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The Luo (also called Jaluo and Joluo) are an ethnic group in Kenya, eastern Uganda and northern Tanzania. They were formerly also known by the now obsolete classification, Nilotic Kavirondo. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 2. ...
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Bomas of Kenya is located just outside of Nairobi. ...
The Luo (also called ja-Luo) are an ethnic group in Kenya, eastern Uganda and northern Tanzania. ...
The Luo are the Third largest ethnic group (12%) in Kenya, after the Luhya (17%) and Kikuyu (20%), the latter with whom they shared major political power in the first years of Kenyan independence (1963). In 1994 the Luo population in Kenya was estimated to be 3,185,000 [1]. In Tanzania they number (as of 2001) an estimated 280,000 [2]. Luos Majorly indulge in Fishing but due to the small parcels of Land they have after being pushed to the dry seaside by other aggressive people Like Kalenjin and Luhya. Outside Luoland, the Luo are now found throughout eastern Africa as tenant fishermen, small scale agricultural laborers, and urban workers. They speak the Dholuo language, which belongs to the Western Nilotic branch of the Nilo-Saharan language family spoken by other Lwo-speaking (Western Nilotic) peoples such as the Lango, Acholi, Padhola and Alur (all of Uganda). This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...
Fishing is the activity of hunting for fish by hooking, trapping, or gathering. ...
Kalenjin is an ethnic group of Nilotic origin living in the Great Rift Valley in western Kenya. ...
This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
Luoland (historically, Kavirondo) is the tribal homeland of the Kenya Luo (also called Jo-Luo or Kavirondo), a people of western Kenya, also extending into eastern Uganda and northern Tanzania. ...
Dholuo (also known as Luo) is a Western Nilotic language spoken by the Luo people of Kenya and Tanzania, numbering about 3 million. ...
The Western Nilotic languages are one of the three primary branches of the Nilotic languages, themselves belonging to the Eastern Sudanic subfamily of Nilo-Saharan. ...
Map showing the distribution of the Nilo-Saharan languages. ...
The Luo (also spelled L-u-o) are a family of related ethnic groups (tribes) 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. ...
The Western Nilotic languages are one of the three primary branches of the Nilotic languages, themselves belonging to the Eastern Sudanic subfamily of Nilo-Saharan. ...
The Lango (plural Langi) people live in the central area of Uganda, north of Lake Kyoga. ...
Acholiland, Uganda Acholi (also Acoli) are the people of the districts of Gulu, Kitgum Pader (known as Acholiland) in northern Uganda, and Magwe County in southern Sudan. ...
The Jopadhola or Badama are an ethnic group of Uganda. ...
Alur (Lur, Luri, Lurem), are a people of the Nile Valley in Africa, living on the north-west coast of Albert Nyanza. ...
Luo History
Pre-Colonial Times The Luo probably originated in southern Sudan, at Wau, near the confluence of the Meride and Sue Rivers. The Kenya Luo migrated into present day western Kenya via present day eastern Uganda, the first wave arriving sometime around 1500 AD. Arrivals came in at least five waves arriving at different times rather than as a single discrete migration: (1) the Joka-Jok (who migrated from Acholiland; the first & largest migration); (2) Those migrating from Alur; (3) the Owiny (who migrated from Padhola); (4) the Jok’Omolo (perhaps from Pawir); and (5) The Abasuba (a heterogeneous group in southern Nyanza, with Bantu elements). Location of Wau within Sudan Wau (Arabic: واو WÄw; also Wow or Waw) is a town in southern Sudan on the western bank of the Jur River, and the capital of the West Bahr al Ghazal state. ...
Categories: Stub | Uganda ...
Alur (Lur, Luri, Lurem), are a people of the Nile Valley in Africa, living on the north-west coast of Albert Nyanza. ...
The Jopadhola or Badama are an ethnic group of Uganda. ...
Nyanza may refer to: Nyanza, Rwanda Nyanza Province, Kenya Formerly, some lakes in Africa included the Bantu word for lake, e. ...
Map showing the approximate distribution of Bantu (light brown) vs. ...
The present day Kenya Luo traditionally consist of 12 sub-tribes (each in turn composed of various clans & sub-clans): (1) Jo-Gem, (2) Jo-Ugenya, (3) Jo-Seme, (4) Jo-Kajulu, (5) Jo-Karachuonyo, (6) Jo-Nyakach, (7) Jo-Kabondo, (8) Jo-Kisumo (Jo-Kisumu), (9) Jo-Kano, (10) Jo-Asembo, (11) Jo-Uyoma, (12) and Jo-Sakwa.[1] ( “Jo-” indicates “people of…”.)
By the 1840s, the Luo had a tight-knit society with ruodhi or regional chiefs.
Colonial Times Early British contact with the Luo was indirect and sporadic. Relations intensified only when the completion of the Uganda Railway had confirmed British intentions and largely removed the need for local tribal alliances. In 1896 a punitive expedition was mounted in support of the Wanga ruler Mumia in Ugenya against the Umira Kager clan led by Gero. Over 200 were quickly killed by a Maxim gun. In 1899, C. W. Hobley led an expedition against Sakwa, Seme and Uyoma Locations in which 2,500 cattle and some 10,000 sheep and goats were captured. The Uganda Railway is a railway system linking the interiors of Uganda and Kenya to the Indian Ocean at Mombasa in Kenya. ...
List of Rulers of Wanga (Kenya) (Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office) ...
An early Maxim gun in operation with the Royal Navy 1895 . ...
C. W. Hobley, C.M.G. (1867-1947) was a pioneering British Colonial administrator in Kenya. ...
By 1900, the Luo chief Odera was providing 1,500 porters for a British expedition against the Nandi. The Nandi is a Kenyan ethnic group or tribe living in the highland areas of the Nandi Hills in Rift Valley Province; they form a sub-group of the Kalenjin Before British colonization, they were sedentary cattle-herders, sometimes also practicing agriculture; their settlements were more or less evenly distributed...
In 1915 the Colonial Government sent Odera Akang'o, the ruoth of Gem, to Kampala, Uganda. He was impressed by the British settlement there and upon his return home he initiated a forced process of adopting western style of "schooling, dress and hygiene". This resulted in the rapid education of the Luo in the English language and ways. Year 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday[1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...
British East Africa was a British protectorate in East Africa, covering generally the area of present-day Kenya and lasting from 1890 to 1920, when it became the colony of Kenya. ...
Kampala is the capital city of Uganda. ...
The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...
The Luo were generally not dispossessed of their land by the British, thus avoiding the fate that befell the pastoral tribes inhabiting the Kenyan "White Highlands". Many Luo played significant roles in the struggle for Kenyan independence, but the tribe was relatively uninvolved in the Mau Mau Uprising of the 1950s. Instead, some Luo used their education to advance the cause of independence. The lawyer C.M.G. Argwings-Kodhek, for example, applied his expertise to defend Mau Mau suspects in court. The White Highlands is an area in the central uplands of Kenya, so-called because, during the period of British Colonialism, white immigrants settled there in considerable numbers particularly to take advantage of the good soils and growing conditions. ...
Combatants Mau Mau British Empire Commanders * Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi * General China (Waruhiu Itote) * Stanley Mathenge * Evelyn Baring(Governor) * General Sir George Erskine Strength Unknown 10,000 regular troops (Africans and Europeans) 21,000 police, 25,000 home guard[1] Casualties 10,527 killed in action;[2] 2,633 captured...
In Independent Kenya Oginga Odinga, a prominent Luo leader, became the first Vice President of independent Kenya, after declining to take the Presidency and leadership of Kenya from the British Colonists, citing the freedom of Jomo Kenyatta. However, differences with Jomo Kenyatta led Oginga to leave the government and the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) party in 1966. With Oginga's departure from the government the Luo were politically marginalized under the administrations of Kenyatta and Moi. Jaramogi Ajuma Oginga Odinga (b. ...
Jomo Kenyatta (October 20, 1889 – August 22, 1978) served as the first Prime Minister (1963–1964) and President (1964–1978) of Kenya. ...
The Kenya African National Union, better known as KANU, ruled Kenya for nearly 40 years after its independence from British colonial rule in 1963, until its electoral loss at the end of 2002. ...
Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ...
Many years of poor economic management of Kenya, especially during the administration of the KANU party resulted in the Luo and a majority of Kenyans being systematically neglected. Ravaged by AIDS and with little or no infrastructure in most parts, the Luo areas - with high economic potential due to the proximity to Lake Victoria - remains poor and undeveloped. These factors being common in Kenya according the latest survey by the World Bank. http://www.worldbank.org/research/povertymaps/kenya/volume_index.htm For other uses, see AIDS (disambiguation). ...
For other places with the same name, see Lake Victoria (disambiguation). ...
The most prominent Luo politician today is Raila Odinga, the son of Oginga Odinga and former Minister of Roads and Public Works. He is widely credited with enabling Mwai Kibaki to win the 2002 presidential election through the support of his Liberal Democratic Party. Raila Odinga Raila Amollo Odinga (born 1945) is a Kenyan Member of Parliament, and was, until November 23, 2005 a Cabinet Minister in the Ministry of Roads, Public Works and Housing. ...
Mwai Kibaki (born November 15, 1931) is the President of Kenya. ...
The Liberal Democratic Party is a liberal political party in Kenya. ...
Political Infuence in the Government After handing over leadership to the Kikuyu through Jomo Kenyatta from Jaramogi Oginga Odinga,and after the latter parted ways with the former, Luos have been regarded as opponents to the sitting government. This was evident when the late Doyen of the opposition Jaramogi Oginga Odinga resigned as the Vice president. The struggle for independence did not feature any luo elders as some claim, however they did participate. Many remember their participation in the late sixties, seventies and eighties. During the late 1980s through the 1990s, their participation provoked violent political events, for example the murder of Dr. Robert Ouko. The 1990s also saw the reintroduction of the section 2A where more luos were involved, Oginga Odinga, Grace Onyango, Phoebe Asiyo,James Orengo, Raila Odinga, Achieng Oneko, Anyang' Nyongo amongst others. Jaramogi Ajuma Oginga Odinga (c. ...
Dr John Robert Ouko (31 March 1931–c. ...
James Orengo comes from Ugenya constituency in Kenya, his primary education was in a rural school called Sega boys. ...
Raila Odinga Raila Amollo Odinga (born 1945) is a Kenyan Member of Parliament, and was, until November 23, 2005 a Cabinet Minister in the Ministry of Roads, Public Works and Housing. ...
Ramogi Achieng Oneko (1920 - 2007) was a Kenyan freedom fighter and a politician. ...
Culture and customs
Luo Religious Customs The Luo traditionally believed in an afterlife and a supreme creator, whom they called Nyasi (Nyasaye), and had a strong ancestor cult. Today most Kenya Luo are Christians. This article is about the religous people known as Christians. ...
The first major ritual in a Luo person's life is called juogi naming ceremony. Any time between birth and age two, an ancestor would appear in a dream to an adult member of the family. It is generally believed that only people who did good things while alive appear in dreams this way and are thus "reincarnated". The child is supposed to assume some of the mannerisms of the ancestor he or she is named after. If the ancestor was quiet, the child becomes a quiet person in life, if talkative, same. The so named ancestor becomes the individuals' "guardian angel" throughout his or her life. Evil people are rarely named. It is believed they go for good (to hell). The Luo are in the minority of ethnic groups in east Africa that do not practice ritual circumcision of males as initiation. Instead, children had their six lower front teeth carefully removed by experts at initiation. This ritual has mostly fallen out of use. A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value, which is prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. ...
This article is about male circumcision. ...
For other uses, see Initiation (disambiguation). ...
For other uses, see Initiation (disambiguation). ...
A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value, which is prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. ...
Luo Marriage Customs The Luo traditionally practice polygamy though with young adults today this has largely fallen out of favor (in the old days, men could marry up to five wives). Historically, couples were introduced together from matchmakers, but this is also less common now, and Luos frequently marry outside the tribe. The traditional marriage takes place in two parts, both involving the payment of a bride price by the groom. The first, Ayie, involves payment of money to the mother of the bride, while the second stage involves donation of cattle to her father. Often these two stages are carried out at the same time, and as many modern Luos are christians, a church ceremony often follows. The term polygamy (many marriages in late Greek) is used in related ways in social anthropology, sociobiology, and sociology. ...
Bride price also known as bride wealth or a dower is an amount of money or property paid to the parents of a woman for the right to marry their daughter. ...
Ayie takes place in homesteads like these Ayie is the first of two stages of a traditional marriage ceremony of the Luo tribe of Kenya and Tanzania. ...
Everybody in the Luo community is expected to marry. Spinsters and old bachelors are shunned by the community.
Luo Music Traditionally, music was the most widely practiced art in the Luo community. At any time of the day or night, some music was being made. Music was not made for its own sake. Music was functional. It was used for ceremonial, religious, political or incidental purposes. Music was performed during funerals (Tero buru) to praise the departed, to console the bereaved, keep people awake at night, express pain and agony and during cleansing and chasing away of spirits .Music was also played during ceremonies like beer parties (Dudu, ohangla dance), welcoming back the warriors from a war, during a wrestling match (Ramogi), during courtship, etc .Work songs too existed. These were performed both during communal work like building, weeding, etc. and individual work like pounding of cereals, winnowing. Music was also used for ritual' purposes like chasing away of evil spirits (nyawawa), who visit the village at night, in rain making and during divinations and healing. Dudu can refer to: Dudu, Brazilian football (soccer) player Dudu, a king of Akkad Dudu (album), a 2003 album by Turkish pop singer Tarkan Dudu, A yellow Wunderkäfer (Volkswagen Beetle), called DuDu, appeared in a series of German films for children. ...
The Luo music was shaped by the total way of life, lifestyles, and life patterns of individuals of this community. Because of that the music had characteristics which distinguished it from the music of other communities. This can be seen, heard and felt in their melodies, rhythms, mode of presentation and dancing styles, movements and formations.
The melodies in the Luo music were lyrical, with a lot of vocal ornamentations. These ornaments came out clearly especially when the music carried out an important message. Their rhythms were characterized by a lot of syncopation and acrusic beginning. These songs were usually presented in solo-response style through solo performances were there too. The most common forms of solo performances were chants. These chants were recitatives with irregular rhythms and phrases which carried serious messages in them. Most of the Luo dances were introduced by these chants. For example the dudu dance.
Another unique characteristic in the Luo music is the introduction of yet another chant at the middle of a musical performance. The singing stops, the pitch of the musical instruments go down and the dance becomes less vigorous as an individual takes up the performance is self praise. This is referred to as Pakruok. There was also a unique kind of ululation, Sigalagala, that marked the climax of the musical performance.
The dance styles in the Luo folk music were elegant and graceful. It involved either the movement of one leg in the opposite direction with the waist in step with the syncopated beats of the music or the shaking of the shoulders vigorous usually to the tune of the nyatiti an eight stringed instrument. Nyatiti is an eight-stringed instrument played by plucking the strings. ...
Adamson (1967) commented that Luos clad in their traditional costumes and ornaments deserve their reputation as the most picturesque people in Kenya. During most of their performances the Luo wore costumes and decorated themselves not only to appear beautiful but also to enhance their movements. These costumes included sisal skirts (owalo), beads (Ombulu / tigo) worn around the neck and waist and red or white clay were used by the ladies. The men's costumes included kuodi or chieno a skin warn from the shoulders or from the waist respectively to cover their nakedness. Ligisa the headgear, shield and spear, reed hats, clubs among others. All these costumes and ornaments were made from locally available materials. TIGO is a mobile phone network provider in America, Africa and Asia. ...
The Luo were also rich in musical instruments which ranged from, percussion (drums, clappers, metal rings, ongeng'o, shakers), strings (e.g., nyatiti, a type of lyre; orutu, a type of fiddle), wind (tung' a horn,Asili, a flute, Abu-!, a trumpet). “Lyres†redirects here. ...
“Fiddler†redirects here. ...
Tung can refer to: Tung tree, a deciduous tree native to China. ...
â™ This article is about the family of musical instruments. ...
Currently the Luo are associated with the benga style of music. It is a lively style in which songs in Dholuo, Swahili, English are sung to a lively guitar riff. It originated in the 1950s with Luo musicians trying to adapt their traditional tribal dance rhythms to western instruments. The guitar (acoustic, later electric) replaced the nyatiti as the string instrument. Benga has become so popular that it is played by musicians of all tribes and is no longer considered a purely Luo style. It has become Kenya's characteristic pop sound. There is also Benga in the province of Nyanga, see Benga, Gabon Benga is a musical genre of Kenyan popular music. ...
Luo (also called Jo-Luo; formerly Nilotic Kavirondo) are a people (tribe) living in flat country (Luoland) near Lake Victoria, mostly in western Kenya (the “Kenya Luoâ€), but also in eastern Uganda and northern Tanzania. ...
Swahili (also called Kiswahili; see Kiswahili for a discussion of the nomenclature) is an agglutinative Bantu language widely spoken in East Africa. ...
The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...
The 1950s decade refers to the years 1950 to 1959 inclusive. ...
For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ...
Nyatiti is an eight-stringed instrument played by plucking the strings. ...
Luo singer and nyatiti player Ayub Ogada received widespread exposure in 2005 when two of his songs were featured in Alberto Iglesias' Academy Award-nominated score for Fernando Mereilles' film adaptation of The Constant Gardener. Ayub Ogada is a musician from Kenya. ...
Alberto Iglesias Fernández-Berridi (born San Sebastián 1955) is a Spanish composer. ...
For the 2005 film of the same name, see The Constant Gardener (film). ...
Also see Luo Section of Folk Music of Kenya Out of all the African countries, Kenya has perhaps the most diverse assortment of popular music forms, in addition to multiple types of folk music. ...
Notable Luos This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
Gidi Gidi Maji Maji (also known as GidiGidi MajiMaji and GidigidiMajimaji) is a Kenyan hip hop duo from Nairobi. ...
Tom Joseph Odhiambo Mboya (August 15, 1930 - July 5, 1969) was a Kenyan politician during Jomo Kenyattas government. ...
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“Barack†redirects here. ...
The United States Senate is the upper house of the U.S. Congress, smaller than the United States House of Representatives. ...
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Jaramogi Ajuma Oginga Odinga (c. ...
Raila Odinga Raila Amollo Odinga (1945-) is a Kenyan politician, and was, until November 23, 2005 a Cabinet Minister in the Ministry of Roads, Public Works and Housing. ...
Jaramogi Ajuma Oginga Odinga (c. ...
Dr Bethwell Allan Ogot (B.A. Ogot) (b. ...
Grace Ogot was born in May 15, 1930 in Asembo, Kenya. ...
James Orengo comes from Ugenya constituency in Kenya, his primary education was in a rural school called Sega boys. ...
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Dr John Robert Ouko (31 March 1931–c. ...
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Citation - ^ Ogot, Bethwell A. (1967). History of the Southern Luo: Volume I, Migration and Settlement, (Series: Peoples of East Africa). East African Publishing House, Nairobi, passim.
george kadinya oduori
References - Ogot, Bethwell A., History of the Southern Luo: Volume I, Migration and Settlement, 1500-1900, (Series: Peoples of East Africa), East African Publishing House, Nairobi, 1967
- Senogazake, George, Folk Music of Kenya, ISBN 9966855564
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