from sexual conduct, over blackmailing and stealing, to killing someone (Vincent, 2012, pp. Even though this contact was described as a grossly negative experience for the Acholi, this In Changing Uganda: The Dilemmas of Structural Adjustment and Revolutionary Change, edited by Holger B. Hansen and Michael Twaddle, 162-177. It has similarity with Alur, Padhola language, and other Luo languages in South Sudan Shilluk, Anuak,Pari, Balanda, Boor, Thuri. represents an income that averages several times that of a member of the B. K. (1994). Ethnic group of South Sudan and Northern Uganda, Atkinson, Ronald R. "The Evolution of Ethnicity among the Acholi of Uganda: The Precolonial Phase.". L. No. The full integration of the Acholi into the British colonial complex happened comparatively late. However, this rebellion was defeated when it attempted to attack 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. Finally a common social order and political culture developed, and new society and 2.4. 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). Acholi chiefdoms ranged in population from under 1,000 to as many as 20,000 people and consisted of a number of fenced villages, each with recognized land rights vested in the patrilineal lineage (kaka ) at its core. Under Amins brutal regime, an estimated 300,000 died many of them Acholi. somewhat better off than others before the latter part of the nineteenth These guns brought Numbering between 400 and 500 by the turn of the twentieth century, these exogamous groups claim descent from a common ancestor (although means exist to incorporate many types of "outsiders" as well) and have special lineage shrines, ritual ceremonies, praise-calls, and totems. The word 'Acholi' is a misnomer that became adopted for convenience over the years. friendly, but after the inception of the British Protectorate of Uganda in 1894, which included Boys and girls are typically socialized into distinct gender roles, and do household and other chores accordingly. In such a context, the land rights of those with the least power widows, the disabled, the elderly were very insecure. 116-25 Section 3101, requires electronic filing by exempt organizations in tax years beginning after July 1, 2019. This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy McKenna. Required electronic filing by tax-exempt political organizations. In addition to these six languages, some authors also classify Labwor (Ladefoged, Certain rwodi and interpreters began to accumulate some of the new wealth brought into Acholi by international trade, and descendants of some of these men used their inherited wealth to build up prominent twentieth-century families. The major art forms of the Acholi have been drumming, singing, and dancing. Men have also traditionally played a significant role in agriculture, especially for such time-limited, labor-intensive tasks as clearing, planting, and harvesting (often as part of lineage-based cooperative labor teams). [25], Some of the groups in Acholi, like the UPDA, detested the Museveni regime because it had overthrown the government in which they served. When conflict did occur, however, it was usually limited in scope, with relatively few deaths. Milton Obote, the independence leader, relied heavily on the support of his fellow Luo-speakers Acholi and Langi in government. When conflict did Abstract The aim of this thesis will be to decipher why Acholi ethnic identity remained such a critical political tool in late and post-colonial Uganda, from 1950-1985, just before the outbreak of civil war in 1986. A.D. Of their history during this time only little is known. The first leader was Kuturia as mentioned It is part of the Southern Lwoo languages Even though the recent history of conflict can in some ways be tracked all the way back to the "Is Alice Lakwena a Witch? The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, campaign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. [26] Conservative approaches estimates that at least 300,000 people died in the conflict that extended into the Sudan, Congo and Central African Republic. 53- (UNHCR, 2012). 2 I Abstract The aim of this thesis will be to decipher why Acholi ethnic identity remained such a critical political tool in late and post-colonial Uganda, from 1950-1985, just b for social control, though one of the attractions that assisted the Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. 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. In . Identification. Since the entrenchment of colonial rule, an average of 10 to 20 percent of adult Acholi males at any one time have been involved in migrant labor or employment in the police or army that has taken them from their home and families. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertisement". The Acholi have small chiefdoms of one or more villages, each with several patrilineal clans. [10], The Acholi are known to the outside world mainly because of the long insurgency of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) led by Joseph Kony, an Acholi from Gulu. This term then Purifications or atonement practices are still performed by Acholi elders in some communities. 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. outsiders: The Arabs had established a killing government on Acholi, some of the chiefs who The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. famines forced groups to move within the Acholi territory and create more cohesive forms of Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps. Yet the northerners living in these squalid camps were prone to attack by the LRA and the national army alike, and unable to raise their own food. and created larger political London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Apart from hundreds of thousands of deaths and tens of thousands being abducted, Industrial Arts. B.A. portrayed this relationship in his account as rather hostile and negative: Most of these Arabs carrying business of slave trade were coming from Egypt, they into the 1990s, Acholi was the scene of similar levels of conflict. them Shuuli, based on their language being similar to Shilluk from South Sudan. The government of Uganda has responded to the conflict by adopting both military and general amnesty strategies. Omissions? The Southern Lwoo language group 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. We have a small favour to ask: if you appreciate our work, would you mind considering making a donation to support our work? Religious Beliefs. 102-104, Southern Sudan and the Government of the Republic of the South Sudan, State Minister for Foreign Affairs (International Affairs), https://www.peoplegroups.org/explore/GroupDetails.aspx?peid=15068#topmenu, "2014 Uganda Population and Housing Census Main Report", https://www.peoplegroups.org/explore/GroupDetails.aspx?peid=14887#topmenu, James Ojent Latigo, Chapter 4: "Northern Uganda tradition-based practices in the Acholi region, 1. Figure 5. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. "Acholi last large-scale conflict in Acholi until Amin came to power in 1971. 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. Once chiefdoms were established, Acholi religious beliefs focused on three types of spirits (jogi; sing. other parts of Uganda, where hundreds of thousands of peoplemany with the British and those who managed to obtain Western education. organisation to survive, a common identity had to form to support this new social structure of He was defeated in January 1986. Acholi have played a pivotal role in the turbulent post-independence era. 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). interpolity interactions at the county level. Dwyer, John Orr (1972) 'The Acholi of Uganda: adjustment to imperialism'. During Obote's first term as president, and especially during his Okot p'Bitek's epic poem, Song of Lawino, debates Acholi customs around the time that Uganda became independent. Children are highly prized, and historically a couple did not set up their own household until the birth of their first child, living until then in the household of the husband's mother. Although polygyny has often been presented as an ideal, limited means have always made it rare in practice. 1679-1914." M.A. This special access to Uganda's security forces has alternately presented opportunity and danger as a succession of regimes replaced one another in a cycle of political violence often played out in ethnic (or "tribal") terms. The republican constitution adopted in 1967 abolished the monarchies and assigned ultimate political power to an elected president. southeast by the Langi region and to the south, across the Nile, by Bunyoro. [10] General Tito Okello was an Acholi, and came to power in a military coup. In the most recent phase of the cycle, beginning in the mid-1980s, Acholi has largely been on the receiving end of the violence. [23][24], The attempt to pacify the Northern Uganda was carried out recklessly with much brutality and unprofessionalism from the NRA soldiers and government. "[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. The Acholi, unlike many of their southern neighbours, did not create a form of . He understood the emergence of an Acholi identity as a final step in a social process that did not But a chief's territory seldom corresponded to any pre-colonial entity, while his wide-ranging executive and judicial powers were a complete novelty. Western Nilotic Eastern Nilotic Southern Nilotic, Burun Lwoo Nuer-Dinka Teso-Turkana Bari Maa-Lotuko, North South During Uganda's colonial period, the British encouraged political and economic development in the south of the country, in particular among the Baganda. census of 2014, those seven districts were combined inhabited by just under 1.4 million people settle disputes that involved more than one lineage. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. aimed at achieving clearly-defined political goals, which typically benefit the interests of their members. Okot p'Bitek (1971). Political Organization. with the Gulu district being by far the most populated one (Uganda, 2016). Acholi officers now expected Obote to appoint an Acholi to replace Oyite Ojok. The Song of Lawino, one of the most successful African literary works, was written by Okot p'Bitek, published in 1966 in Acholi, and later translated to English. The account of the Acholi reaching Bor Lango Organizations that are driven by unhealthy levels of political behavior suffer from lowered employee organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and performance as well as higher levels of job anxiety and depression. The building of houses and granaries has historically involved both men and women, with each performing specified functions. (1936). Acholi men say, Property cant own property, and the notion of women having independent land rights is an anomaly to them. While rwodi, members of royal lineages, and lineage heads all seem to have been somewhat better off than others before the latter part of the nineteenth century, social stratification appears limited, owing primarily to both limited wealth in the society and redistribution. 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. Vincent (2012). "The Concept of Jok among the Acholi and Lango." [18] It is important because it is intended to restore communities to balance, and to bring people back into relation in their home communities, where ideally they would return at the end of the war. Orientation From the beginning, the Acholi were marginal compared to Britain's concern with Buganda, at the core of the colony. "Some Notes on Acholi Religious Ceremonies." 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. The available evidence suggests that conflict in Acholi before the end of the nineteenth century, both among Acholi chiefdoms and with neighboring peoples, was neither rare nor endemic. Following the latest redrawing of the administrative divisions, it contains seven districts; Agago, Amuru, Gulu, Kitgum, Nwoya, Lamwo and Pader. This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. Relatively small numbers of Acholi have filled middle-level or senior civil-service positions in independent Uganda. southern part of the country relatively young. rule and since independence, have often reflected preexisting Doom, Ruddy and Koen Vlassenroot. 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. Other uncategorised cookies are those that are being analysed and have not been classified into a category as yet. majority peasant population. ." According to the latest census, there are 1.47 million ethnic Acholi in Uganda, amounting to 4.4 per cent of the total population. Ethnohistory 36(1): 19-43. But when Idi Amin overthrew Obotes first spell in power, and when Yoweri Musevini ousted Okello, the Acholi paid heavily for their allegiances. It refers to people known locally as Luo Gang. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Much of that hierarchy continued into the independence era. We hope you find it interesting. Identification. . Administrative divisions within Acholi, however, both during colonial rule and since independence, have often reflected preexisting sociopolitical units: lineages at the parish level; chiefdoms at the subcounty level; and larger zones of the most intensive (and peaceful) interpolity interactions at the county level. The council's representatives could mediate issues between clans, and essentially covered both civil and criminal functions, like a Supreme Court. a civil resistance movement started forming in the region. The documentary was met with mixed reactions, with many people familiar with the situation dubbing it a shallow and money-grabbing scheme. The main point of contact [26][27], The NRA managed to defeat all the rebel groups except the LRA which culminated in a 20-year conflict. Used by Google DoubleClick and stores information about how the user uses the website and any other advertisement before visiting the website. The cookie is used by cdn services like CloudFare to identify individual clients behind a shared IP address and apply security settings on a per-client basis. have often limited or prevented serious conflict, especially among Its current population is estimated to be around 2.155,000 individuals, or six percent of the total national population. In most chiefdoms, only members of designated lineages could make or repair royal drums. The results showed that students had, On the one hand, languages are translatable, which can be demonstrated from different perspectives such as the general characteristics of language, the parallel linguistic, The purpose of this study was to examine the language attitudes and language practices of Arabic-speaking families living in the United States. Notable among the Acholi soldiers who made the ranks were Gen. Tito Okello-Lutwa, Brig. the area around Lake Victoria as early as the fourth century B.C. Uganda Journal 19(1): 57-61. [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. In 2005, the new International Criminal Court in The Hague issued arrest warrants for Joseph Kony and other top LRA commanders. Apart from land, the rights to which were passed on equally to all sons, the eldest son was traditionally the designated heir of the father's property, although he was supposed to provide for the needs of his younger brothers. Visit the repository for full metadata or to contact the repository team The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". At first fighting against the insurgence of the army of the central government, the social control in the area. Until 1967 Uganda was a quasi-federal polity that included five subregional monarchies, non-monarchical districts, and a central government.