Luo

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This article is about Luo people of Africa. For the Chinese surnames, see Luo (surname)

The Luo (also Lwo) are an ethnic group who 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.

1 Origins in Sudan
2 Uganda
3 Kenya and Tanzania
4 Luo people
5 External links

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Origins in Sudan

According to ethnologists, linguists and oral history, the Luo 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 Luo people 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 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 Luo, 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 Luo groups rejected Nyikangos idea and kept a south and westwards migration.

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Uganda

Around 1500, a small group of Luo 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 Luo were assimilated by the Bantu, and they lost their language and culture.

Later in the 16th century, other Luo-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 the Luo 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 Luo language of their Acholi neighbours - sometimes it is said they are part of the Luo from Bahr el Ghazal who migrated eastwards from Sudan to Anuak in Ethiopia and onwards to Uganda. Kumam, who live live the same area, also speak Luo, 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 Luo 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.

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Kenya and Tanzania

Between 1550 and 1800, other Luo groups crossed into Kenya. They inhabited the province of Nyanza on the banks of Lake Victoria, and today some Luo also live in Tanzania. According to Kenyan Luo oral history, a warrior chief named Ramogi Ajwang led them from present-day Uganda into present-day Kenya circa 400 years ago.

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

The Luo 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.

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