Inside Karamoja Cultural event 2022

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By Edward Akaki – Abim

The Karamoja Cultural Festival is an event of its kind in Uganda where the Ateker speaking group from Karamoja-Uganda, Turkana county-Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Sudan come together for a common purpose; celebrating the culture and way of life of the Ateker origin.

It is a yearly event always moved from one district to another within Uganda’s North-Eastern region of Karamoja that consist of 9 districts; Moroto, Napak, Abim, Kotido, Nabilatuk, Nakapiripirit, Amudat, Kaabong and Karenga with this year’s event happening in Abim district.

The event which is organized at the time when Karamoja region is undergoing disarmament process alongside drastic climatic change effects and hunger crisis is being held under the theme; “Security in Karamoja; the role of culture and traditional mechanisms in steering a peaceful Karamoja”

The event also comes after two years of its inactivity due to the Corona-virus pandemic that hindered all types of public gatherings for those years.

Inclusiveness

In a bid to end the different scorching challenges in the Karamoja region, the organizing committee of the 7th Edition of Karamoja Cultural event summoned different categories of people for dialogue on the ways forward.

This includes at least 5 members from the elders association, youths association, women association, political leaders, religious leaders among others from each of the nine districts. The different categories of people met separately discussing how to amicably come up with solutions affecting each category in the region.

Paul Abul, the Secretary Karamoja Elders Association and a member of the organizing Committee of the event, says that whenever organized, the purpose is aimed at bringing unity in the region that has been torn apart by raids, famine and ethnic group’s continued division.

He added that such an event is focused to creating togetherness among all the Karamojongs, reflect on the different cultural practices like Dressing, foods, dances, and histories. He said that this year the event came at a time when the region is trying to recover from serious effects of drought that caused hunger and as well the looming effects of cattle rusting which called for serious discussions from all the categories of people.

However, John Bosco Akore, the secretary of Kotido Elders Council, says that he and other elders from Kotido who had earlier decided to boycott the event thinking its luxurious during a time the region is suffering changed their minds upon learning about the meetings with all elders in the region.

About Ateker People

According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ateker_peoples, Ateker or ŋaTekerin, is a common name for the closely related Lango people, Jie, Karamojong, Turkana, Toposa, Nyangatom and Teso peoples and their languages. These ethnic groups inhabit an area across Uganda, South Sudan and Kenya. Ateker means ‘clan’ or ‘tribe’ in the Teso language. In the Lango language, the word for clan is atekere.

In the Turkana language, Ateker means a distinct group with related customs, laws and lifestyle and who share a common ancestry. Members of one Ateker have a common character of mutual respect in their diversity. Each member group of Ateker occupies its own territory and exercises authority over its own land and people independent of each other.

The word Ateker is a generic term for “related peoples” or “relatives” (the term also refers to clan). It is derived from the root ker, which has two root meanings: fear and respect. Ateker, in its true sense, is a union of free people with mutual recognition and respect for each other. In the context of ethnic identity and nationhood, the Turkana language classifies different people with common characteristics as belonging to distinct ateker. The Maa people belong to Ateker a Ngi Maasa Maasai and so on. The Turkana and the Karamojong and Lango people belong to one Ateker.

Origin

The ancestral cradleland of the Ateker communities is thought to lie in Longiro, ‘the place of engiro’ in the Sudan.

Common Characteristics

Language

Members of one Ateker speak one language or distinct languages which developed from one common language.

Laws and customs

Each Ateker has distinct laws and customs. The laws and customs of people of one Ateker are similar.

Lifestyle

Members of each Ateker live their lives in a similar lifestyle. Diversified groups within one Ateker usually have traces of laws and customs that can be traced to the original group.

Land

Land is one characteristic that helps in determining membership in an Ateker. Members of one Ateker usually occupy adjoining areas. Land adjudication forms the basis for laws and customs. In the Turkana Ateker, land is subdivided into regions or territorial sections, ŋitela. Each Ekitela institutes its own common laws which are derived from the general laws of the whole nation or kingdom.

Ancestry

Members of one Ateker have a common ancestral origin. Members of Ateker have different ancestral origin within the Ateker sub divisions of the Turkana/Ngiturukana and the Karimojong/Ngikarimojong, the Karimojong/ngikarimojong subscribe to Nakadanya which is believed to be the holly ground for Ngimatheniko/Ngikori (Moroto District), Ngipian/Ngimuriai (nabilatuk and Nakapiripirit Districts), Ngibokora (Napak District) and the Dodoth/ngikaleeso of Kaabong and Karenga Districts. The Turkana/Ngiturkana of Northwestern Kenya are subscribed to Moru-anayiece as their holly and Ancestral ground. However, they speak related languages and can hear each other.

The culture

Foods

According to https://www.kideponationalpark.com/information/the-karamojong, raw milk and blood obtained after puncturing the skin of a cow is staple diet for the Karamojong besides smoked meat, yoghurt, cow ghee, smoked hides and fresh beef.

During the cultural event, some of the local foods and diet were showcased.

Blood.

The Karimojong believes blood mixed with raw milk helps to give energy while the pastoralists are in the field grazing the animals and thus it is the way of life in the kraals.

Angodich

This is a sorghum millet bread with a mixture of roast and pounded groundnuts prepared with cowghee and preserved with a touch of honey.

Emuna

This a mixture of roasted and pounded groundnuts prepared with cow ghee.

Dressing in Pictures

The ongoing Karamoja Cultural event is expected to come to a climax on Saturday, 3rd September 2022 and the next and 8th edition will be hosted in Napak district between the 4th and 9tth of September 2023