political organisation of the acholi

Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. ." with chiefdoms providing a layer of organization above the lineages from [26] Conservative approaches estimates that at least 300,000 people died in the conflict that extended into the Sudan, Congo and Central African Republic. 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. (1991). 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. Apoko, Anna (1967). More 1orthern Uganda or Acholiland is formally known as the Acholi sub-region, an area inhab N - ited primarily by speakers of the Acholi language, whom I refer to as the Acholi. It is part of the Southern Lwoo languages With the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Sudan in 2005, and the establishment of the ex-rebel government in newly independent South Sudan in territory in which the LRA once operated freely, those lines of support have been substantially weakened, if not severed altogether. interpolity interactions at the county level. settle disputes that involved more than one lineage. According to Latigo, prior to colonialism, "the Acholi people maintained a traditional government that was rooted firmly in their religious beliefs, norms, and customs, which demanded peace and stability in Acholiland at all times, based on their philosophy of life. Omissions? Uganda - Government and society | Britannica Encyclopedia of World Cultures. Acholi live in Northern Uganda, in the districts Kitgum, Pader and Gulu. The socio-political and economic organization of the Maasai during the 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. They were also against the power consolidation approach of the NRA, which included mass arrest, torturing, killing, cattle raiding, food crop destruction, and looting and burning of villages. them Shuuli, based on their language being similar to Shilluk from South Sudan. Central to the new order were a set of notions about political leadership in which chiefs (rwodi; sing, rwot ) shared power and decision making with the heads of chiefdoms' constituent lineages; a system of redistributive tribute within each polity, with the chief at the center; and royal, often rainmaking, drums as symbols of sovereignty and authority. London: Oxford University Press. "[20] They have continued to work to end the war through negotiation. 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. This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. They are speakers of Western Nilotic languages and are traditionally farmers. B.A. An individual had personal claim to land that he and his wife (or wives) had under cultivation or that had been cultivated but was lying fallow, and such rights passed from father to son. This cookie is set by Facebook to deliver advertisement when they are on Facebook or a digital platform powered by Facebook advertising after visiting this website. Wright, A. C. A. During this time, people were separated from their land for long periods, and many people disappeared or were killed. The main point of contact They have also "played a vital role in Acholi traditional reconciliation processes and in preparing the community to receive former combatants. 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. 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. Chopi (Storch, 2005), Index of languages, language families, linguistic areas, and ethnic groups.. African languages. friendly, but after the inception of the British Protectorate of Uganda in 1894, which included Identification. 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. NRA in 1986. Localized lineages have been the fundamental social units in Acholi, with chiefdoms providing a layer of organization above the lineages from the late seventeenth to the early twentieth centuries. Sign up to Minority rights Group International's newsletter to stay up to date with the latest news and publications. The available evidence suggests that conflict in Acholi before the end Identification. Orientation Uganda Journal 3(3): 175-202. The 1980 population of the Uganda Acholi was approximately 580,000 (Kasozi 1994, ii), up from some 465,000 in 1969 (Langlands 1971), perhaps 125,000 in 1900 and about 100,000 at the end of the eighteenth century (Atkinson 1994, 275-281). This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Childlessness is one of the most serious misfortunes imaginable; women are typically blamed, and the marriage often ends or the husband takes a second wife. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The Acholi have a modified Iroquois kinship-terminology system, reflecting Acholi's patrilineal and patrilocal ideology. Then a final dance and feast takes place at a time chosen to make possible the maximum attendance by relatives and other interested people. Uganda, leading raids all over the region. Malandra, Alfred (1939). The relationship between (real) brother and sister is often very close, especially when one acts as the lapidi (nurse-child) to the other, as are the bonds between the children of sisters. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. It refers to people known locally as Luo Gang. When conflict did occur, however, it was usually limited in scope, with relatively few deaths. B. Webster, eds. Statt Afrika im Kampf gegen Hunger zu helfen, beuten Industriestaaten The cult-like militia has abducted an estimated 25,000 children over the years, forcing them to commit heinous atrocities against civilians. 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. As they have for centuries, Acholi farmers rely mainly on iron hoes and other hand tools. the northern regions, this relationship changed. "Acholi-Arab Nubian Relations in the Nineteenth Century." [29], Media related to Acholi people at Wikimedia Commons. Linguistic Affiliation. the late seventeenth to the early twentieth centuries. Used by Google DoubleClick and stores information about how the user uses the website and any other advertisement before visiting the website. The Acholi live in small hamlets among patrilineal kin. Political Organizations | Encyclopedia.com Even though this contact was described as a grossly negative experience for the Acholi, this This is used to present users with ads that are relevant to them according to the user profile. The EU's External Democracy Action in a New Geopolitical Reality: Policy Brief. Sociopolitical organization - Acholi 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. fight the Arab slave traders and his colonial administration was viewed as not very invasive Due to its central location and the close Encyclopedia of World Cultures. 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). occur, however, it was usually limited in scope, with relatively few deaths. Acholi have played a pivotal role in the turbulent post-independence era. The Lwoo. 53- Encyclopedia.com. [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. It refers to people known locally as Luo Gang. Further tidying up and smoothing over the grave take place within the week. The political ramifications for Uganda, however, were severe. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). They also oversaw village-lineage ritual and chiefdomwide ritual, were the main advisors to their rwot, and were responsible for most of the social control exercised in Acholi. 3 vols. Acholi Sub-region is consist of seven districts, namely; Gulu, Kitgum, Lamwo, Pader, Agago, Amuru and Nwoya, and are situtated in northern Uganda. Nevertheless, many remain in a state of displacement. With independence, the Acholi remained marginal within the framework of Uganda as a whole, with one crucial exception: their disproportionate numbers in the police and army. The essential lawlessness of the Idi Amin and second Milton Obote regimes, however, as well as of the various rebel groups, the Ugandan army, and Karamojong raiders (who have been active in Acholi since the mid-1980s) have led to a breakdown of any meaningful social control in the area. Following the 61). The Southern Lwoo language group However, this number is most likely considerably A Study of the Acooli Language: Grammar and Vocabulary. Under Amins brutal regime, an estimated 300,000 died many of them Acholi. This made the chiefs more independent from The Acholi region is bordered in the west by the districts The history and politics of ethnicity and language 37. Atkinson, Ronald R. (1994). Political Organization. Numbering more than one million at the turn of the 21st century, they speak a Western Nilotic language of the Eastern Sudanic branch of the Nilo-Saharan family and are culturally and historically related to their traditional enemies, the neighbouring Lango. subcounty level; and larger zones of the most intensive (and peaceful) Diversity Management in Sudan's Democratic Transitional Arrangements: Technical Paper 1, January 2023. "The Concept of Jok among the Acholi and Lango." Given the low population densities and minimal land pressure, almost anyone who was willing to clear and work unused land has been welcomed by lineage heads responsible for such land and, while they functioned, by the rwodi of chiefdoms within whose domains the land lay. Apart from hundreds of thousands of deaths and tens of thousands being abducted, Kuturia Housein fired the first gun shot on Acholiland who had never seen and 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. Orientation development of chiefdoms seems to have been the ability of rwodi to help aimed at achieving clearly-defined political goals, which typically benefit the interests of their members. At first fighting against the insurgence of the army of the central government, the Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. From the Holy Spirit Movement, the notorious Lords Resistance Army (LRA), led by Acholi Joseph Kony, emerged. Uganda Journal 19(1): 57-61. somewhat better off than others before the latter part of the nineteenth In addition, the peace forums have worked to help establish the Amnesty Commission. The colonial experience of the Acholi differed greatly from the experience of those in the Social Control. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. Vincent (2012), a Gulu-based Kinship Terminology. [26] However, it successfully popularised the LRA in the West. Doom, Ruddy and Koen Vlassenroot. for social control, though one of the attractions that assisted the Religion of the Central Luo. But when Idi Amin overthrew Obotes first spell in power, and when Yoweri Musevini ousted Okello, the Acholi paid heavily for their allegiances. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. "The Ancestral Shrine of the Acholi." The Acholi, unlike many of their southern neighbours, did not create a form of The major art forms of the Acholi have been drumming, singing, and dancing. However, the date of retrieval is often important. Political Organizations | Internal Revenue Service - IRS tax forms southern parts of the country. . These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Politics has been around for millennia. In most chiefdoms, only members of designated lineages could make or repair royal drums. Milton Obote (196271, 198085). During the colonial period, political leadership in Acholi was Much of that hierarchy continued into the independence era. Relatively small numbers of Acholi have filled middle-level or senior civil-service positions in independent Uganda. 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. Okot p'Bitek's epic poem, Song of Lawino, debates Acholi customs around the time that Uganda became independent. The formations in the form of chiefdoms and kingdoms by the end of the first millennium A.D. In the precolonial era, warfare, herding, and hunting were the domain of men. Thanks for using our World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples! In addition there were priest- or priestess-diviners, private practitioners who worked for the well-being of their clients, and witches, who worked in private for evil or destructive purposes. 30 Chiefly authority was however not absolute, as power was shared with lineage elders ( ladit kaka) and political authority was mainly vested in Required electronic filing by tax-exempt political organizations. [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. before. 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. time was critical to the social and political development of the region. This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The Roots of Ethnicity: The Origins of the Acholi of Uganda before 1800. Encyclopedia.com. to accumulate substantial fortunes, as have a few traders. Extensive mission activity in Acholi by both Protestants and Catholics has attracted many followers since the second decade of the twentieth century. What attitudes towards and beliefs about language, linguistic competence and teaching languages do student teachers hold at the start of their teacher education.. How, It addresses the practices used for managing linguistic diversity in downstream relationships, particularly focusing on the role of language nodes at the, LINGUISTIC MEANING AND KNOWLEDGE REPRESENTATION IN AUTOMATIC UNDERSTANDING OF NATURAL LANGUAGE LINGUISTIC MEANING AND KNOWLEDGE REPRESENTATION IN AUTOMATIC UNDERSTANDING OF NATURAL LANGUAGE, Linguistic and Cognitive Measures in Arabic-Speaking English Linguistic and Cognitive Measures in Arabic-Speaking English Language Learners (ELLs) and monolingual children with and, Recently, Wang, Teng, and Chen (2015) conducted a study to examine students attitude toward the use of iPad in English Vocabulary Learning. Arab trading routes coming from the north, trading in goods, but also in slaves. Odongo, J. M. Onyango-ku-, and J. other parts of Uganda, where hundreds of thousands of peoplemany It has similarity with Alur, Padhola language, and other Luo languages in South Sudan Shilluk, Anuak,Pari, Balanda, Boor, Thuri. limited wealth in the society and redistribution. Out of these, the cookies that are categorised as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. "Land Tenure in Acholi." The LRA received much of its financial, logistical and military support from the Khartoum government in neighbouring Sudan. Inheritance has been, and largely remains, patrilineal. This cookie is set by Stripe payment gateway. This cookie is used to enable payment on the website without storing any payment information on a server. This cookie is set by doubleclick.net. Anywa Adhola Uganda Now: Between Decay and Development. Identification and Location. From the beginning, the Acholi were marginal compared to Britain's concern with Buganda, at the core of the colony. That is why the Lango neighbours refer to the Acholi as Ugangi, meaning people of the home. 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. Hansen, Holger B., and Michael Twaddle, eds. Religious Practitioners. expression of difference, but one of a common political ideology and identity (Whitmire, 2013, Large, dry-season hunts were an important part of the precolonial economy; these gradually decreased in significance as the varied roster of both large and small game animals dwindled over the twentieth century. connected and intertwined chiefdoms. The Central Lwo during the Aconya. 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. At the height of the insurgency, some 1.8 million people were living in camps in the north, and due to a combination of LRA activities and the Ugandan armys counter-offensives virtually the entire population of Acholiland was displaced. State | Definition, History, Figures, & Facts | Britannica Historically, the most important public ceremonies were probably those associated with birth, planting, harvesting, and the killing of a large animal or another human being. Nairobi: East African Literature Bureau. The conflict had dramatic effects on the local Acholi, also spelled Acoli, also called Gang or Shuli, ethnolinguistic group of northern Uganda and South Sudan. When Britain established its rule during the early twentieth century, both ideological predisposition and practical utility prompted the colonizers to consider the Acholi a "tribe" and to administer the area as a "tribal" unit. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The government of Uganda has responded to the conflict by adopting both military and general amnesty strategies.