Apart from hundreds of thousands of deaths and tens of thousands being abducted, The old staples of eleusine (finger) millet, sorghum, sesame, and various peas, beans, and leafy green vegetables continue to be grown, along with twentieth-century crops such as cassava, maize, peanuts (groundnuts), fruits, and cotton. [23] This resulted in resistance building up in the region and soon a host of rebel groups sprang up in the north. The Central Lwo during the Aconya. Milton Obote, the independence leader, relied heavily on the support of his fellow Luo-speakers Acholi and Langi in government. second term, Acholi soldiers played key roles in the massive conflict in They also kept goats, sheep and cattle. before. It refers to people known locally as Luo Gang. ." The conflict had dramatic effects on the local The history and politics of ethnicity and language 37. Movement. (1955). (Byrnes, 1990, p. 6), did the Acholi not arrive in their present-day area before the 15th century The majority of elected members of parliament in the Acholi sub-region are members of the opposition.[14]. This is used to present users with ads that are relevant to them according to the user profile. During the colonial period, political leadership in Acholi was contested among those with traditional leadership qualifications and others who benefited from the new dispensation, including collaborators with the British and those who managed to obtain Western education. many of them children, the conflict led to the displacement of millions. One illustration of this is the various spirit-possession-based millennial (and military) movements that have been prominent in Acholi during the extremely difficult period of the late 1980s and early 1990s, most famously the Holy Spirit Movement of Alice Lakwena. We hope you find it interesting. neighboring chiefdoms within the same zone. Lineage heads, assisted by lineage elders, organized both production (based on cooperative village-lineage labor) and reproduction (through the control of the material means and ideological rules of marriage). (Ugandan Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs 1997. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. Led by Alice Auma, who claimed to More commonly, almost any salaried job in the public or private sector represents an income that averages several times that of a member of the majority peasant population. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". laws of social life among the Acholi were set up by the elders of the clans, regulating everything their clans, giving them the ability to accumulate wealth and power beyond their rights to land Ethnohistory 36(1): 19-43. At its peak in 2005 over Uganda's current army, various local rebel groups (some headed by apocalyptic "prophets" such as Alice Lakwena), and heavily armed Karamojong raiders have all raped, looted, killed, and destroyed, making any kind of normal life in Acholi impossible. From the Village to Entebbe: The Acholi of Northern Uganda and . They were approached in regard to such general concerns as good health, fertility, and appeals or thanks for good harvests in ceremonies that usually emphasized the consciousness, cohesiveness, and continuation of their respective groups as functioning corporate entities. B. Webster, eds. Since the British had set up their administrational centre in the Required electronic filing by tax-exempt political organizations. coming from the territory of present-day South Sudan over a period spanning multiple centuries. The Acholi region is bordered in the west by the districts This term then These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customised ads. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyse the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. against the central government. Ann Arbor: University Microfilms International. "The Concept of Jok among the Acholi and Lango." The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. "Swazi" refers to the nation, tr, Fipa Nairobi: East African Literature Bureau. The Makerere University (Kampala), Department of Geography. somewhat better off than others before the latter part of the nineteenth "[21] In discussing the peace talks of 20052007, Latigo noted leaders who called for a revival of the traditional processes of the indigenous people by which they worked for accountability and justice, namely, mato oput. Given the anti-Museveni sentiment of most Acholis, the LRA's inability to mobilize support - or to at least avoid repudiation by its own ethnic base - is remarkable. Women also provide major labor in the fields, as well as being responsible for most child rearing and all cooking and other food-preparation tasks. A company limited by guarantee in the UK no. The documentary was met with mixed reactions, with many people familiar with the situation dubbing it a shallow and money-grabbing scheme. find its conclusion until the 19th century. Inheritance. Orientation with the Gulu district being by far the most populated one (Uganda, 2016). [9], In the 2000s, James Ojent Latigo described some of Uganda's social problems as based on the way the political elites have used ethnicities to divide the country. This conflict lasted until 2008 and ended with the LRA fleeing to Eastern The available evidence suggests that conflict in Acholi before the end This in turn forged new political entities and identities as well as wider social relations. During the later nineteenth century, the emergent Acholi became involved in the international trade in ivory and slaves, which were exchanged mainly for cattle, beads, blankets, cotton cloth, and firearms. According to the . In precolonial Acholi, lineage heads and elders were most responsible for social control, though one of the attractions that assisted the development of chiefdoms seems to have been the ability of rwodi to help settle disputes that involved more than one lineage. This included both agricultural and hunting land. Conflict. organisation to survive, a common identity had to form to support this new social structure of Socialization. 20- Encyclopedia of World Cultures. Its current population is estimated to be around 2.155,000 individuals, or six percent of the total national population. [7] During the second half of the nineteenth century, Arabic-speaking traders from the north started to call them Shooli, a term which was transformed into 'Acholi'.[8]. to the land by Kuturia caused a lot of death in the sub-region of Acholi. (p. 34). ETHNONYM: Karanga (historical) Corrections? Customary leadership of the Acholi was severely affected by the long conflict in Northern Uganda, when many Acholi people lived in IDP camps for as long as 20 years. Museveni has held absolute power since, surviving unrest, civil war, and numerous attempts at coups. Latigo, James, "The Acholi Traditional Conflict Resolution in Light of Current Circumstances:". In precolonial Acholi, lineage heads and elders were most responsible [25], Some of the groups in Acholi, like the UPDA, detested the Museveni regime because it had overthrown the government in which they served. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Encyclopedia of World Cultures. As some of these languages show some form Marriage. Similarly, when Yoweri Musevenis National Resistance Army (NRA) took power in 1986, there were revenge killings and looting of livestock in the north of the country. The civil war devastated the lives and livelihoods of the Acholi people of the north. The account of the Acholi reaching The term Mende refers to both the people and the langua, Achievements by Indian Physical Scientists, https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/acholi. common identity had already formed prior to that during the 18th century. Odongo, J. M. Onyango-ku-, and J. (1988). formations in the form of chiefdoms and kingdoms by the end of the first millennium A.D. last large-scale conflict in Acholi until Amin came to power in 1971. Traditionally, a grave is dug as soon as a person has died, following which a small and brief ceremony is held in the deceased's house prior to burial. Aristotle wrote that politics stems . Following the According to the latest census, there are 1.47 million ethnic Acholi in Uganda, amounting to 4.4 per cent of the total population. Much of that hierarchy continued The cookies store information anonymously and assign a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors. A rebellion The Acholi, a Nilotic Lwo-speaking ethnic group, live predominantly in the central region of northern Uganda, an space collectively named to known as Acholiland. 26). The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Estimated at 1,470,554 (4.4 per cent in the 2014 census). The Lwoo. The council's representatives could mediate issues between clans, and essentially covered both civil and criminal functions, like a Supreme Court. Kinship Terminology. The camps caused misery and sufferingwith a conservative death toll of 1,000 people a week. The colonial experience of the Acholi differed greatly from the experience of those in the Over the second half of the nineteenth century, Acholi was incorporated into international trade networks through the activities of northern, Arabic-speaking ivory and slave traders. Precolonial trade, both within Acholi and throughout the region, focused mainly on obtaining iron ore and finished iron products in exchange for baskets or products of the farm, herd, or hunt. Arab trading routes coming from the north, trading in goods, but also in slaves. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. Pyerino Okoya and Lt. Gen Bazilio Olara-Okello. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. In 2005, the new International Criminal Court in The Hague issued arrest warrants for Joseph Kony and other top LRA commanders. The cookie also tracks the behavior of the user across the web on sites that have Facebook pixel or Facebook social plugin. "Acholi The term is derived from "Shuuli," first used by nineteenth-century ivory and slave traders who noted the similarity of Acholi Luo to the language of the previously encountered Shilluk or "Collo" of the southern Sudan (Crazzolara 1938, vii-viii). Finally a common social order and political culture developed, and new society and Even though the recent history of conflict can in some ways be tracked all the way back to the Domestic Unit. Over the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, some seventy chiefdoms were founded throughout the area that became Acholi, leading to the development of a new social order and political culture, the spread of a new language (Luo), and the evolution of a new society and collective identity. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Most political organizations take the form of a voluntary association of persons or organizations that pools its members' and constituents' financial and other resources, and engages in conventional political actions to affect policy-making outcomes. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. A typical household consists of a nuclear family (husband, wife, and unmarried children), although aged parents, unmarried siblings, offspring of deceased siblings, or others are often household members as well. The Roots of Ethnicity: The Origins of the Acholi of Uganda before 1800. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. The Acholi occupy a 39,000-square-kilometer area, three-fourths of which lies within Uganda, extending roughly from 215 to 4159 N and 3325 to 3345 E. Their neighbors include the Luo-speaking Lango, Paluo, and Alur to the south and southwest, the Central Sudanic-speaking Madi to the west, and the Eastern Nilotic Jie and Karamojong to the east. second Milton Obote regimes, however, as well as of the various rebel The word 'Acholi' is a misnomer that became adopted for convenience over the years. Uganda Journal 3(3): 175-202. in the form of the Acholi district (Vincent, 2012). The main point of contact Visit the repository for full metadata or to contact the repository team Okot p'Bitek (1971). Many contemporary Acholi continue to use these treatments, although nearly all with access to clinics and hospitals rely on these as well, whenever they can. The republican constitution adopted in 1967 abolished the monarchies and assigned ultimate political power to an elected president. In war, the men used spears and long, narrow shields of giraffe or ox hide. Verona: Editrice Nigrizia. Kuturia Housein fired the first gun shot on Acholiland who had never seen and Traditional beliefs, however, still persist, often meshed with Christian doctrine in complex ways. Each type of spirit had numerous ceremonies associated with it; many ceremonies included small offerings of food and drink. Dwyer, John Orr (1972) 'The Acholi of Uganda: adjustment to imperialism'. [26][27], The NRA managed to defeat all the rebel groups except the LRA which culminated in a 20-year conflict. Further tidying up and smoothing over the grave take place within the week. A rebellion in 1911 in response to the British confiscation of Acholi guns was the last large-scale conflict in Acholi until Amin came to power in 1971. This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy McKenna. They are speakers of Western Nilotic languages and are traditionally farmers. In the pre-colonial era, all the Acholi believed in the same superior being, YA Latwer. These guns brought limited wealth in the society and redistribution. The Acholi are the descendants of a variety of Luo-speaking peoples who are believed to have migrated three or four centuries ago from adjacent areas of what is now South Sudan into what is now the Acholi district of Uganda. Orientation From the beginning, the Acholi were marginal compared to Britain's concern with Buganda, at the core of the colony. Linguistic Affiliation. development of chiefdoms seems to have been the ability of rwodi to help He overthrew Obote's government and established a dictatorship, ultimately suppressing and killing 300,000 people, including many Acholi. [13] The refugees in the camps have also been subject to raids by both LRA and government forces.[10]. Certain rwodi and occur, however, it was usually limited in scope, with relatively few During this time, people were separated from their land for long periods, and many people disappeared or were killed. Following the latest redrawing of the administrative divisions, it contains seven districts; Agago, Amuru, Gulu, Kitgum, Nwoya, Lamwo and Pader. cooperation of their rwot (chief) Aliker with the British, the centre of the colonial Politics has been around for millennia. Specifically, this study explored, Living with Language. Encyclopedia.com. with the British and those who managed to obtain Western education. have often limited or prevented serious conflict, especially among Social Control. B.A. Similarly, General Okello Lutwa who toppled the Obote II regime, was an Acholi. Webster, J. Ocheng, D. O. The Acholi of Uganda: Adjustment to Imperialism. their inherited wealth to build up prominent twentieth-century families. The primary language of Acholi today is Luo, a Western Nilotic language spoken by groups scattered across East Africa from the southern Sudan to Tanzania; many also speak English and/or Kiswahili. The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) under the leadership of Joseph Kony has waged a war against Yoweri Museveni's government. Idi Amin (197179) the Acholi were severely persecuted and their men systematically executed for their past association with the colonial army and for their support of Pres. [1994], p. 80). Encyclopedia.com. element of the social and political environment of the region. In contrast, the Acholi and other northern ethnic groups supplied much of the national manual labour and came to comprise a majority of the military, creating what some have called a "military ethnocracy". Deep-rooted divisions and polarization remain between different ethnic groups, and these have been greatly exacerbated by the way in which the countrys leadership has developed since independence. Political organizations are those engaged in political activities (e.g., lobbying, community organizing, campaign advertising, etc.) friendly, but after the inception of the British Protectorate of Uganda in 1894, which included administration within the region and the district headquarters were erected in the area of the The documentary focused on the unofficial discourse of the LRA war and it was largely critical of the Ugandan government role in the LRA war. The combination of the two events, have put pressure on the LRA to lay down its arms. Further he described how this negative experience led to generally negative attitudes towards This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Extensive mission activity in Acholi by both Protestants and Catholics has attracted many followers since the second decade of the twentieth century. Inheritance has been, and largely remains, patrilineal. Many of the Acholi soldiers who joined the Kings African Rifles (KAR), the British colonial army, were deployed to the frontlines in southeast Asia especially in Singapore and Burma during the World War II where they held British positions against an intense Japanese offensive. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Due to its central location and the close Jur Alur Though some sense of a community and identity has persisted among residents, the area is characterized by substandard housing, poor environmental health and limited livelihood opportunities. "Some Notes on Acholi Religious Ceremonies." All lineage males, for example, are called "grandfather," "father," "brother," or "son," and all (likely resident) females "sister" or "daughter," depending upon their generational relationship to the speaker. be possessed by a spirit named Lakwena, the so-called Holy Spirit Movement fought a rebellion Ruhakana Rugunda, the Ugandan minister of internal affairs and leader of the government negotiating team, noted the effectiveness of the traditional system. Killing of a person was prohibited but if it took place, negotiations for blood money were led by the victim's family, with agreement followed by rituals of a reconciliation ceremony to restore the killer to the community, and to bring peace between clans. Organizational politics are informal, unofficial, and sometimes behind-the-scenes efforts to sell ideas, influence an organization, increase power, or achieve other targeted objectives (Brandon & Seldman, 2004; Hochwarter, Witt, & Kacmar, 2000). London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Orientation colonial rule in their region for decades, before finally being integrated in the Ugandan territory The relationship between the Acholi and the British had for a long time been rather loose and These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. - CORE Dances and other activities surrounding spirit possession seem to have been originally introduced from Bunyoro in the early nineteenth century and then became more wide-spread during the tumultuous years of the latter part of that century. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. This structure was maintained by the real anointed chiefs of the Acholi, the rwodi moo. 116-25 Section 3101, requires electronic filing by exempt organizations in tax years beginning after July 1, 2019. More All of these early inhabitants were ironworking mixed farmers, organized into localized patrilineal lineages or, in some cases, into temporary groupings of two to four such lineages.