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The Kumam people are a Nilotic ethnic group of about 349,000 living mainly in the western areas of Teso sub-region and the south-east of Lango sub-region. [1] [2] The Kumam are an ethnic group of people found in Kaberamaido district, district in Eastern Uganda. [3] [4] They share Soroti district with the Iteso and some parts of formerly Lira district with the Langi. In the Lango region, they are now found in Dokolo district which was detached from Lira District. [5] They are found at the shores of Lake Kyoga (Namasale). In Soroti district, they are found in Serere, Asuret, Kamuda, katine, Soroti city, Arapai as well as the outskirts of Soroti district neighboring Kaberamaido. [6] [7]
They speak Kumam language similar to the language spoken by the Lango, with some Ateso vocabulary. [6]
The Kumam descend from the early fishing, agricultural, and herding communities of Ethiopia. Who migrated southwards towards Uganda because of land pressure around the 17th century. Today, they live on the shores of Lake Kyoga in the districts of Serere, Soroti and Kaberamaido [8]
Kumam traditions say are part of the Iteso people. They probably lost their Eastern Nilotic Ateker language and took up the Western Nilotic Luo spoken by their Lango and Acholi neighbours – due to prolonged contact and intermarriages. [2] [6] The Kumam must have preceded the ITeso in migration and settled in Soroti later hence, the Karimojong people from whom Iteso came know Soroti by the name 'Solot' and not teso.This points to the possibility of a later migration after iteso from Karamoja.
The Kumam had political structure under clan leaders known as wegi Atekerin. [1] [8] Other people of importance in the society were wegi ikodeta Cel (leaders of dancing groups), and leaders of Asonya(ancient) homes, wegi Cel. [3] [8] [6] The wegi Cel were in most cases Dogolan or Odonge ikekoros (heads of part of a clan descending form one man). [6] These clan leaders were responsible for the maintenance of law and order as well as general administration. They arbitrated in matters of politics and social affairs. [3] [8]
Music, dance and story telling played a big part in kumam lifestyle. [8] At any time music would be made, at various functions, such as ceremonial, religious and political functions. In the evening, the old people would narrate stories to the younger generation as part of the oral traditions. [8] [1]
Previously, the parents would arrange marriages for their children. Girls would be betrothed to boys at an early age. In effect, the young girl would become wife to a respective boy but she would wait to be officially handed over when she came of age. In some cases, the young girls so betrothed would be taken to the boy's home to grow up there. When she came of age, a ceremony would be organized to formalize the relationship. With time however the system changed. [8] Today, the boy goes looking for a girl and without the consent of the parents and sneak with her to his home at night. [6] [5] After a week or so, the girl's relatives would begin to look for her. Obviously they had some prior knowledge of her whereabouts. On discovery, a fine would be exacted from the boy. Arrangements would be made to settle the bride wealth and the marriage would be formalized. [2]
The Adhola people, also known as Jopadhola, are a Nilotic ethnic group of Luo peoples that live in Tororo District of Eastern Uganda and comprise about eight percent of the country's total population. They speak Dhopadhola,, which belongs to the Western Nilotic branch of the Nilotic language family. They are primarily pastoralists. The Jopadhola call their land Padhola which, according to historian Bethwell Ogot, is an elliptic form of "Pa Adhola" meaning the "place of Adhola", the founding father of the Jopadhola people. Officially, land of the Adhola is called Padhola, but the Baganda who misinterpret 'Widoma' – a Dhopadhola word for 'war cry' meaning 'You are in trouble' refer to the Jopadhola as "Badama". The social structure of the Jopadhola can be described as semi centralised because there is no traditional centralized government and its organization is limited to a clan called Nono. There are over 52 clans, each with cultural practices, common ancestry and a distinct lineage.
The Lango are a Nilotic ethnic group. They live in north-central Uganda, in a region that covers the area formerly known as the Lango District until 1974, when it was split into the districts of Apac and Lira, and subsequently into several additional districts. The current Lango Region now includes the districts of Amolatar, Alebtong, Apac, Dokolo, Kole, Lira, Oyam, Otuke, and Kwania. The total population of Lango District is currently about 2,884,000.
Kaberamaido is a district in Eastern Uganda. Like most other Ugandan districts, it is named after its 'chief town', Kaberamaido, where the district headquarters are located.
Katakwi District is a district in the Eastern Region of Uganda. The town of Katakwi is the site of the district headquarters.
Soroti District is a district in Eastern Uganda. It is named after its chief municipal, administrative and commercial headquarters, Soroti, where the district headquarters are located.
In Uganda the most spoken language in the capital city is Luganda, followed by English, as all schools in Uganda use it in their studies due to the introduction of English during the colonial period. English is also the language of business and judicial matters. Most spoken after Luganda and English is Swahili. This language is more common in neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania. Swahili is taught in schools as an optional additional language and it is mostly spoken by the Ugandan army. In 2005, there were talks to include Swahili as the second official language as it was seen as neutral, however this is still not ratified by the government. Swahili is used among some communities bordering South Sudan and Kenya.
The Karamojong or Karimojong are a Nilotic ethnic group. They are agro-pastoral herders living mainly in the north-east of Uganda. Their language is also known as ngaKarimojong and is part of the Nilotic language family. Their population is estimated at 475,000 people.
The Iteso are a Nilotic ethnic group in eastern Uganda and western Kenya. Teso refers to the traditional homeland of the Iteso, and Ateso is their language.
Teso sub-region is a sub-region in Eastern Region, Uganda that consists of:
Articles related to Uganda include:
Amuria District is a district in the Eastern Region of Uganda. The town of Amuria serves as the district headquarters.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Soroti is a diocese located in the city of Soroti in the ecclesiastical province of Tororo in Uganda.
Minakulu is one of the sub-counties forming Oyam District in Northern Uganda. It is located west of Oyam town and south of Gulu town, about 20 kilometres from Oyam district headquarters and 32 kilometres from Gulu district headquarters.
Serere District is a district in Eastern Uganda. It is named after its 'chief town', Serere, which serves as the district headquarters.
Ngora District is a district in the Eastern Region of Uganda. The town of Ngora is the site of the district headquarters.
A mudoko dako is an effeminate male who is considered by Langi society to be a different gender, though were mostly treated as woman among the Langi in Uganda. Mudoko dako also could be found among the Teso and the Karamojan people. Recognition of the mudoko dako can be traced back prior to colonialism in Africa.
The Acholi people are a Nilotic ethnic group of Luo peoples, found in Magwi County in South Sudan and Northern Uganda, including the districts of Agago, Amuru, Gulu, Kitgum, Nwoya, Lamwo, Pader and Omoro District. The Acholi were estimated to number 2.3 million people and over 45,000 more were living in South Sudan in 2000.
Lwala Hospital Kaberamaido is a hospital in Lwala Village, in Kaberamaido District, in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is a private, community hospital, serving the district of Kaberamaido and surrounding communities.
The Banyole or Banyuli are a Bantu ethnic group of Uganda that live mainly in Butaleja District.