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This article is about Luo-speaking (Lwo-speaking) peoples of eastern Africa. For the Chinese surnames, see Luo (surname)
For Luo people of Kenya, see Luo (Kenya)
The Lwo (also Lwoo or Luo) are a family of linguistically-related ethnic groups (tribes) which live in an area that stretches from the south of Sudan, through Northern Uganda and Eastern Congo (DRC), into Western Kenya, and ending in the upper tip of Tanzania. These people speak Eastern Sudanic (Nilotic) languages of the Chari-Nile branch of the Nilo-Saharan family. The terminology can be confusing, but according to various classification schemes, these tribes are sometimes referred to as River-Lake Nilotes or Western Nilotes, which also includes the Dinka-Nuer language group. The Lwo-speakers include such peoples as the Shilluk, Anuak, Acholi, Lango, Palwo, Alur, Padhola, Kenya Luo, Bor, Bito, and Kaberamaido.

Origins in Sudan

According to ethnologists, linguists and oral history, the Lwo are part of the Nilotic group of tribes who separated from the East Sudanic family of tribes about 3000 BCE. More than eight centuries ago, the Lwo peoples occupied the area that now lies in eastern Bahr el Ghazal. The reason for their dispersion from this area is not known. Internal contradictions or population explosion could have driven them from this region. The Luo moved to nearly all the countries neighbouring Sudan, resulting in many separate groups with variation in language and tradition as each group moved further away from their kin.

A branch of the Lwo, the Shilluk (or Chollo) nation, comprising more than one hundred clans and sub-tribes, was founded by Nyikango sometime in the middle of the 15th century. They evolved a nation with a feudal-style system. Nyikango and his nation moved northward along the Nile (towards Kush and Rip) to re-conquer and settle the land their ancestors had lost to the Arabs and Europeans.

The rest of the Lwo groups rejected Nyikangos idea and kept a south and westwards migration.

Uganda

Around 1500, a small group of Lwo known as the Biito-Luo led by a Chief called Labongo whose full title became Isingoma Labongo Rukidi (sometimes named as Mpuga Rukidi), encountered Bantu-speaking peoples living in the area of Bunyoro. These Luo settled peacefully with the Bantu and, through political influence, established the Babiito dynasty. Labongo, the first in the line of the Babiito kings of Bunyoro-Kitara is said to have been the twin brother of Kato Kimera, the first king of Buganda. These Lwo were assimilated by the Bantu, and they lost their language and culture.

Later in the 16th century, other Lwo-speaking people moved to the area that encompasses present day Southern Sudan, Northern Uganda and North-Eastern Congo (DRC) – forming the Alur and Acholi. Conflicts developed when they encountered the Lango who had been living in the area north of Lake Kyoga. Lango also speak a Lwo language, but their origins are somewhat obscure. It is generally held that they are an Eastern Nilotic Ateker people who originated from Abyssinia in Ethiopia around A.D. 1600, adopting the Lwo language of their Acholi neighbours - sometimes it is said they are part of the Lwo from Bahr el Ghazal who migrated eastwards from Sudan to Anuak in Ethiopia and onwards to Uganda. Kumam, who live the same area, also speak a Lwo tongue, but belong to the Ateker family along with the Teso and Karamojong.

Between the middle of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century, some Lwo groups proceeded eastwards. One group called Padhola (or Jopadhola - people of Adhola), led by a chief called Adhola, settled in Budama in Eastern Uganda. They settled in a thickly forested area as a defence against attacks from Bantu neighbours who had already settled there. This self-imposed isolation helped them to maintain their language and culture amidst Bantu and Ateker communities.

Kenya and Tanzania

Between about 1500 and 1800, other Lwo groups crossed into Kenya. They inhabited the province of Nyanza on the banks of Lake Victoria, and today some Lwo also live in Tanzania. According to Kenyan Luo (see Luo (Kenya)) oral history, a warrior chief named Ramogi Ajwang led them from present-day Uganda into present-day Kenya circa 500 years ago.

As in Uganda, some non-Lwo people in Kenya have adopted Lwo languages. A majority of the Bantu Suba people in Kenya speak Dholuo (albeit mostly as a second language).

The Lwo in Kenya, who call themselves JoLuo (aka Jaluo, people of Luo), are the third largest community in Kenya after the Kikuyu and Luhya. They call their language Dholuo, which is mutually intelligible the languages of the Lango, Kumam and Padhola of Uganda, Acholi of Uganda and Sudan and Alur of Uganda and Congo.

Lwo people

This includes people who share Lwo ancestory and/or speak a Lwo language.

External links

Ethnic groups in Africa | Pastoralists

Luo (Sprache) | Luo | Luo

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Luo".

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