groups. The maiden off i had their ain special role to practise divination on whether they had a goodness gamble of winning if they tried to kill i enemy to compensate for the life of the deceased. This was the ground why the maiden off grouping included some fighters in addition to a diviner, together with a cock in addition to cattle. When they reached the boundary, the diviner killed the cock in addition to conducted divination yesteryear examining its intestines. With bad omen, they returned home. With goodness omen, the
2nd grouping consisting of fighters in addition to cattle were called, in addition to the ii groups joined for a battle.
People give next reasons for performing the buru:
1) To chase away the evil spirits,
2) To have got the many spirits of state of war heroes of yore in addition to novel spirits bring together them for this occasion. Eating chicken killed on the battlefield symbolized such solidarity,
3) To take away the shadow (spirit) of the deceased. The buru must live done yesteryear the river, because they believe that the shadow volition go away through the river. The shadow must live taken away from the home, otherwise it lingers,
4) To drive the evil spirits to the bush or to the enemies,
5) To topographic point who may brand a goodness leader in addition to who is brave in addition to skillful inwards state of war tactics.
6) To demonstrate that they have got lost a fellow member of their community. The Roho people conduct ‘buru for women,’ which was non strictly a Luo tradition in addition to hence non ever performed. This buru is called suda alongside the Roho.
VI. Shaving (liedo)
Four days after the burial, people shave their heads. H5N1 razor blade is usually used. The maiden off shave is supposed to grade the offset of the mourning period. At the terminate of mourning, those who were shaven are shaven again, which marks the offset of their novel life.
There are 3 types of shaving. The maiden off i is for the spouse(s) of the deceased in addition to children of the deceased, conducted i or ii weeks after the burial. It marks the offset of the mourning taboos. In the old days, people were shaven before long after the buru matin before the relatives departed for their home.
The 2nd i is for children, betwixt ii weeks in addition to i calendar month after the burial. After shaving, the children are gratis to measuring out of the compound. This leaves the widow(s) to follow the mourning taboos.
The 3rd is done to gratis the widow(s) from the mourning taboos. After this, a widow tin can pick out a adult man who inherits her inwards the tero cholla, explained later. The shaving used to live conducted at the keyo nyinyo when the articles of the deceased were distributed.
The maiden off in addition to 2nd shaving must live performed before long after death, but the 3rd tin can take topographic point i month, i year, or fifty-fifty ii years after the burial. Nowadays, however, most people do non psyche the above-mentioned 3 types of shaving, which must live done at different times. They perform all the shaving i time in addition to for all, in addition to shave exclusively a footling on the dorsum of their caput inwards a symbolic manner.
VII. Mourners’ Departure for Home (kee)
The kee refers to the members of surviving theatre unit of measurement in addition to other relatives returning to their respective abode inwards monastic tell of age. The first-born departs first, followed yesteryear the second, in addition to then the third, in addition to finally they all depart. This whole physical care for may take topographic point inwards just i day, a few days, or fifty-fifty i calendar week depending on the number of sons in addition to daughters inwards the theatre unit of measurement of the deceased. It is because exclusively i individual a twenty-four hours departs. The relatives who do non have got to live shaven may remain for a piece in addition to go abode exclusively after they made sure that the shaving (liedo) was done early on inwards the morning, next the twenty-four hours of the tero buru matin. The kee is unremarkably completed i calendar week after the shaving.
The menstruation betwixt the decease in addition to the kee is called budho, which genuinely refers to the mourning period, in addition to literally agency ‘sitting without doing anything,’ because people are supposed to remain within the deceased person’s chemical compound without doing whatever worthwhile work.
VIII. Serving a Meal to the Deceased (yaodhoot)
The relatives render to the deceased’s abode i time once to a greater extent than before long after returning home. Married women (wagoguni) convey nutrient in addition to ready to comfort those who remained, such as children in addition to spouse(s) of the dead person. They invite neighbours to part the meal. They think that eating together with the deceased pleases him/her. They celebrate the occasion yesteryear dancing, playing music, drinking local beer to attempt their best to forget the deplorable event.
Literally, yaodhoot agency ‘opening the door,’ which implies that the survivors start their novel life. Some explicate that wagoguni render to opened upward the door, which has been closed since the individual died. After the door is opened, the surviving theatre unit of measurement start a novel life. Others say, “we do non do this for bachelors, because they don’t have got their ain family. For whose sake the married women must opened upward the door? They don’t have got a married adult woman or children who should live inwards his abode after he died.” At present, people perform the yaodhoot for every decease of an adult. If the surviving theatre unit of measurement have got many domestic animals, they slaughter some of them for their guests. Otherwise they purchase fish in addition to meat inwards the market.
IX. Serving a Meal to the Deceased (tedo)
The tedo, which literally agency cooking, follows the yaodhoot. On the twenty-four hours of the tedo the sons in addition to daughters render to their natal abode to ready for the dead woman parent or father. Children contribute a sure amount of various kinds of nutrient according to their income.
The first-born, boy or daughter, is the maiden off individual to opened upward the fireplace, in addition to the nutrient he/she contributed should live cooked first. The nutrient include meat, fish, in addition to sugar, in addition to depend on what the theatre unit of measurement similar to eat. The relatives should live informed of the twenty-four hours of the tedo inwards advance. They come upward that twenty-four hours to celebrate the occasion with the children of the dead person. It is just similar a get-together political party for the children in addition to their relatives.
X. Going to the Former Battleground with the Spirit of the Deceased (tero buru maduong’)
This ritual is performed exclusively for the decease of elderly men. This buru is performed on a much larger scale than the previous buru: buru maduong’ agency ‘big buru’ piece the previous buru matin agency ‘small buru.’ The theatre unit of measurement in addition to relatives of the dead adult man take their cattle to the one-time battlefield inwards the same way as they did inwards the little buru. This time, however, they do non kill a cock inwards the field. Returning to the compound, they regain a lot to a greater extent than people in addition to far to a greater extent than abundant nutrient than inwards the little buru. The relatives slaughter many heads of cattle, called dher buru, in addition to goats, in addition to serve local alcoholic drinkable including changa, busa, in addition to mbare. They invite traditional musicians in addition to dancers.
The people must prepare a huge amount of nutrient in addition to much money for this occasion. This is why they must set the twenty-four hours of the large buru to come upward right after harvesting with much of maize in addition to sorghum for preparing nutrient in addition to drinks.
A adult woman performs a traditional Luo Ohangla trip the low-cal fantastic to entertain guests at the Barack Obama Nyangoma Kogelo primary schoolhouse inwards Kenya
XI. Visiting the Widow’s Natal Home (tero cholla)
This is the ritual which ends the mourning. Right after this ritual, the surviving theatre unit of measurement members start their novel life, in addition to the surviving spouse starts his/her life with a novel partner. Widows, inwards particular, must have got a adult man inwards her psyche as her prospective inheritor before the twenty-four hours of the tero cholla. If a hubby died, the widow in addition to her eldest boy pay a see to the abode of the widow’s parents. They pass exclusively i nighttime there. The next day, before departure, a caprine animal called cholla is slaughtered. Part of its meat is eaten yesteryear the widow’s parents in addition to the residue is taken yesteryear the widow to her home.
The widow’s prospective inheritor (sing. jater, pl. joter) sleeps inwards the widow’s theatre piece she is visiting her natal home. When the widow returns, she cooks the meat she brought back. The widow in addition to her inheritor eat the meat. They engage inwards sexual intercourse that night, in addition to the adult man must evidence that he is a existent inheritor.
Then, the inheritor starts edifice their novel house, helped yesteryear the widow. H5N1 widow also old to have got sexual practice selects a adult man who is nearly her age. When she returns from her natal home, her inheritor prepares a fireplace for cooking. She cooks in addition to they eat together. They pass the nighttime without sex. But the inheritor must maintain within the theatre his belongings. This is done so that visitors may know that the old adult man in addition to adult woman remain together in addition to honey each other. With a immature widow, it is practically impossible for whatever adult man to inherit her in addition to non have got sex. If a married adult woman died, the widower follows the mourning taboos exclusively when she was the maiden off wife. In that event, the hubby takes his children to the deceased’s parents. They remain i nighttime in addition to render the next day. The children are given meat or a hen yesteryear their grandparents.
The parents of the dead married adult woman sometimes give i of their single daughters to the hubby as his novel wife. The immature lady unremarkably comes over to the husband’s abode on the twenty-four hours of the tero cholla. She begins to live inwards the theatre in addition to inherit whatever her sis had. If the hubby marries some other woman, he should build a novel theatre for her.
XII. Dividing the Articles Left yesteryear the Deceased (keyo nyinyo)
This is the occasion when the theatre unit of measurement in addition to relatives split betwixt themselves articles left yesteryear the deceased, such as clothes, furniture, dishes, calabashes, in addition to cooking pots. Land in addition to animals are divided alongside surviving sons non that day, but some other day.
Women acquire out behind many things or few things largely depending upon how old they were when they died. Old women may acquire out behind many cooking pots, H2O pots, in addition to dishes. Old men would acquire out clothes, three-legged stool (komnya luo), spear, shield, mantle, brute skins, in addition to horns of animals he hunted.
XIII. Remembrance (rapar)
This is the ritual inwards which the relatives acquire together inwards the dead person’s abode to remember, comfort, in addition to delight the dead person. The parents, children, brothers in addition to sisters, in addition to affines of the deceased come upward in addition to relish a lot of nutrient together. The host invites his neighbours in addition to accommodate a trip the low-cal fantastic which continues through the nighttime of the rapar.
The relatives may build a little temporary hut (akumba) if the master copy hut is gone. The maiden off thing the married daughters (wagoguni) of the dead individual should do upon their arrival is to displace into the hut in addition to pose their luggages in addition to clothes within as a sign of greeting the dead person. They in addition to then start cooking inwards the little infinite within the hut in addition to cutting the meat of the animal, slaughtered for the dead person. People surroundings the hut in addition to eat together. The spouse of the deceased must slumber within the hut during the nighttime of the rapar. The next day, the spouse pulls downwards the hut. Because this ritual requires heavy expenses, it depends on the relatives’ finances how many times they handgrip the rapar for the dead person.
XIV. Serving a Meal to the Family of the Deceased yesteryear Affines (budho)
This is a ritual feast organized yesteryear affines. The purposes of this feast are to brand sure the human relationship betwixt affines fifty-fifty after the decease of the mediator in addition to to consort the remaining family. The affines set the twenty-four hours after preparing plenty money in addition to nutrient for the feast. So the budho may take topographic point before the rapar. On the day, the affines come upward with maize flours in addition to animals for slaughter. Since affines have got the human relationship called luor, which agency honour in addition to fear, they are expected to hit the chemical compound of the dead after sunset (agi an’gich welo) in addition to to remain exclusively for i nighttime without sleeping. Following morning, they render home.
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http://nai.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:280191/FULLTEXT01.pdf
Luo woman
LUO ORIGIN OF CIVILISATION: TOWARDS H5N1 POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION OFbTHE ANCIENT ITIYO-PI-ANU PEOPLES
Dr. Terence Okello Paito - Abstract
After the Second World War, Henri Frunkfort, an eminent Egyptologist, suggested that in that location are distinct groups of Africans surviving today, whose ancestors tin can live traced dorsum to the ancient Egyptians. H5N1 couplet of decades later, at a symposium on the peopling of ancient Arab Republic of Egypt in addition to the deciphering of the Meroitic script, C.A. Diop, resolved to send out a comparing of the languages of ancient Arab Republic of Egypt in addition to those of contemporary Africa. Both Diop in addition to Frunkfort believed that in that location are people live today inwards Africa who speak the really same linguistic communication or i really closed to the linguistic communication spoken inwards ancient Egypt. The identification of such a people would add together a linguistic dimension to the conventional report in addition to improve agreement of ancient Egyptian history.
This newspaper presents an declaration inwards back upward of the contestation that the survivors of the ancient Egyptian civilisation are the Nilotic people at nowadays commonly known as the Luo (or Lwoo). It is suggested that the Luo were the founders of the ancient Koch or Cushitic kingdom at Napata, which had expanded into Egypt. It volition live farther argued that the Luo pledged collective loyalty to the god Anu in addition to were the really Itiyo-pi-anu peoples.
Luo women with basketry fish traps (osech kiteng' ) going to fish inwards a shallow river water.
Charles W. Hobley, nearly 1900
Introduction
The identities of the earliest settlers in addition to builders of the bully ancient Itiyo-pi-an in addition to Egyptian civilisations have got been a land of report of protracted debate that has largely remained inwards abeyance for sometime. At the peak of the early on 19th century Euro-imperialism in addition to colonialism inwards Africa, the‘civilisation/barbarism’ dichotomy was a build in addition to an ideological tool to explicate the justification for colonialism. Throughout the colonial in addition to early on post-independence period, the imposition of a euro-centric curriculum summation western anthropologists’ sustained denigration of the African personality in addition to culture, deterred Africans from considering, ‘The African Origin’ of civilisation. Nevertheless, Henri Frunkfort (1948), i of the Western scholars whose attending was drawn to the achievements of the early on Egyptians wrote, “…. There are live today inwards Africa groups of people who are the truthful survivors of that bully East African substratum out of which the Egyptian civilisation arose ….” (Henri Frunkfort, 1948, p.6). Resistance to the contradictions inherent
inwards colonial policies, curricula in addition to the distortion of African history, later on produced a generation of African scholars who were prepared to examine facts on ancient Egyptian history. It was inwards that low-cal that C.A. Diop (1974), stood out in addition to published ‘The African Origin of Civilisation: Myth or Reality’.
In the preface of that work, Diop advocated a linguistic approach to link the history of dark Africa to that of ancient Egypt. Following the symposium on ‘The peopling of Ancient Arab Republic of Egypt in addition to Deciphering of the Meroitic script’, he repeated the telephone telephone for the application of the linguistic approach to analyse ancient Egyptian history. So far, from the literature on ancient Egypt, 3 main observations tin can live made. First in addition to foremost, the literature suggests that much ground has been covered towards the reclamation in addition to linking of ancient Arab Republic of Egypt to African history thank y'all to the efforts of African-American in addition to other diasporan scholars. Secondly, despite the bully strides made, most of the diasporan scholars go along to confuse ancient Itiyopianu with modern
Ethiopia. Thirdly, in addition to most importantly for this paper, Diop’s Pb inwards which he identified Osiris race with the Nilotic Luo has non been followed, despite Simon Simonse’s (1992) assertion that Luo antecedents have got relevance for the reconstruction of the past. Similarly, J.B. Webster’s (1979), telephone telephone for a linguistic approach to reconstruct in addition to expand Crazzolara’s piece of work on the Luo has been largely ignored.
In this paper, nosotros fence that the people referred to as the Luo were the really builders of the ancient Itiyo-pi-anu civilisation known as Koch (Cush, Kush). The Koch (Cush) kingdom expanded into Egypt, Arabia, Mesopotamia in addition to Phoenicia. The newspaper is divided into v sections. In the 2nd section, nosotros review the attempts yesteryear some scholars to de-link the Luo from ancient Egyptian civilisation; department 3 presents a give-and-take on how the identification of Luo Cradle-land became such a contentious number inwards the historiography of the Great Lakes region. In department four, the Luo volition live identified as the ancient Itiyopianu peoples. Luo presence inwards ancient Arab Republic of Egypt is discussed inwards department five, followed yesteryear conclusions.
The Luo
In the opening declaration of his piece of work ‘The Lwoo’, Fr. J.P. Crazzolara (1950), wrote, “The Lwo racial grouping of people has had a yesteryear so total of exciting adventures that their history - i time it were fairly completely written upward - would read similar an absorbing novel” (Crazzolara, 1950,p.1). Fr. Crazzolara, an Italian Catholic Missionary, linguist in addition to historian had lived, worked in addition to conducted field- piece of work alongside the Luos for over xxx years. Most importantly, he had access to the Meroitic scripts. Apart from the 3 volumes on the Lwoo, Crazzolara (1938) wrote ‘A Study of the Acooli Language’. For the composition of the Luo racial grouping who are scattered across thousands of miles inwards Eastern in addition to Central Africa, Fr. Crazzolara, noted that,
“The tribe into which the master copy grouping of the Lwo divided after leaving their terra firma of origin, are as follows, 1. Boor, 2. Jo- Luuo, (Thuri, Bwodho, Jur), 3. Collo (Shilluk), Anywaa, 5.Paari (Lokooro, Ber, Nyorro), 6. Acholi, 7.Alur, 8. Jo-Pawir (Jur), 9. Lango, 10. Kumam, 11. Jo- Pa- Wiir alias Jo-KaWeer, 12. Jo-Pa- Adhola, 13. Jo-Lwo, 14. Barabaig”. (Fr. J.P. Crazzolara, 1950: 5).
Thus, the Luo grouping of peoples are found inwards the Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania in addition to the Congo. Though Crazzolara was ecstatic at the prospect of reconstructing Luo history, he had underestimated the opposition towards such an endeavour. Before looking at attempts yesteryear some Africanist to de-link the Luo from ancient Itiyopia in addition to Egypt, the query that arises is, what is meant yesteryear the really term Luo or Lwoo?
Luo people
What is Luo or Lwoo?
According to Nalder (1937), the word Luo derives from the eventide terminate around which people sat. He suggested that, “A characteristic of the hamlet life is the ‘O’, men’s sitting – place, rather similar a gild ….” (Nalder, 1937, p.147). Nalder was peculiarly aware that, alongside some Luo groups such as the Acholi, ‘Lu’ is a plural prefix (sing. ‘La’) which agency ‘those who….’, in addition to denotes a grouping inwards relation to some activities, profession or full general behaviour. On the other hand, the i alphabetic lineament word ‘o’ agency the eventide terminate around which a theatre unit of measurement or friends sat inwards an opened upward courtroom yard to chat, discuss, educate, gaze into the clear sky, in addition to relish the fresh eventide air, before retiring to bed. By combining ‘Lu’ in addition to ‘o’, Nalder claimed to have got explained the identity of the Luo people.
Nalder’s explanation is non peculiarly satisfactory when it is considered that some members of the same grouping refer to themselves as the Lwo. In whatever case, sitting around the eventide terminate is non peculiar to the Luo, as many African peoples part the same habit. H5N1 clue to an alternative explanation was provided yesteryear the Rev. Fr. Crazzolara who observed that “The call Lwoo (the pregnant of which is unknown) is soundless widely used, as I have got shown elsewhere ….” (1938, p.xiii). However, elsewhere, he also noted that, the “the morphologically interrelated terms: Luuo - Lwoo - (Loh), Lao - Loo -Lowi -Lowoi - Looi, Luui in addition to Luu do sure as shooting advise an master copy unity” (Crazzolara, 1950, p. 338). According to Fr. Crazzolara, the higher upward were the various ways of spelling the same word but he did non specify the right one. The master copy word that was to live spelled inwards different ways tin can best live identified when Luo spirituality in addition to world- watch is looked at
to a greater extent than closely.
According to S. Santandrea, “The Luo are yesteryear far the nearest inwards ‘royal’ traditions to the bully homonymous tribe of the Nile. They too, maintain that their chiefs are (or rather were) possessed of a divine power, inherited from their bully ancestors” (Stefano Santandrea, 1968, p.48). In other words, the Luo believed inwards a supernatural authorisation through whom their kings ruled. For example, the bully god of the Nile was known as ‘Hapi’ (Wallis Budge, 1994, p, cxxiii). The Luos are familiar with this divinity whom they refer to as, ‘Lhapi’. The word, ‘Pi’ inwards Luo agency water. ‘Lha’ or ‘La’ is a singular prefix. Thus Lhapi agency ‘of water’. The Lango Luos would simply omit the ‘L’ in addition to telephone telephone it Hapi. The Nile was described as “…. the type of life giving waters out of the midst of which sprang the gods in addition to all created things” (E.A. Wallis Budge: cxxiii). In a reference to Lhapi, an Acholi historian wrote, “Lok, cik maber twotwal ma wan wanongo bot Ludito mewa me Acholi, en yep Lam nyo Lapii. Acholi pe gidonyo i lweny ata labongo Lapii nyo labongo lam mamit….” (L. Okech, 1953:22). “We have got inherited from our Acholi ancestors the thought of consulting Lapii or obtaining a approbation from him. The Acholi volition non acquire involved inwards a state of war without consulting Lapii or obtaining a blessing
from him” (my translation).
In ‘Customs of the Acholi’, Capt.Grove (1919) presented a Luo spiritualist world watch in addition to wrote, “The adult man inwards problem addresses a prayer non exclusively to his deceased begetter in addition to granddaddy but to ‘Everything that went before or begot him’. He addresses himself to God in addition to the Sun in addition to Luna in addition to “my ancestors spirits, in addition to all y'all who begot me” throwing a sort of full general responsibleness for his existence in that location on the universe at large, in addition to pointing out that as they were responsible for putting him in that location they ought to do something nearly it” (Capt. Grove, 1919, p.174, My emphasis inwards italics)
Cattle-owning, Shilluk tribesman. Duk Fadiat. Upper Nile Province. Sudan. 1948 | © George Rodger
From Capt. Grove’s account, the Luo adult man believes that some supernatural existence caused his really presence on ground in addition to together with ancestors, could aid ease his problems. In other words, the adult man was suggesting that he was simply a production of creation in addition to was at the mercy of the creator. Any casual observer familiar with the Luo or Lwo linguistic communication volition authorities annotation that the morphologically related price that were presented yesteryear Fr. Crazzolara refer to the story of creation. Rev. Fr. Alfred Malandra (1956) genuinely pointed out the master copy word when he wrote of the Acholi dialect, “There are a sure number of words, mostly monosyllabic, which terminate inwards a long or stressed vowel, which is hither written double. In this measure orthography doubling is recommended inwards exclusively a selected listing of nouns viz. aluu (vapour) (Malandra, 1956, p.9). Elsewhere, Fr. Malandra pointed out that ‘Kuto aluu = exhale (Malandra, 1956, p.132). Thus, the master copy term that Crazzolara failed to topographic point was ‘Luu’ (pronounced as inwards Lhuu) – agency God’s life- bearing- exhalation. On the other hand, inwards the same language, Luuo, (pronounced as inwards Lhuuo), – means, ‘of God’s life – bearing exhalation, the production of creation, the created beings. Thus ‘Luo’ is the word variously spelled as Lou or Lwoo in addition to which became the collective identity of the Nilotic grouping variously known as the Lwo or Luo.
Interestingly, inwards the Acholi – Luo version of the volume of Genesis, the word Luu is used to depict the breath of life breathed into the nostrils of the maiden off created man. It is also inwards the same context that the people telephone telephone themselves ‘Joo-Jok- Amalo’, pregnant people of the high god. In texts related to the story of creation, the word Luo is clearly distinguishable despite serious distortions. For example, according to Jacob H. Caruthers (1999), “The creator then, after having impregnated itself, sneezes in addition to Shu comes into existence (Shu is pronounced shwoo, similar a sneeze” (Caruthers, 1999, .287). Caruthers was referring to ‘Lhu’, i.e. ‘God’s life bearing exhalation’, pronounced as in, ‘Lhwoo’ or Lhuo’ or ‘Lwoo’. Cf. “Shou = sou = space, the maiden off divinity created yesteryear Ra” (Diop, 1991, p.359). Having defined the pregnant of the term Luo, the next chore is to appear at how some Africanists viewed the human relationship betwixt Africans in addition to ancient Egyptian civilisation.
H5N1 grouping of Luo warriors inwards total warrior clothes with long spears in addition to shields, posed inwards front end of the administrative edifice at Kisumu. This grouping is peculiarly distinguished yesteryear their extraordinary headdresses, including colobus monkey tail ones (kondo bim). Their chests are also adorned yesteryear cowrie rhythm out decorated belts (okanda gaagi). Their shields are typical of Luo shields inwards the period, taking a curved shape in addition to with geometrical patterns. Pitt Rivers Source (Charles William Hobley). Circa 1900
2.0 Attempts yesteryear some Africanist scholars to de-link the Luos from ancient Egypt.
In 1911, the attending of the Egyptologist E.A. Wallis Budge (1911) was drawn to the similarities he saw betwixt the myths in addition to rites of ancient Arab Republic of Egypt in addition to those of sub-Saharan Africa including Buganda. Nilotic or Sudanic inwards the broadest significance of the word”(Budge, 1911, p.vii). Wallis Budge’s assertion came against the back- drib of concerted efforts to de-link Africa from ancient Egypt. Attempts yesteryear some western scholars to de-link Africa from ancient Arab Republic of Egypt had been going on good before the advent of the 19th century colonialism. In ‘The Wealth of Nations’, Adam Smith (1776) noted:
"The nations that, according to the best authenticated history, appear to have got been maiden off civilised,
were those that dwelt around the coast of the Mediterranean Sea …. Of all the countries on the
coast of the Mediterranean Sea, Arab Republic of Egypt seems to have got been the maiden off inwards which either agriculture or
manufactures were cultivated in addition to improved to whatever considerable degree" (Smith, 1776, p.124)
Smith attributed the early on economical success of the ancient Egyptians to a well-developed inland navigation network similar to what existed inwards Kingdom of the Netherlands during his time. While Adam Smith features highly inwards the history of economical thoughts, ancient Egypt, a source of his inspiration, is never mentioned. Smith in addition to then went on to de-link ancient Arab Republic of Egypt from the residue of the continent in addition to wrote, “All the inland parts of Africa, …. seems inwards all ages of the world to have got been inwards the same fell in addition to uncivilised province inwards which nosotros regain them at present”(Smith, 1776, p.125). The portrayal of Africa as fell was widespread alongside European scholars. In his give-and-take on Africa, George Wilhelm Freidrich Hegel (1956), remarked; “It …. surprises to regain alongside them, inwards the vicinity of African stupidity reflective intelligence, a thoroughly rational organisation characterizing all institutions in addition to the most astonishing works of art” (Hegel, 1956, p.199). Hegel, who showed enormous contempt for Africa, added:
"At this dot nosotros acquire out Africa non to advert it again. For it is non a historical portion of the world; it
has no movements or evolution to exhibit. Historical movements inwards it – that is inwards the northern
portion – belong to the Asiatic or European world. Carthage displayed in that location an important
transitionary stage of civilisation; but, as a Phoenician colony, it belongs to Asia. Arab Republic of Egypt volition be
considered inwards references to its western phase, but it does non belong to the African Spirit. What we
properly empathise yesteryear Africa is the unhistorical, undeveloped spirit, soundless involved inwards the
weather of mere nature, in addition to which had to live presented hither exclusively as on the threshold of the
world’s history. (Hegel, 1956, p.99)
Obama in addition to her Luo tribe grandmother
Hegel was dismissive of whatever contribution Africans had made towards the world’s development. For him, whatever exhibits that existed pertaining to the developments inwards Carthage or Arab Republic of Egypt were largely Asiatic or European. It is worth noting that the essential notion inwards Hegel’s piece of work was ‘dialectics’. He had borrowed the term ‘dialectics’ from Plato’s Republic. However, it is known that the latter was, mocked yesteryear his contemporaries as having borrowed the ‘Republic’, from the ancient Egyptians.
Marx for instance pointed out that, “Plato’s Republic, inwards so far as segmentation of labour is treated inwards it, as the formative principles of the state, is simply an Athenian idealisation of the Egyptian caste system, Arab Republic of Egypt having served as the model of an industrial terra firma to others of his contemporaries, e.g. Isocrates. It retained this importance for the Greeks fifty-fifty at the fourth dimension of the Roman Empire (Marx, Capital I, pp 488-489). Thus if Marx found Hegel upside downwards in addition to pose him upright, the latter needed to live sat upright on the African origins of Greek Philosophy. Christopher Arthur (1993), a proponent of ‘new dialectics’ suggested that ‘a direct appeal to Hegel’ live made as ‘the measure move’ to empathise the Hegel-Marx connection1. An analysis of dialectics is beyond the range of this paper. However, for a consummate agreement of dialectics nosotros advise that in that location is a demand to go beyond Hegel in addition to Plato into its origins inwards Egypt. Yet the influence of Hegel was
widespread alongside some Egyptologists. In ‘A History of Egypt: From the Earliest fourth dimension to the Western Farsi Conquest’, James Henry Breasted (1937) argued that in that location was no link betwixt ancient Arab Republic of Egypt in addition to Africa, “The conclusion maintained yesteryear some historians that the Egyptian was of African Negro beginning is at nowadays refuted …. at best he may have got been slightly tinctured with Negro blood” (Breasted, 1937, p.36). For a long time, prejudices as discussed above, contributed significantly tothe concealment of the truth nearly the history of Africa. Attempts to separate Arab Republic of Egypt from Africa in addition to deny the latter its yesteryear was widespread. The de-linking of ancient Arab Republic of Egypt from dark Africa is soundless tempting to some scholars such as yesteryear Benjamin C. Ray (1991) who, quite latterly wrote,
“Archaeological enquiry has non turned upward a single object inwards the inter-lacustrian part or
elsewhere due south of the Sahara that derives from the lower or middle Nile valley. Nor is in that location any
decisive evidence that in that location were contacts anywhere betwixt Arab Republic of Egypt in addition to Africa due south of Meroe”
(Benjamin C Ray, 1991, p.196).
However, Ray did non engage with ancient historiography inwards which contacts betwixt ancient Arab Republic of Egypt in addition to modern twenty-four hours Republic of Uganda were fairly good documented. For example, Rev. Fisher (1904), found, artefacts inwards Uganda, from ancient Arab Republic of Egypt nearly which he wrote,
“In the extremely fragile in addition to various forms of string in addition to baskets working peculiar to the Batoro
tribe, i notices marked similarity to Egyptian design. Then, again, alongside the tribe of the
Bakuku is some other suggestive point: whilst staying inwards their vicinity for a menstruation of 6 weeks, I
made a potent elbow grease to collect together a alternative of their war-horns, which consist of minute
ivory tusks shaved downwards in addition to scooped out. It was non an piece of cake thing to procure them, as they are
regarded as the heirlooms of the family, in addition to have got been handed downwards from ancient times.
Offering, however, high in addition to tempting price inwards the shape of goats, I succeeded inwards procuring 6 or
seven. I in addition to then found that each had its ain peculiar mark: i resembled most clearly the planet
Saturn, another, the Pleiades, others various hieroglyphic designs. Questioning the folk as to the
important pregnant of each, they expressed total ignorance beyond that they were intended for
ornamentation yesteryear their early on fathers ….” (A.B. Fisher, 1904, p.250).
In whatever instance the ancient Egyptians did appear to Republic of Uganda as their abode of origin. The ‘Papyrus of Hunefer’ in addition to the ‘Book of the Coming Forth yesteryear the Day in addition to Night’, incorporate the message which the ancient Egyptians recorded nearly their beginning in addition to which read, “We came from the offset of the Nile where the god Hapi dwells, at the foothills of the mountains of the moon” (Yosef benJochanannan in addition to John Hendrik Clarke, 1991, p.5). In a desperate elbow grease to reinforce the de-linking of Africa from ancient Egypt, a construct, the ‘Hamitic theory’ was developed to distort the identities of the ancient Egyptians.
H5N1 portrait of a adult man wearing Luo ornamentation, on the route next to a vehicle. On his caput is worn a bead piece of work chapeau (ogut tigo) with the extended pare ledge inwards which warthog teeth (leke njiri) are stuck protruding out in addition to curving upwards. The ears are adorned with multicoloured beads sewn on a tiny chain usually forming a beautiful earring (ngaga) for old men. He has a walking stick on the shoulder (okwajo) on which he is hanging a woven shopping handbasket (okapo). He has a necklace (rek) made of ostrich egg shell, in addition to a circular block of something suspended on the necklace as well. He also has a sheathed dagger hanging a cross his shoulder. There is a metallic wrist band (minyonge) in addition to the fingers are all heavily adorned with all sorts of metallic rings (tere). His bodily habiliment remains mainly European. Pitt Rivers Source (Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard). Circa 1936
2.1 Hamitic theory
In its master copy formulation, the ‘hamitic theory’ stipulates that, “ …. The divine kingship of ancient Arab Republic of Egypt derived from a pre-historic Caucasian/Negro civilisation called ‘Hamitic’. …. This civilisation had given ascent to many East African societies, including the kingdom of the Shilluk inwards the Southern Sudan in addition to the Kingdoms of Bunyoro in addition to Buganda farther south” (C.G. Seligman, 1966, p.100). On the reverse though, the Shilluk, who are portrayed as Hamites do genuinely belong to the Luo racial group. The same Luo grouping had indeed founded the Kitara empire inwards the Great Lakes region. For example, Onyango ku Odongo in addition to Webster (1976) specifically wrote,
“Banyoro sources advise that the adult man who founded the Lwo Bito dynasty of Bunyoro-Kitara was
called Isingoma Mpuga Rukidi1. Even a layman tin can easily reckon that the ii names have got no
etymological affinity to Lwo ones, but the finally i mightiness have got been Lakidi or Lukidi. The maiden off two
names, Isingoma Mpuga, are typically Bantu. It is possible, however, that these were the names
given to the Lwo rulers yesteryear his subjects, non his actual names. ….” (Ku Odongo, Webster, 1979, p.118)
Consciously or unconsciously, Ku Odongo in addition to Webster have got suggested that the Luo were the really founders of the Kitara empire inwards the Great Lakes region. Thus, ii competing models, the ‘Nilotic-Luo’ versus the ‘Hamitic’ have got been advanced to explicate the origins of the province builders inwards the Great Lakes part on the i hand, in addition to that of the ancient Egyptian civilisation on the other. Seligman, a proponent of the Hamitic model, farther claimed that, “The in-coming Hamites were pastoral Europeans- arriving waves after waves – improve armed in addition to quicker witted than the dark agricultural negroes” (Seligman, 1966, p.100). Whilst ecstatic nearly the Hamitic theory, the proponents were deeply divided on the truthful identities of the Hamites. For example, Driberg (1923), a British colonial administrator who for 7 years lived in addition to worked alongside the Lango of Uganda, described the ‘Hamites’ as “…. Latuka, Taposa, Dodotho, Karamojong, Iteso, Akum,
Turkana, Suk, Masai, Nandi, in addition to the grouping of tribes contained nether the full general heading Langu, viz. the Ajie, Olok ….” (Driberg, 1923, p.9). Despite the confusion over the identities of the socalled Hamites, some western anthropologists in addition to colonial administrators continued to lend tremendous back upward to Seligman’s theory. Margaret Trowell (1943), a curator of the Republic of Uganda museum during the colonial menstruation was i of the ‘Hamitic’ enthusiasts. In the 1940s she reignited the hamitic debate in addition to posed the question, “Who are the Hamitic people, known to us chiefly through the Bahima of Ankole but comprising also many other groups inwards the Kingdom of Belgium Congo in addition to downwards due south in addition to due west of the Lake? They are low-cal skinned, long faced, fine featured
people of Caucasian stock coming from the North; but how they arrived is a job upon which
piece of work has yet to live done”2. The Bahima of Republic of Uganda in addition to the Tutsi of Ruanda, Republic of Burundi in addition to the
Congo may have got some Caucasian features described yesteryear Margaret Trowell. However, they are of
somali descended migrants, who settled inwards the Great Lakes part good after the arrivals of the
Luos inwards the part (Karugire, 1971). In whatever case, the Kingdom of Koch (Cush), inwards the upper Nile
part of northern Sudan developed largely out of sedentary agricultural activities, rather than
pastoral nomadism as enjoyed yesteryear the Bahima in addition to the Tutsis. Besides, the ancient Egyptian
divinities are unknown alongside the Bahima in addition to Tutsis. As no historical evidence has ever been
uncovered that linked the Bahimas to the Nile Valley civilisation, interests inwards the ‘Hamitic theory’
begun to wane. One of the enthusiasts later on admitted the flaws surrounding the theory and
confessed that, “The topographic point of the beginning of the hamitic invaders is uncertain in addition to the route they
followed to Republic of Uganda soundless unknown …. There has been some considerable sympathy for the
proposition that they ultimately derived from Egypt”3. But the finally nail inwards the coffin of the theory
was hammered yesteryear Evans-Pritchard, Seligman’s ain pupil who wrote, “No i today would
uphold the hamitic theory that was held yesteryear Seligman. …. Seligman would ever muddle upward the
categories of race in addition to language, an error, which tin can exclusively Pb to confusion. He was also a firm
believer inwards Nordic superiority (as his student, I had to read a lot of literature inwards back upward of his
belief)”4. As volition live discussed farther below, Seligman contributed to the identification of the
Anyuak of the Sudan in addition to Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia with the Osiris’ race.
The ‘Hamitic theory’ reveals serious ambiguity in addition to needs to live examined closely. More precisely,
the beginning in addition to pregnant of the term ‘hamite’ needs to live set bare. According Dr. Finch (1991),
“Our call ‘Ham’ comes from the Hebrew Cham which inwards plough is derived from the Egyptian word
KAM, pregnant ‘black’….” (C.S. Finch, 1991:133). The word ‘Ham’ may live Egyptian but as for the
meaning, nosotros beg to disagree with Dr. Finch. For the master copy pregnant of the concept ‘Ham’, we
have got to plough to the Old Testament. After i of Noah’s sons showed disrespect to his drunken
father, he was supposedly cursed. This was what he begetter said, “Cursed live Canaan!….” (Genesis
9:25). The key word hither is ‘curse’. Interestingly, the Shilluk people mentioned yesteryear Seligman,
together with the other Luo groups occupation the word ‘Laam’ or ‘Lham which, is similar inwards pregnant to
the context used inwards the Bible. Therefore, it is likely that the word ‘Ham’ is a distortion of ‘Lham’ or
‘Laam’, which inwards the Luo linguistic communication agency ‘Curse’. Accordingly, Crazzolara (1938) defined the transitive verb ‘Laamo’, “Laamo …. To wishing sick to, curse, cast a spell on i …. “ (Crazzolara,
1938, p.279). Amongst the Shilluk in addition to the Acholi, ‘Lham’ or ‘Laam’ remains a mutual name. The
Luo footing of the biblical story of the ‘curse’ becomes apparent when nosotros appear further, at the
identities of the Ham’s brothers who were blessed in addition to bestowed with luck. Here again, the Old
Testament offers a useful clue in addition to indicates that their names were Luo inwards origin. For example,
‘Japhet’ or ‘Laphet’ means, a loiterer, a wanderer inwards the Luo language. Coincidentally this is how
Noah’s Japhet is described inwards the bible. Similarly, the Old Testament tells us that Shem’s
grandsons were named as; Joktany, Obal, Ophir (Genesis 10: 26- 29). Interestingly, these are all
Luo names soundless inwards occupation today. According to i of the experts on Luo history, Ophir or Opiir was
the leader who brought the Luos to Uganda. Fr.Crazzolara (1950), who supports this view-point,
specifically wrote,
“Owiny, Labongo in addition to Opiir, were the 3 men that came from Misr (Egypt). After traversing
several river tributaries they reached the Kuku, Moyo, Arua in addition to finally Pubungu. ….Opiir remained
in addition to begot many children but inwards the terminate he left also in addition to moved inwards the management of the Logbara. One
of Opiir’s sons was Wiir.” (Crazzolara, 1950:256).
Shilluk Tribe Girl Wearing Decorative Beaded Head Gear inwards Sudd Region of the Upper Nile, Sudan | © Eliot Elisofon/Historical archives of LIFE magazine.
Thus, the so- called Semitics were inwards fact Luos. Therefore, the medieval European mythology on
the multi-genetic beginning of humanity, which links Shem as the ancestor of Jews, Japhet to the
Europeans in addition to Laam to Africa was baseless in addition to must live discarded. This is simply because they all
were from the same race, the Luo people. H5N1 give-and-take on the Luo presence inwards the bible is
reserved for a later on work
Thus, the ‘Hamitic theory’, as discussed above, was non exclusively a flawed elbow grease to introduce inwards an
unscientific mode a theory nearly the beginning of races, but was also intended to deter the Luo
people from laying credible claims to their heritage in addition to to ancient civilisations. Jacob Caruthers
(1999) has observed that the liberation of African history was a state of war existence fought against
intellectuals bent on fabricating facts that would deny Africans their rich heritage. As the ‘Hamitic
theory’ was gradually discredited, attending turned to the distortion of Luo history.
3.0 Luo history as a battle-ground;
From the fourth dimension the Nile Valley came nether the Turco-Egyptian in addition to European colonial subjugation,
the history of the Nilotic Luo, has come upward nether intense scrutiny, in addition to subjected to distortion and
denigration. For example, according to I. Richards (1969), “None of the Nilotes in addition to Nilo-hamitic people of Republic of Uganda had achieved a centralised scheme of governance yesteryear the fourth dimension of Speke’s see in
1862. They were organised on a clan in addition to lineage footing ….” (Richards, 1969, p.41). For Richards,
the Nilotiocs were incapable of developing whatever social institutions, including that of the state.
Richards’ ideas emerged as portion of an anthropological epitome known as the ‘Lineage theory’
that was existence promoted yesteryear E.E. Evans-Pritchard (1940). The footing of the lineage theory was that
in that location was a dichotomy betwixt societies with states in addition to those without. Further more, the latter
were considered to have got had no history in addition to could at best live studied from the perspectives of
kinship analysis. The anthropological approach was seized upon yesteryear neo-Marxist writers such as
Mahmood Mamdani (1984) who on sheer speculation argued that, “When colonised inwards the early
portion of this century, the people of Northern Republic of Uganda were just at the threshold betwixt primitive,
but egalitarian, tribal democracies in addition to the state-governed shape divided societies. Communal form
of life, in addition to then prevalent, continued to be as remnants today”5. The dot Mamdani was trying to
pose across was that a major chemical factor of civilisation was lacking alongside the Nilotics. However,
both Richards in addition to Mamdani did non offering whatever explanation as to why the Nilotic Shilluk in addition to the
Anuak, from whom the Acholi separated, had good established province organisation, piece the latter
allegedly, did not. Yet much earlier, after careful observation, Evans-Pritchard (1940) noted,
“The Anuak are linguistically much to a greater extent than akin to the Acholi of the due south than to the Shilluk inwards the
north, in addition to they are probably, also much to a greater extent than akin to them inwards civilisation in addition to social organisation
generally. On the other hand, the Anuak kingship is undoubtedly really similar to that of the Shilluk,
in addition to is quite different anything recorded alongside the Acholi (Evans-Pritchard, 1940, p.133)
While similarities existed betwixt the Anuak in addition to the Acholi social organisations, the State
organisation of the Acholi differed from those of the anuak in addition to the Shilluk. Even to a greater extent than explicitly,
Girling (1960) insisted, “The antithesis betwixt ‘state’ in addition to ‘stateless’ societies inwards Africa has
go a mutual topographic point of contemporary social anthropology, but inwards my watch this distinction is
meaningless. …. In the instance of the Acholi they were sure as shooting non ‘stateless’ inwards 1860, in addition to in that location is
no evidence that they ever had been” (Girling, 1960, p.3). Meanwhile, Onyango Ku Odongo and
Webster (1976) suggested that the Kitara kingdom was indeed founded yesteryear the Luos. Quite
recently, Simon Simonse (1992) concluded that, “Since the Lwo are known to have got played an
of import role inwards the pre-colonial processes of province formation inwards the interlacustrine area, …. Luo
antecedents inwards our expanse of enquiry have got relevance for the reconstruction of the yesteryear over a more
extensive area” (Simonse, 1992, p.53). Once it became apparent that lineage theory was non useful
inwards the denigration of Luo history, attending focussed on re-examining the identities of the Central
Luos inwards Uganda.
It was inwards the recent piece of work of R.R. Atkinson (1995) that the distortion of Luo identity took a new
twist. Atkinson had come upward to Republic of Uganda as a fellow member of the American Peace Corp, but later on carried
out enquiry nether Makerere University’s Oral history projection that had been spearheaded yesteryear J.B.
Webster. In his before work, ‘State Formation in addition to Language Change inwards Westernmost Acholi inwards the
18th Century’, Atkinson (1984) had provided a useful business organisation human relationship of province formation inwards Acholi during
the 18th century. In his latter work, The Roots of Ethnicity, The Origin of the Acholi of Uganda
Before the 18th Century, Atkinson embraced the lineage theory in addition to had wanted to apply it to the
analysis of pre-colonial Acholi society. Faced with difficulties, Atkinson in addition to then sought to portray the
Acholi as distinctively non-Luo after all in addition to wrote, “ The independent but mutually interacting
communities of early on Acholi were made upward of speakers of 3 major linguistic communication groups: Central
Sudanic, Eastern Nilotic, Western Nilotic Luo” (R.R. Atkinson, 1985, p.71). He added that, “ …. I
challenge i of the most mutual themes of East African historiography, which attributes the
beginning of kingship or chiefship throughout the region, including, Acholi, to early on Luo-speaking
migrants from the Southern Sudan circa 1500 ….” (R.R Atkinson, 1995, p. 18). Atkinson was aware
that a number of states inwards Acholi were founded yesteryear fugitive Luo princesses in addition to followers from
Bunyoro in addition to never questioned the Luo-ness. However, he later on wanted to label Luos who passed
through Central Sudanic in addition to the so-called Nilo-hamitic regions as non-Luos, just to distort Luo
migration into Acholiland. Amongst the Central Luos, (Acholi, Alur, Lango), the Alur dialect in addition to that of the Lamogi of Acholi are quite closed to that of the Kavirondo (Kenya & Tanzanian) Luos and
differ slightly from the main dialect spoken inwards wider Acholi. Two main factors could have got brought
nearly the differences. Firstly, if Crazzolara’s (1950) piece of work is taken seriously, the Acholi part has
to live seen as the convergence dot of all the Luo groups migrating from lower in addition to Upper Egypt,
Arabia in addition to Mesopotamia. While the migrants may have got traversed Eastern Sudanic Nilo-hamitic
territories, they were Luos who had set off from the regions that the Cushites or Kushites (Koch
people) had i time settled in addition to had various backgrounds. Secondly, the priestly in addition to courtroom language
of Nilotic Kingdoms differs from the commonly spoken versions. (cf the corresponding ‘hieratic’
in addition to ‘demotic’ scripts inwards the ancient Itiyopianu in addition to Egypt). Thus, inwards Acholiland, in that location was a fusion
of the ii spoken Luo dialects. The higher upward factors necessarily led to the evolution and
simplification alongside the Acholi of the really Luo dialect, which is soundless spoken yesteryear the Alur, Lamogi
in addition to Jo-Luo. Crazzolara (1938), specifically noted that the Acholi did non adopt unusual words, “The
Acooli, on the other hand, have got in all probability been less influenced inwards their vocabulary, but have
changed in addition to simplified the forms of the words, dropping nearly every variety of stalk modification,
as inwards substantive plurals, &c., to a much greater extent than the rest” (Crazzolara,1938, p. xii).
Elsewhere, Fr. Crazzolara, (1950) wrote, “If an Acholi inwards ordinary conversation wants to assert that
he spoke inwards champaign intelligible homely language, he says: aloko lok Lwoo do! << I spoke inwards plain
Lwoo!>> ….”( Crazzolara, 1950, p.4). Thus, reverse to the assertion of Atkinson, the Acholi are
pure Luo in addition to spoke a dialect that was a production of internal development. Atkinson (1985) wanted
to disregard linguistic, archaeological in addition to written accounts of Luo history in addition to revert to
anthropological approach inwards monastic tell to downplay, denigrate in addition to deny the Luo, whatever contribution to
civilisation.
If Atkinson questioned whether or non the Acholi were a Luo group, other writers focussed on the
distortion of Luo cradle-land. J. B Webster (1976, 1979), a Canadian Africanist in addition to a proponent of
the oral historical tradition had taught inwards Ibadan in addition to at Makerere Universities in addition to was aware of
the nature of distortions nearly the Luo that some of the Africanists were engaged inwards in addition to with
Onyango Ku Odongo, had this to say,
“The query of the beginning of the Lwo, their migration in addition to settlement inwards many parts of East Africa,
has already been examined yesteryear many historians of integrity. The location of the Lwo cradle-land
has, however, remained an unsolved historical problem. So far, ii versions have got been given of the likely location of the master copy homeland of the Lwo. The maiden off version came from
Westernmann, Hofmayr in addition to Seligman,1 who have got all postulated a mutual Nilotic cradleland
somewhere to the due east of some unidentified bully lakes. ….” (Webster & Ku Odongo, 1976, p.25)
Westernmann, Hofmayr in addition to Seligman did non topographic point the location or topographic point of the Great Lakes
from whose vicinity the Lwo were purported to have got originated. All they wanted was to obscure
the cradle-land or at to the lowest degree manoeuvre it away from the confluence of ancient civilisations inwards Upper
Egypt. There was no dot on their portion inwards suggesting an easterly management of a place, which
remained unidentified. For the trio, an beginning of the Lwo should live left to speculation but
anywhere, away from the Sudan in addition to Arab Republic of Egypt would do. J. B. Webster in addition to Ku Odongo (1976) added
that,
“ The 2nd version came from Reverend Father Crazzolara2 who placed the master copy homeland
of the Nilotes to the due west of the Nile, inwards the Bahr-el-Ghazal, close Rumbek. He came to this
watch after a really exhaustive in addition to painstaking collection of oral traditions from the Nilotes. But it
would appear that the oral traditions, which he collected, did non extend dorsum far plenty to cover
the whole menstruation of Lwo evolution. What he collected seemed to refer exclusively to the events, which
took topographic point after the maiden off dispersal of the Nilotes from the legendary abode of the Lwo, known as
“Dog Nam” or the Lake Shore Settlement”.(Webster & Ku Odongo, 1976, p.25)
Africa with a yesteryear every bit as chequered as the Lwoo, but with most of them in that location remain only
slight traces, a few historical fragments hither in addition to in that location – i tin can hardly speak of ‘a people’ any
longer. Of such fragments in that location remain many inwards the introduce habitat of the Acholi as volition be
revealed” (Crazzolara, 1950, p.1). However, he was non keen to uncover aspects of Luo history
which he knew impacted on the evolution of Western philosophy in addition to religion. Most
importantly, Fr. Crazzolara in addition to other missionaries were non also keen to dispense with organized religious belief as
a tool in addition to wanted to impose the western version of Christianity inwards monastic tell to command the colonised.
Thus, Fr. Crazzolara remained evasive nearly the master copy abode terra firma of the Luo. His claim that
Bahr-el- Ghazal was that master copy terra firma was the same old strategy so ofttimes employed yesteryear some
Euro-centric scholars to de-link Africa from the ancient civilisations. Most aspects of the menstruation of
Lwo evolution has been good documented inwards both the oral traditions in addition to written sources. The
identification of the Cradle-land would uncover the part formerly known as Upper Egypt
(modern Northern Sudan). The part is rich inwards archaeological materials that are related to the
ancient Koch (Cush) kingdom. It should non live a surprise that those scholars keen to deny an
African link to ancient Arab Republic of Egypt were every bit determined to bound the Luo cradle-land to Southern
Sudan. J.B. Webster (1979) who was non at all satisfied with the ii versions, pointed out that, “As
other historians have got suggested, mayhap a to a greater extent than useful approach inwards searching for a correct
answer to this hard query of the Lwo cradle-land would live through the fields of linguistics
in addition to archaeology. For the 2nd nosotros appear into the traditions of the key Lwo who are known
today as the Acholi” (Webster, 1976, p.25). Ironically, as volition live discussed below, the oral tradition
of the Acholi contained all the information i needed to topographic point the Luo cradle-land.
Luo Cradle-Land at Tekidi (Napata), the Grand Court of Koch (Kush)
During the colonial period, indigenous scholars inwards Northern Republic of Uganda were keen to introduce their
ain history in addition to expose as fallacies, the accounts presented yesteryear colonial scholars. Girling (1960),
an anthropologist, witnessed the activities of the indigenous writers in addition to noted that, “…. In many
parts of the district I found men with little exercise books inwards which they had written accounts of
the past, taken from the lips of their grandfathers in addition to other old men” (Girling, 1960, p.202). One
such adult man was Onyango ku Odongo (1976) who wrote,
“It was inwards 1942 that I maiden off developed an involvement inwards oral traditions in addition to begun to brand some notes
on them. As I did non in addition to then know that these notes would go useful inwards future, inwards writing a book, they were carelessly in addition to disorderly scribbled inwards a schoolhouse exercise book. The stories were
mixed upward with old proverbs, songs, rituals in addition to many odd things related to every Acholi life. The
main contributor was my grandmother, Alunga Lujim. Unfortunately, the Second World War
interrupted my remain with Alunga Lujim, in addition to I could non tape to a greater extent than notes which mightiness have got been
useful inwards throwing some low-cal on the dim yesteryear of the key Lwo. ….” (Onyango ku Odongo, 1976,
p.27)
Ku Odongo’s collection in addition to documentation of Luo history was interrupted as he was conscripted
into the King’s African Rifle of the British regular army that fought inwards the Second World War. After the war,
he resumed the documentation of oral history in addition to travelled to the Sudan to do land piece of work amongst
the Shilluk in addition to the Anuak. Unfortunately, the Anyanya civil state of war broke out inwards 1956 whilst Ku
Odongo was inwards the Sudan. Subsequently, the valuable historical information that he had collected from
his land trip was confiscated in addition to destroyed yesteryear the Sudanese soldiers. However, through sheer
determination, he was able to pose together the accounts passed to him yesteryear oral historian, Alunga
Lujim6.
According to Ku Odongo, the Luo had developed a prosperous kingdom with the working capital alphabetic lineament or grand
courtroom at the pes of a mountain. Ku Odongo specifically pointed out that, “The key Lwo people,
who lived inwards a settlement known inwards the legend as Tekidi or “ on the pes of mountains”, had a
bully kingdom which was making steady progress inwards many fields of human endeavour”(Ku
Odongo, 1976, p.80). Though unaware, Ku Odongo was referring to the Koch (Kush) kingdom at
Napata. He added that, “This bully kingdom was destroyed yesteryear the maiden off dark-brown men to encounter the
Lwo. The finally rwot or manly individual monarch of this kingdom was called Owiny wod Pule Rac Koma” (Ku Odongo,
1976, p.80). Interestingly, archaeological piece of work has unearthed the ancient Kushitic kingdom at
Napata, inwards Northern Sudan. According to G. Mokhtar (1990), “Taharqa’s call is found on
numerous monuments throughout the whole length of the Nile Valley. He built his sanctuaries at
the pes of the holy mount of Djabal Barkal, a variety of sandstone tabular array formation, which
dominates the large fertile basin of Napata. ….” (Mokhtar, 1990, p. 163). It was considered to be
the terra firma of the Gods. Thus, reverse to the assertion of Westernmann, Seligman, Hofmayr and
Fr.Crazzolara, the Luo cradle-land was non due east of some unidentified Great Lakes or Rumbek in
Bar-el-Ghazal, but Napata inwards Northern Sudan. The main ground for misrepresenting the location of
the Luo cradle-land was to de-link the Luo from in addition to deny them whatever claims on the ancient
kingdom of Kush (or Koch).
Chancellor Williams (1987) observed that the greatest dream of all the bully kings of the Nile
Valley was the consolidation of the southern in addition to northern regions, hence the constant wars
betwixt upper in addition to lower Egypt. Tekidi, the grand courtroom of the kingdom, the terra firma of the gods also
bore the brunt of military machine incursions from lower Egypt. According to Onyango Ku Odongo &
Webster (1976),
“ …. the people of Rwot Owiny wod Pule Rac Koma of tekidi lived peacefully for some years. Later,
their peace was interrupted yesteryear a unusual people who were thought to live jok or super-natural
beings. These strangers invaded the Lwo settlement from the north. They shattered the formerly
invincible bully Lwo kingdom of Rwot Owiny. Some old men inwards Acholi said these strangers were
white but others believe that they were brown, crimson or yellow. It was mostly agreed, however,
that these maiden off white, dark-brown or crimson invaders had long dark silky pilus in addition to untidy beards. ….” (Ku
Odongo & webster, 1976, p.131)
Coincidentally, an incursion for the command over Tekidi is soundless recalled inwards songs yesteryear musicians and
royal bwola dancers inwards Acholi:
Lakila oywaro mony me lanek Oyuro do! Oyuro do! I Tekidi
Tong pa Oyuro odong, I Tekidi!
Iyee Lakila oywayo mony me lanek Oyuro ye! I Tekidi
Oyuro ye!
Nok rac ocera lweny!
Oneko Oyuro ye! I Tekidi
Nok rac ocera lweny ….!7
Lakila mobilised an regular army to annihilate Oyuro! At Tekidi
Oyuro’s pike was abandoned at Tekidi
Iyee, Lakila mobilised an regular army to annihilate Oyuro ye!
Oyuro ye!
Poor province of conscription made the state of war difficult
Oyuro got killed at Tekidi!
Poor province of conscription made the state of war difficult. (The writer’s translation inwards Italics)
The Agoro State of the Acholi, do recall Lakila as i of their bully kings. Interestingly, the Acholi
occupation the word Yuro or Yuru to depict the densely silky haired which fits the description of the
untidy bearded invaders who vanguished at Tekidi. Once deconstructed, the proper call Bwomoono that exists alongside the Acholi, does discover the wars that were fought betwixt the Luos
in addition to the white/brown invaders. The word ‘Bwo’ inwards the Acholi linguistic communication agency to overcome or
defeat. On the other hand, ‘Moono’ is an Acholi substantive meaning, “ …. the white man, ….”
(Crazzolara, 1938, p. 310). Thus the call ‘Bwomoono’ is a telephone telephone for the defeat of the white.
Recent enquiry findings have got confirmed the invasion of Napata yesteryear a mercenary supported
Egyptian military machine forcefulness led yesteryear Harmachis or Amasis. According to G. Mokhtar (1990),
“Aspelta was a contemporary of Psammetik II. This is i of the few genuinely secure synchronisms,
almost the exclusively i inwards a M years of history. In – 591, or the 2nd twelvemonth of the king’s
reign, the terra firma of Kush was invaded yesteryear an Egyptian expedition, reinforced yesteryear Greek in addition to Carian
mercenaries, nether ii generals, Amasis in addition to Potasimto, in addition to Napata was captured. ….” ( Mokhtar,
1990, p.164).
Amasis, i of the leaders of the invaders, succeeded in addition to became the finally indigenous Egyptian
Pharaoh. He became a loathe figure alongside the Luos in addition to his humiliation at the manus of Cyrus,
which has been captured inwards an Acholi vocal in addition to ‘folk- tale’ volition live discussed farther below. Suffice
to advert that Napata was indeed the grand working capital alphabetic lineament of the ancient Koch8 kingdom, which was
also known as Cush or Kush. Constant threats in addition to incursions from lower Arab Republic of Egypt led to the
relocation of the grand courtroom of Koch, from Tekidi to Meroe as noted yesteryear G. Mokhtar (1990), when
he wrote, “…. It is undoubtedly to the Egyptian raid, whose importance has long been
underestimated, that nosotros must attribute the transfer from Napata to Meroe, much farther south, at
no bully distance from the Sixth cataract. Aspelta is inwards fact the maiden off attested Meroe sovereign. ….”
(Mokhtar, 1990, p.174). Ample evidence exists to exhibit that the Meroitic kingdom was of Luo
origin
Diop (1974), who laboured so much in addition to convinced the world that Meroitic State was of Nilotic
origin, showed a lapse of sentence when he suggested that, “The call Meroe does non seem to
derive from an African root. It is in all probability what foreigners used after Cambysis to designate the
Capital of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (in the Sudan)” (Diop, 1974, p.143, 288). Yet inwards his article ‘Origin of the Ancient
Egyptians’, Diop also noted that inwards ancient Egyptian, “mer = love”(Diop, 1990, p.29).
Coincidentally, inwards the Luo language, the same word ‘mer’ = harmony, or to live friendly with, while
“mar = love”. The author is inclined to believe that the call Meroe derives from a Luo word Mero
(or Meru) which means, ‘cultivate an harmonious relationship’. Linguistic evidence exists to show
the affinity betwixt the Luo linguistic communication in addition to the Meroitic script. According to A.A Hakem (1990),
“The rulers of Napata in addition to Meroe used traditional Pharaonic titles inwards their inscriptions. Nowhere in
their titulature do nosotros encounter a Meroitic word for king. The championship kwr (read qere, qer or qeren)
appears exclusively inwards Psammetik II’s business organisation human relationship of his conquest of Kush when he mentions the king
Aspelta. Though this championship must have got been the usual shape of address of Kushite sovereigns, it was
non allowed to intrude into the monuments of Kush. ….”(Hakem, 1990, p.174).
In the Acholi - Luo dialect, Ker (Qer) agency royalty or Kingship. For example, Reuben Anywar
(1954) wrote, Acoli ki ker megi, which translates as Kingship of the Acoli. Similarly, Lacito Okech
(1953), some other author also wrote, Tekwaro ki Ker Lobo West Acholi, which translates as, History in addition to Kingship inwards West Acholi. Meanwhile, inwards the same Acholi dialect, Ot Ker denotes the royal
theatre unit of measurement or household. Thus the Meroitic championship - Ker is a Luo word. On the other hand, the championship used
yesteryear the sovereigns of Meroe was Reth, or Rwoth, or Rwot. According to A.C.A. Wright (1940), “Reth
is a frequent championship inwards Demotic in addition to is translated as Inspector or ‘Agent’ (Cat. Of the Demotic Papyri
inwards the Ryland library III p.367). Demotic ‘rt’ is Egyptian ‘rwd’ – agent found also inwards Coptic”9. It is
worth noting that ‘rt’ (Reth) is the championship of the Shilluk King, piece rwd (Rwot) is the championship of an Acholi
King. Amongst the Luos, women participated fully inwards governance. In a farther scrutiny of the title
of Meroe’s woman individual rulers, A.A. Hakim (1990) added that:
“The championship is derived from the Meroitic Ktke or Kdke pregnant queen mother. Another championship – qere –
pregnant ruler was non used until the Meroitic script appeared. As a thing of fact nosotros have got only
iv queens known to have got used this title, namely Amanirenas, Amanishekhete, Nawidemak and
Maleqereabar, all yesteryear Definition existence candaces. ….” (Ahakim, 1990, p.174).
Coincidentally, alongside the Acholi, the queen woman parent occupies a special place, in addition to was (is)
referred to either as Min Rwot or Dak ker. Kdke inwards the Meroitic script simply refers to Dak ker. The
best known of whom was Daca. Just as threats at Napata forced the location of the Koch Kingdom
to Meroe, the devastation of Meroe led to the decline in addition to autumn of the greatest civilisation of the Nile
Valley, forcing the Luos to displace to bully Lakes part in addition to other parts of Africa. In the Great Lakes
region, the Luos before long begun to build themselves upward in addition to founded the Kitara empire. In a
description of the elaborate province organisation reconstructed yesteryear the Nilotics, the Rev. B. Fisher
wrote,
“Then as regards government, if they had non modelled it after a higher illustration shown them,
how tin can nosotros business organisation human relationship for the intricate in addition to highly developed shape of native direction which we
found existing inwards these parts, in addition to which the British Government was non able to improve upon for
these people” (The Geographical Journal, Vol 24, No.3 A. B. Fisher, 1904, p.250)
The Kitara Kingdom was non pristine or Bantu inwards origin. Curiously enough, the Nilotic rulers who
founded that province soundless had fond retention of Meroe. For example, the Meroitic beginning of Kitara was,
revealed to the British explorer, Major John Hannington Speke, yesteryear Rumanika, the 19th century
manly individual monarch who ruled Karagwe as a satellite of the Kitara. In a conversation with Major Speke, King
Rumanika pointed to the ancient kingdom of Meroe or Meru inwards the Sudan as the beginning of the
Kitarans:
This conversation diversified yesteryear numerous sharp remarks on the portion of Rumanika, led to his
bespeak how I could business organisation human relationship for the decline of countries, instancing the dismemberment of the
Wahuma of Kitara, in addition to remarking that formerly Karagwe including Urundi in addition to Kishakka, which
collectively were known as the kingdom of Meru governed yesteryear i adult man (Speke, 1863, p.226)
Rumanika suggested that, Kitara had fragmented in addition to was no longer a powerful empire as it once
was. Most importantly, he also confirmed that Kitara was the successor of the i time powerful state
known as Meru or Meroe. The Meroitic State was also described as Ethiopian. Therefore, of
involvement to us hither is the link betwixt Meroe in addition to Itiyopi-anu (Ethiopia).
H5N1 grouping of Luo warriors inwards total warrior clothes with long spears in addition to shields, posed inwards front end of the administrative edifice at Kisumu. This grouping is peculiarly distinguished yesteryear their extraordinary headdresses, including colobus monkey tail ones (kondo bim). Their chests are also adorned yesteryear cowrie rhythm out decorated belts (okanda gaagi). Their shields are typical of Luo shields inwards the period, taking a curved shape in addition to with geometrical patterns. Pitt Rivers Source (Charles William Hobley). Circa 1900
4.0 The Luo in addition to dedication of service to Anu - the Itiyopianu people
The Egyptologist who contributed so much to the identification of the earliest settlers inwards the Nile
valley was the Frenchman, Abbe Emile Amelineau, As an archaeologist, he was also credited with
the regain of Osiris’ tomb at Abydos (Diop, 1974, p.76). It was Amelineau who identified the
early on settlers as the Anu people in addition to wrote that inwards their migration downwards the Nile, the Anu peoples
founded cities such as Esneh, Erment, Quoch in addition to Heliopolis, pointing out that, “All those cities
have got the characteristic symbol which serves to denote the call Anu. It is also an ethnic sense, that nosotros must read the term Anu applies to Osiris” (Amelineau, 1916, pp.124-125). Quoch later
became the most famous as it expanded into lower Egypt, Asia in addition to the Aegean sea. It was also
variously known in addition to written as Kush, Cush or Koch (Drussilla Houston, 1985, p.222). Following
Amelineau, Diop made farther revelation nearly the same people when he wrote,
“These Anu …. were an agricultural people, raising cattle on a large scale along the Nile, shutting
themselves upward inwards walled cities for defensive purposes. To this people nosotros tin can attribute, without
fearfulness of error, the most ancient Egyptian Books, The Book of the Dead, in addition to the Texts of the
Pyramids, consequently, all the myths or religious teaching. I would add together almost all the
philosophical in addition to then known in addition to soundless called Egyptian ….” (Diop, 1974, p.77).
According to Diop, it was the Anu people who authored the various books in addition to scripts associated
with Egyptian organized religious belief in addition to philosophies. The Anu people were also referred to as the ‘Agu’.
According to Houston (1985), “This was the aboriginal race of Abyssinia. It was symbolised yesteryear the
bully Sphinx in addition to the marvellous human face upward of Cheops …. The ‘Agu’ of the monuments represented this
aboriginal race. They were the ancestors of the Nubians, in addition to were the ruling race of Egypt
(Houston, 1985, p.35). D.D. Houston added that, “This old race of the Upper Nile, the Agu or Anu
of the ancient traditions spread their arts from Arab Republic of Egypt to the Aegian, from Sicily to Italy in addition to Spain
(Houston, 1985, p.49). Up to the 1960s ‘Agu’ was soundless worshipped alongside the Acholis inwards Uganda
in addition to the Sudan. It was offered a sacrifice on a mount known as Got or mount ‘Agu’, “1. Keny,
boy of Ocak came from Lepfool to Got Agu, where he died. 2. Obaak, boy of Keny, died at Got
Agu. 3. Atanga, boy of Obaak, died similar wise at Got Agu. (Crazzolara, 1950, p.177). Though
Amelineau, Diop in addition to Houston all identified the early on settlers as the Anu, they neither explained
nor defined the pregnant of the word Anu.
Prez Obama in addition to his luo theatre unit of measurement from Kenya
4.1 What is Anu in addition to who were the Anu peoples?
The ancient systems of philosophies are recorded inwards the Egyptian Book of the Dead. In monastic tell to
empathise the emergence of the philosophical systems, i has to appear at the economic
problems at the time. The most serious of which were droughts in addition to floods, all of which posed
serious threats to land, an of import agency of production in addition to livelihood. The Nile along whose
valley the Anu people descended was regarded as the source of prosperity in addition to honoured as the
life – giving waters out of which the universe in addition to all it contains emerged. Droughts, floods and
threats to the agency of livelihood were attributed to a supernatural forcefulness or god that played a
reconciliatory role betwixt humans in addition to nature. Thus inwards the Anu peoples’ cosmogony, it was held
that the universe developed from a primordial watery thing known as ‘Nu’. “ represents the
primeval watery mass from which all the gods were evolved …. This god’s championship are “Father of the
gods” ….” (E.A. Wallis Budge, cvii). The prefix ‘A’ agency ‘of’. Thus ‘Anu’ means, ‘of the begetter of
gods’. Anu was considered to have got the properties of self- evolution known as Khapere.
Amongst the Acholi, Khapere or Lhacere is a mutual name, which, signifies ‘unstable-ness’ or
i who never settles downwards at all. Through the physical care for of self- development, Anu or Lhapi was
transformed into Ra, the Lord's Day god. The Acholi are the exclusively people inwards the Eastern Africa part who
recognised ‘Ra’. Writing nearly the arrival in addition to settlement of a key Luo grouping nether i named
Ocaak, Fr. Crazzolara noted, “Paari mythology tends to signal that he was killed yesteryear some evil
Jwook (spirit); that is why they telephone telephone this people Parajook (para jwook, they dreaded this spirit or
disease) …. (Crazzolara, 1950, p.174). As a thing of fact, the call of an Acholi province inwards the
Sudan is known as the Parajok. Once deconstructed, the truthful pregnant of the province comes out as
‘Pa-Ra-Jok’ (‘Pa’ is a possessive preposition of, Ra is the Lord's Day god in addition to Jok is spirit). Thus, Parajok
agency ‘Of the spirit Ra’, in addition to a dedication to the Lord's Day god, which completed the creation of the
universe.
The price used to depict the metamorphosis of the Lord's Day or Ra, have got bearings with the Luo
language. For example, Horu (Oru) inwards Acholi agency the ‘sun has arisen’ in addition to the ‘day has broken’.
In the same language, Hru-piny means, “…. Dawn, when the Sun breaks through in addition to drives away
the screen of darkness in addition to nighttime ….” (P’Bitek, 1980, p.155). It is simply the ‘coming forth yesteryear day’.
Today, a Luo linguistic communication weekly tidings newspaper inwards Republic of Uganda is known as Hru-piny. To the Acholi, the
setting Sun at dusk is said to live dying. ‘Too’ or ‘Thoo’ is a neuter verb pregnant ‘to die’. Amongst
the Acholi, a goddess known as ‘Atoo or A’tho’ (read as inwards Hathor) is worshipped on a Got Atoo
mountain. Writing nearly the migration of the Bwobo peoples who had retreated from the
Kavirondo Luo in addition to rejoined the Acholi, Fr. Crazzolara pointed out that, “Later, they moved southwest across the Acaa to Ureet, Odac, Lovaa in addition to Got Atoo, (Pa-Icoo), where Ongoom is mentioned
as their Rwoot. Could A’thoo live the Hathor the goddess that reproduces life? Interestingly, Horus
the king, was said to live the boy of ‘Hathor’, the woman parent of his incarnation. Fr. Crazzolara also
noted that, Jo-Lamwoo were inwards accuse of Jook Lacic, whose abode was on Got Lacic, called also
Got Lamwoo. They had to offering sacrifices to Jook Lacic on this mountain, ….” (Crazzolara, 1950,
p.175). The goddess the Acholi refer to the ‘Lacic’ is the ancient Isis. Amongst the Luos, the word ‘Cier’(Cyer) is a verb, which means, to ascent from the dead. Similarly, ‘Ciero’ (Ciero) is some other verb
pregnant to elevate from the dead. On the other hand, ‘Ocier’ means, has risen. Coincidentally Ausar
(or Osiris) was the Egyptian god who had passed through decease in addition to had the powerfulness of bringing to
life, out of death. In linking Osiris with the Luo people, Henry Frankfort (1948) wrote,
“…. We should consider for the 2nd a really similar god worshipped yesteryear the Shilluk, modern
Nilotes who are related to the ancient Egyptians. We have got referred above* to Nyakang, who like
Osiris, counts as a one-time king. Like Osiris, too, he is credited with having given to his people the
chemical factor of culture. Both are permanently concerned with the good existence of their people and
influence it from beyond. …. Nyakang is the equivalent of both Horus in addition to Osiris inwards this respect
(Frankfort, 1948, p.198-199)
The human relationship betwixt the Nilotic Shilluk that Frankfort referred to higher upward was confirmed yesteryear Fr.
Crazzolara who wrote nearly the decease disappearance of Nyikango next his murder, as was
the instance with Osiris,
“Nyikango …. became tired of their unending disputes. One such contender went i twenty-four hours and
threw a pike at Nyikango hitting him inwards the chest. <> Nyikango said to his people. He was taken
to a hut. Its roof opened of itself, in addition to Nyikango went into the peak – into heaven, inwards the shape of
smoke, keta mal a iiro. The of import chiefs were called. …..the members of Nyikango’s family
said to the chiefs: <> - turning to the gazing people Nyikango said reprovingly: <> ….”
(Crazzolara, 1950, p.126 –127).
Nyikango was similar Osiris, a god of the dead. As a royal, Nyikango had rivals in addition to in that location were feuds
similar to that encountered yesteryear Osiris with his blood brother Set. In Nyikango’s case, the main competition was a
Dowaat as noted yesteryear Fr. Crazzolara who wrote, “Nyikango was driven away yesteryear his half-brother
Dowaat, because he aspired to take his topographic point ….” (Crazzolara, 1950, p.130). Without doubt, there
is a potent affinity betwixt principal characters inwards the Shilluk tradition in addition to those inwards the
philosophy of ancient Ethiopians/Egyptians religion.
Besides Frankfort’s observations, the link betwixt ancient Arab Republic of Egypt in addition to the Luos did attract the
attending of Chiek Anta Diop. In identifying the Anu people with the Luos, Diop (1991) wrote, “The
Anuak of the Sobat River (Evans-Pritchard, p.253) recall the proto-historic tribe of Anu (of Osiris’s
ethnicity), who originally occupied the Nile valley” (Diop, 1981, p.121). To recall agency to have got knowledge. Thus the Anuak have got knowledge nearly the maiden off in addition to the master copy inhabitants of the Nile
Valley, Osiris’s tribe the Anu. As for the identity of the Anuak, E.E. Evans-Pritchard (1940) noted,
“The Anuak belong to the Shilluk-Luo grouping of the Nilotic peoples in addition to this monograph provides
farther information for comparative report of their political systems. The grouping comprises the Shilluk,
Anuak, Acholi, Luo of L.Victoria, Luo of the Bahr-el-Ghazal in addition to the closely related Dembo, Shat,
in addition to Mannangir, Alur, Lango, Jo-Pa-Dhola, Kumam, Bor, in addition to Fori….” (Evans-Pritchard, 1940, p.5)
Both Diop in addition to Evan-Pritchard confirmed that the Luos were the really Nilotic peoples who first
settled the Nile Valley in addition to founded the ancient Kingdom of Koch (Cush, Kush, or Quoch). In the
Luo language, i- means, thou in addition to ‘tiyo’ is a verb to piece of work or dedicate service to, pi- means, for.
‘Anu’ was the primordial watery mass, the god of gods. Thus, itiyopianu agency people who
dedicated services to Anu. The Koch kingdom of the Itiyo-pi-anu expanded into Egypt, Arabia,
Chaldea in addition to the Aegian penisula (Drussila D. Houston, 1985). The Luo presence inwards Arab Republic of Egypt is
discussed below.
H5N1 profile seated portrait of a adult man heavily adorned inwards cowrie rhythm out (gaagi) strips across the breast in addition to head, coiled metallic ornaments on the arm, leg in addition to ankles (minyonge), higher upward which are tied metallic jingles, in addition to an ostrich-feather headdress (kondo udo). He also holds a wooden club, outflow with strips of metal, which he holds prominently inwards his right hand. He has a dagger (pand ligangla) protruding from his waist in addition to a number of split hippo teeth (lak rao) ornamenting his head. H5N1 backdrop of white cloth has been placed behind him yesteryear the lensman so that the details of his costume are to a greater extent than visible. He is described as Ukeri, a professional person buffoon, of Ugenya clan, which is today an administrative location within Nyanza.
5.0. The Luo inwards Ancient Egyptian history.
Luo expansion into Egypt.
Koch (Kush, Cush, Quoch) was the master copy in addition to powerful Itiyopian kingdom that maiden off emerged in
the Nile Valley inwards the modern Republic of the Sudan. The sovereigns of Koch extended Itiyopianu
dominion into the Lower Nile region, which later on became known as Egypt. More specifically, it was the
Thebban priest/kings from the Upper Nile Valley of Koch that established theocratic dominion in
ancient Egypt. The maiden off manly individual monarch of Dynasty I, was Menya (Mena, or Menes). Speakers of IndoEuropean languages have got difficulties inwards pronouncing African words with the consonant ‘ny’ as inwards Republic of Kenya or Nyerere.
In the instance of Menya, the alphabetic lineament the ‘y’ was omitted altogether so that Menya is spelt in addition to read as Mena in addition to quite ofttimes distorted as Mene. This distortion in addition to the omission of the alphabetic lineament ‘y’ was pointed out yesteryear E.A. Wallis Budge (BOTD: xii). Thus the maiden off manly individual monarch of Arab Republic of Egypt was non Mena or Menes as has been depicted inwards many texts but Menya, the Thebban in addition to originally, i of the Itiyopian priests (Dunjee Houston, 1985:69). Menya is a Luo call in addition to a mutual i alongside the Acholi today. The call ‘Menya’ agency ‘shines on me’. Amongst the Acholi, Menya is soundless remembered as a rich in addition to powerful person, inwards the next proverb; “Tong gweno oloyo Menya”- translates as ‘Menya failed to acquire an egg’ (Okot P’Bitek, 1985:86). For such a powerful figure, zero was beyond his reach. However, on i fateful twenty-four hours fifty-fifty an egg was not
affordable. It was beyond Menya’s reach. Menya’s clan, the ‘Pa-Menya’ are today affiliates of the
one-time Payira province of Acholi.
Luo kochia dancers
It was Menya who built i of the maiden off temples inwards Egypt. One of the temples, ‘Ptah’ was so named
inwards honour of the solar god. The solar god illuminates the world yesteryear the terminate of its eyes. Thus it was
the illuminary that ‘shines on him’. Coincidentally, Tah is also a Luo word pregnant brilliant low-cal or
an illuminary. ‘Ptah’ agency ‘of the illuminary’ or ‘of the light’. The prefix ‘P’ agency ‘of’ as inwards Okot
of Bitek above. A-gy-ptah or Ae-gy-ptah agency ‘I am of the light’. Thus the call Arab Republic of Egypt is not
‘Kemit’, but comes from the term ‘AEGYPTAH’ in addition to was a build of Menya, the maiden off king. Menya
went on in addition to instituted the maiden off dynastic in addition to theocratic monarchy. Menya saw himself as the solar
god that has descended alongside men.
He was succeeded yesteryear i ‘ Aha’. Interestingly, this is a familiar mutual Luo name. In the Luo
language, this call is an expression, which means, ‘I have got risen’. He was succeeded yesteryear ‘Djer’(H.
Frankfort, 1948:xxiv). His call agency ‘set back’. Meanwhile, ‘Dimu’, the finally ruler of the first
dynasty is the ancestor of the Shilluk. In acknowledging Dimu as the ancestors of the Shilluk, Fr.
Crazzolara wrote, “Nyikango fled to Dhimmo (Collo spelling), who is said to have got been a Reth,
king, whose terra firma was distinct from that of Dowaat ….” (Fr. Crazzolara, 1950, p.123). The
2nd dynastic ruler ‘Nacca’ soundless carried a Luo mutual call in addition to this tendency continued. The Fifth
dynastic ruler who assumed powerfulness around 2340 B. C. was ‘Tet-ka-Ra’. The word ‘Tet’ or ‘Teth’ is Luo meaning, ‘forge, design, mould, build or create’. The call meant ‘the creation of or the
manus piece of work of ‘Ra’’. In the 6th dynasty, which ended inwards 2180 B. C, the maiden off Pharaoh carried the
call ‘Teti’ pregnant ‘design in addition to make’ inwards the Luo language. The 18th dynasty rulers included
‘Ahmose’, whose call translates inwards Luo as ‘I hail him/her’ in addition to ‘Akhena-tuon’, pregnant ‘I am the
i in addition to exclusively bull’. He was succeeded by, the boy- king, ‘Tute-ankh-amunu’. The word ‘tute’ in
Luo means, strive, endeavour or struggle. On the other hand, ‘ankh’ is the eternal life (BenJochannan, 1972, p.362). Thus, the man child manly individual monarch who was likened to the life giver was urged, ‘struggle
patiently similar that the life giver’.
In the belatedly menstruation 750 BC Kabaka or ‘Pi-ankh’ reasserted Itiyopian dominion over Egypt. Do these titles
have got whatever significance alongside the Luos? According to Kabaka Mutesa, the manly individual monarch who ruled the
Buganda kingdom at the dawn of British colonialism inwards Uganda, ‘Kabaka’ the king’s championship means
“the glorious messenger of Baka”10. As for the pregnant of ‘Baka’, P’Bitek provided a useful
explanation he wrote, “ I swear inwards the call of Baka, the Jok of Patiko Chiefdom, that I shall speak
the truth, without hiding anything from you, or tell a lie, but all the truth as I know it” (P’Bitek,
1989, p.69). Okeca Ladwong, an Acholi native from Patiko in addition to the main grapheme inwards P’Bitek’s
satirical novel ‘White Teeth’, was swearing inwards a British courtroom inwards colonial Uganda. Patiko was a precolonial Acholi State inwards Northern Republic of Uganda that was destroyed yesteryear Turko-Egyptian in addition to British
colonialism, in addition to Baka was the State Deity. The dot hither is that through Luo migration and
relocation, the occupation of the titles ‘Baka’ of the Koch ruler continued inwards the post Meroitic States inwards the
Great Lakes region. Meanwhile, ‘Pi-ankh’s influence inwards the Great Lakes part in addition to Central Africa is
seen inwards the recognition of the supreme existence alongside the Bantus. For illustration inwards the Luo
founded Bunyoro- Kitara kingdom, the supreme- existence became known as ‘Ru-hanga’. Today, the
existence of mutual names such as ‘Lu-anga’, in addition to ‘Mu-anga’ are a direct outcome of the
influence of the ancient ruler of Koch inwards the bully Lakes region.
Married Luo men in addition to women inwards traditional ornaments. D. V. Figueira, nearly 1925
In the Nile Valley the magnificent seats of authorities such as Thebbes in addition to temples at Karnak
in addition to Luxor soundless send Luo names. For example, inwards the maiden off topographic point the word Thebbe or Tebbe is
Acholi for ‘seat of government’. For illustration Rwot (King) Olya of the Atyak urban substance province of Acholi
described his headquarters as his “Tebbe” (Lacito Okech, 1953:87). Meanwhile, Karnak is a
distortion of Luo word ‘Ka-naka’ which means, ‘the topographic point of the everlasting’. Luxor on the other
manus comes from the Luo word ‘Lu-kwor’ meaning, ‘the living’. As lower Arab Republic of Egypt increasingly came nether unusual domination, the people of Lukwor (Luxor) retreated to Koch, at Te-Kidi, the grand
capital, where Onyango-ku- Odongo (1976), noted, “Here the people of Lukwor prospered and
made progress inwards many fields” (Ku Odongo, 1976, p.80). The finally indigenous Egyptian Pharaoh
was Amacic (Harmachis or Amasis) who was pose to decease yesteryear Cambysis inwards 525 BC. Amasis is still
remembered inwards Acholi today in addition to was a loathe figure, having participated inwards the devastation of
‘Tekidi’, the grand working capital alphabetic lineament Koch. He was derided as a traitor for colluding with foreigners in addition to more
so for his inability to stand upward firm, inwards the human face upward of flagrant aggression yesteryear Cyrus in addition to his boy Cambysis.
Cyrus had wanted the service of an Egyptian Oculist (Herodotus, 1954:203). However, the expert
selected was resentful in addition to inwards revenge, suggested to Cambysis to demand Amacic’s immature lady for a
wife. Amacic’s humiliation has been captured inwards an Acholi ‘folk tale’ in addition to a vocal passed downwards to
me, in addition to which inwards portion says,
“Got Amacic yee! Got Amacic ni immii dako, Got Amacic! Man rwot ma ocwala got Amacic ni imii
dako got Amacic!”11
“Oh Amacic the mountain, delight furnish a bride. Amacic the mount I am the king’s messenger
sent to collect the bride!” (My translation).
Amasis’ humiliation yesteryear Cambyses is good documented inwards Herodotus’ ‘The Histories’. Through sheer
coincidence, the story was passed onto the writer, as a ‘folk tale’ yesteryear Safira Anek, a native of the
one-time Acholi State of Alero, who describe their beginning to Egypt. Fr. Crazzolara (1950) gave a brief
business organisation human relationship of the beginning of the Alero peoples in addition to noted, “Owiny, Labongo, Opiir were the 3 men
that came fro Misri (Egypt) (Crazzolara, 1950, p.256). Safira’s narrative farther shows that oral
tradition remains relevant peculiarly if backed yesteryear written sources. Without doubt, the demise of
Amacic sparked a frantic migration from Arab Republic of Egypt downwards to the Sudan in addition to later on to the bully Lakes
part in addition to beyond.
H5N1 total length portrait of a Luo adult man identified as Ocieng, dressed inwards the mode of an elderberry attending a funeral ceremony. His chapeau is in all probability made of fur in addition to has ii warthog teeth (leke njiri or leke mbeche) stuck on it, hanging downwards inwards front end of his forehead. He is clad inwards a leopard pare (lpien kwach) in addition to has a pair of pare sandals on his feet. He wears a number of metallic wrist rings (minyonge) on both hands. Although he seems dressed for a funeral ceremony, the strip of brute pare worn hanging from his cervix does hateful some sort of brute has been slaughtered for this adult man inwards a cleansing ceremony. This agency that he could live a warrior or a adult man possessed yesteryear spirits
6.0. Conclusion
The reclamation of African heritage from ancient Egyptian civilisation has been a daunting
endeavour. This has been due a bully deception nearly the identity of the ancient Egyptians and
also to the obstacles placed yesteryear some euro-centric scholars to deny Africans their historical
heritage portraying them as a people without history. From the advent of colonialism till now, the
history curriculum inwards most African didactics institutions was based on the experiences of
Europeans in addition to their world-view. The faux perception of the colonialism as a civilising mission led Africans to comprehend a euro-centric curriculum. Though the ancient Egyptians invented writing
through which they documented their history, the really loss yesteryear Africans, of Cush, Egypt, Akum,
(Axum), in addition to Meroe culminated inwards migration in addition to the gradual loss of their ancient fine art of writing.
The inability of Africans to read ancient scripts remains a large obstruction inwards their quest to re-discover
their past.
H5N1 grouping portrait of a seated adult woman surrounded yesteryear immature women in addition to younger girls, in addition to described as belonging to Kisumu clan of the Luo, captured inwards a humorous 2nd inwards relaxed fashion despite the posed formality of the group. Their personal adornments are uncomplicated drinking glass bead necklaces (tik ng'ut), front end aprons (olemo), string waist belt in addition to waist beads (tik nungo) in addition to earrings (stadi). The shaven caput pilus styles are really youthful in addition to would have got been a fashion inwards the menstruation for immature women.
The historical analysis inwards this newspaper is a contribution towards the reclamation in addition to linking of Luo
in addition to African history to that of ancient Itiyopianu in addition to Egypt. We have got argued that the conception
in addition to evolution of the ‘Hamitic theory’ was undertaken to thwart such an effort. Attempts by
some western historians, Egyptologists in addition to missionary scholars to conceal the Luo cradle-land,
distort the identities of some Luo groups of peoples in addition to their migration patterns, were portion of a
strategy calculated to rob non exclusively the Luos, but Africans of their historical heritage. Using
linguistic, oral in addition to written sources, nosotros have got presented an declaration to back upward the contestation that
the Itiyopianu kingdom of Koch (Cush), which expanded into lower- Egypt, was indeed founded by
the Luos. From Napata, the people of Koch migrated in addition to settled inwards Arabia, Mesopotamia and
Phoenicia. The Luo presence inwards those areas volition live a land of report of hereafter discussion.
H5N1 portrait of a adult man seemingly identified as Mboya (or Mbuga) of Uhanya Village inwards Alego Location. On his caput is the cowry rhythm out chapeau ogut gagi which extends into a cowry rhythm out necklace (tik gagi mar ngut) with drinking glass beads (tigo). He has a finger band which may live for tapping a smoking pipage (oduong'o) in addition to quite a number of wrist rings (minyonge) on both wrists. His long pole (odunga) is of interest, in addition to was ofttimes used when attending a funeral.
Notes.
1. Chris Arthur (1993), ‘Review of Shamsavari’s Dialectics in addition to Social Theory’, Capital & Class, 50
(1993)
2. Margaret Trowell, (1943), ‘Who are the Hamites’? The bulletin Of the Ugandan Society, No 1,
Dec 1943.
3. Ingham Kenneth (1957), ‘Some aspect of the History of Western Uganda’, The Republic of Uganda Journal,
Vol 21, No. 1, The Ugandan Society, Kampala.
4. reckon Benjamin C. Ray (1991), Myth, Ritual in addition to Kingship inwards Buganda, Oxford University press,
New York, p 191.
5. Mahmood Mamdani (1984), ‘Forms of Labour in addition to Accumulation of Capital: Analysis of a village
inwards Lango, Northern Uganda, Mawazo, Vol 5, No.4, Dec 1984, Makerere University Kampala
6. Some of Ku Odongo’s contemporaries neglected the recording of the Oral Historical traditions
of the Luo. Consequences, valuable historical information was lost. Ku Odongo lamented
“It is regrettable that modern key Lwo scholars have got preferred to report European history.
Many to whom I spoke told me that it was non possible to report what was “non-existent”.
Apparently, they had cutting themselves from the old folks in addition to were non aware of the living oral
traditions alongside their ain community. Although in that location is wealth of conflicting stories,
tradtitional, linguistic evidence in addition to place-names which brand the report of the key Lwo’s past
really exciting ….” (Onyango ku Odongo, 1979, p.28)
7. Also inwards ‘Exile’, a rails inwards Luo, yesteryear Goeffrey Oryema (1990), H5N1 Womad Production for real
Sounds, London, Virgin Records Ltd. The vocal is pop with entertainers in addition to creative individual who
perform the ‘Bwola’ royal dance. In London the Luo Cultural Group regularly sing the lyric
during their ‘Bwola’ trip the low-cal fantastic performances.
8. Koch inwards the Acholi dialect refers to, ‘solitary, gigantic in addition to formidable’.
9. Mrs Griffith, quoted inwards A.C. H5N1 Wright (1940) who reviewed J.P. Crazzolara 91938), - ‘A report of
the Acholi language, Republic of Uganda Journal, 1940, Vol VII no 4.
10. reckon Wilson C J. (1878), Letter to a Mr. Wright dated , G 3 A6/ C.M.S archives, University of
Birmingham
11. See Herodotus, (1972), ‘The Histories’, p.203-205. During, his 2nd twelvemonth at Mary Knoll
primary school, (Purongo, Acholi district), the author narrated the same story to swain pupils as
portion of ‘role play’ in addition to ‘confidence building’ learning strategy that had been adopted yesteryear Ms.
Magdelen Labol who took that class. Safira Anek, the writer’s woman parent had passed the story, on to
Him.
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(1993)
Atkinson R.R (1995), The Roots of Ethnicity; The Origin of the Acholi of Republic of Uganda Before 1800,
Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania Press.
Baker Samuel White (1877), Albert Nyanza, Macmillan in addition to Co, London.
Ben-Jochannan Yosef A.A. (1970), Black Man of the Nile, Black Classic Press, Baltimore.
Bernal M. (1987), Black Athena. Vols 1&2, Free Association Books, London.
Breasted, James Henry (1937), H5N1 History of Egypt: From the Earliest Times to the Persian
Conquest, New York, Charles Scribner in addition to Sons.
Churchward A. (1903), Signs in addition to Symbols of Primordial Man, A&B Books Publishers, Brooklyn
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Carruthers, Jacob (1999), Intellectual Warfare, Chicago, Third World Press
Crazzolara J.P. Rev. Fr. (1938), H5N1 Study of the Acooli Language, London, Oxford University Press.
Crazzolara J. P. Rev. Fr. (1950), The Lwoo, Verona Fathers, Verona, Italy.
Diop C. A. (1974), The African Origin Of Civilisation, Chicago, Lawrence Hill Books.
Diop C. A. (1981), Civilisation or Barbarism, Brooklyn, New York, Lawrence Hill Books.
Driberg, J.H. (1923) The Lango, London, Fisher Unwin
Dwonga Jackson, (1992), Luo from the Biblical times, Radio Republic of Uganda Luo programme, Luo
programme archives, Kampala.
Evans-Pritchard E. E. (1940), The Political System of the Anuak of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan,
Percy Lund Humphries &Co, London.
Finch S. Charles, (1991), Echoes of the Old Darkland, Khenti, Decatur, Geogia.
Fisher, Rev. A.B. (1904), ‘Western Uganda’, Geographical Journal, Vol 24, No.3
Frunkfort H. (1948), Kingship in addition to the Gods, The University of Chicago Press, London.
Girling, F.K.(1960), The Acholi of Uganda, London, Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.
Grove, E.T.N (1919), ‘Custons of the Acholi’, Sudan Notes in addition to Records, Vol II, 1919
Hakeem, A.A (1990), The Civilisation of Napata in addition to Meroe, inwards G. Mokhtar (1990) (ed), General
History of Africa, California, James Cur
source:http://www.acholitimes.com/cultureacholi/index.php/culture/6-luo-origin-of-civilisation
Obama in addition to his Luo tribe grandmum
Kogelom, Kenya: Sarah Obama, step-grandmother of Barack, celebrates with members of her theatre unit of measurement Photograph: Tony Karumba/AFP/Getty Images
Luo girl, Lupita Nyongo
Barack Obama Doing Farm Work In Republic of Kenya Many Years Ago.
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