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148-738: Modern ethnicities Diaspora Performing arts Government agencies Television Radio Newspapers The Luo of Kenya and Tanzania are a Nilotic ethnic group native to western Kenya and the Mara Region of northern Tanzania in East Africa . The Luo are the fourth-largest ethnic group (10.65%) in Kenya, after the Kikuyu (17.13%), the Luhya (14.35%) and the Kalenjin (13.37%). The Tanzanian Luo population

296-600: A Ker . The second Lu In recent years, the Luo Ker seat has been claimed by different factions of Luo council of elders that started with the appointment of Willis Opiyo Otondi by Raila Odinga in 2010 to replace Ker Riaga Ogalo. Traditionally, the Ker was elected by a Council of Elders and was not appointed as it happened with Opondo Otondi, and a Luo Ker could only leave office under two conditions, resignation or death. Ker Riaga Ogalo argued that he had not resigned nor died to warrant

444-653: A Maxim gun . Another 300 people in the Uyoma resistance were killed by an expedition led by Sir Charles Horbley (Bwana Obila Muruayi) when they were confiscating Luo cattle to help feed the Indian workers who were building the Uganda railway. Following these clashes, Luo spiritual leaders advised the people to actively cooperate with the British. By 1900, the Luo chief Odera was providing 1,500 porters for

592-485: A meridian (a great circle passing through the two poles). The IUGG standard meridian is, to the nearest millimetre, 40,007.862917 kilometres (24,859.733480 mi), one arc-minute of which is 1,852.216 metres (6,076.82 ft), explaining the SI standardization of the nautical mile as 1,852 metres (6,076 ft), more than 3 metres (9.8 ft) less than the geographical mile . The sea-level surface of Earth (the geoid )

740-541: A planet ) is the parallel (circle of latitude) at which latitude is defined to be 0°. It is an imaginary line on the spheroid, equidistant from its poles , dividing it into northern and southern hemispheres. In other words, it is the intersection of the spheroid with the plane perpendicular to its axis of rotation and midway between its geographical poles . On and near the Equator (on Earth), noontime sunlight appears almost directly overhead (no more than about 23° from

888-484: A British expedition against the Nandi . The British set up regional headquarters first at Mumias then at Kisumu . They worked to submit the Luo to colonial control and administration. Within a few decades, traditional leaders and political structures were replaced by colonial chiefs. The Seventh-day Adventist Church missionaries were amongst the earliest Christian missionaries to proselytise to Luo people. Arthur Carscallen ,

1036-592: A Canadian Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) was the first Adventist to work in Kenya with Peter Nyambo, from Nyasaland (Present day Malawi). The first mission was opened with the assistance of German missionary Abraham C. Enns, in November 1906 at Gendia Hill, Kendu Bay . These missionaries established stations at Wire Hill, Rusinga Island , Kanyadoto, Karung, Kisii and Kamagambo. These were all in South Nyanza . The first Luo SDA converts were baptised on 21 May 1911. Carscallen

1184-561: A Luo ruler ker was coined by Jaramogi Oginga Odinga during the formation of the Luo Union in 1947 that was aimed at uniting all people of Luo descent in East Africa. Jaramogi Oginga Odinga was the first Luo Ker . As part of distinguishing a tribal leader from a national leader, part of the conditions was that a Luo Ker would not go into national politics and when Jaramogi Oginga Odinga went into national politics in 1957, he had to quit being

1332-525: A Luo, Hezekiah Ochuka was foiled. Oginga Odinga and his son Raila Odinga were accused of involvement and detained without trial for several months. These events led to many years of marginalisation of the Luo community. The perception of marginalisation was further enforced by the murder of Robert Ouko , the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1990. Economic and political marginalisation of the community and disastrous economic management in Kenya, particularly under

1480-652: A central theme in most narratives recorded after the colonial period. One of the more famous accounts states: ... The Kalenjin originated from a country in the north known as Emet ab Burgei, which means, the warm country. The people are said to have traveled southwards passing through Mount Elgon or Tulwet ab Kony in Kalenjin. The Sabaot settled around the slopes of the mountain while the others travelled on in search of better land. The Keiyo and Marakwet settled in Kerio Valley and Cherangani Hills . The Pokot settled on

1628-514: A common ancestor around 28,000 years ago, perhaps somewhere in the Sahel . Most Nilotic peoples have predominant to exclusive West/East African ancestry, although some groups display varying degrees of West-Eurasian admixture, mostly mediated indirectly through pastoralists from the Horn of Africa. In 121 African populations, four African American populations, and 60 non-African populations, results indicated

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1776-608: A consultant urologist and former Vice-Chancellor of University of Nairobi; and Prof Richard Samson Odingo , vice-chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which received the 2007 Nobel peace prize. Tishkoff et al. in 2009 published the largest study done to characterise genetic variation and relationships among populations in Africa. They examined 121 African populations, 4 African American populations and 60 non-African populations. Their results indicated

1924-434: A high degree of admixture occurred during the southward migration of southern Luo. Kalenjin groups and Maasai groups were found to have less Bantu ancestry, but significant Cushitic ancestry. Physically, Nilotes are noted for their typically very dark skin color and slender, and occasionally tall bodies. They often possess exceptionally long limbs, particularly their distal segments (fore arms, lower legs). This characteristic

2072-411: A high degree of mixed ancestry reflecting migration events. In East Africa, all population groups examined had elements of Nilotic , Cushitic and Bantu ancestry, amongst others, to varying degrees. They also found that, by and large, genetic clusters were consistent with linguistic classification, with notable exceptions including the Luo of Kenya. Despite being Nilotic speakers , the Luo cluster with

2220-535: A high degree of mixed ancestry reflecting migration events. In East Africa, all population groups examined had elements of Nilotic, Cushitic and Bantu ancestry amongst others to varying degrees. By and large, genetic clusters were consistent with linguistic classification with notable exceptions including the Luo of Kenya. Despite being Nilo-Saharan speakers, the Luo cluster with the Niger-Kordofanian-speaking populations that surround them. This indicates

2368-533: A kidney infection at the Kenyatta National Hospital. The Council's wrangles continued after his demise with Willis Opiyo Otondi still claiming to be the legitimate ker rivalled by Ker Nyandiko Ong'adi who was elected by the Luo Council of Elders in 2015 to replace ker Riaga Ogalo. The Current Ker is Jaduong Odungi Randa, who was crowned on 22nd December 2023 becoming the 9th Ker . Attempts to centralize

2516-803: A mixed economy of cattle pastoralism, fishing, and seed cultivation. Some of the earliest archaeological findings on record, that describe a similar culture to this from the same region, are found at Kadero , 48 m north of Khartoum in Sudan and date to 3000 BC. Kadero contains the remains of a cattle pastoralist culture and a cemetery with skeletal remains featuring sub-Saharan African phenotypes. It also contains evidence of other animal domestication, artistry, long-distance trade, seed cultivation, and fish consumption. Genetic and linguistic studies have demonstrated that Nubian people in Northern Sudan and Southern Egypt are an admixed group that started off as

2664-607: A multi-tribal opposition party led by Oginga Odinga , Kenneth Matiba and Martin Shikuku was formed. This party split up due to internal wrangling into ethnic based opposition parties - FORD-Asili (led by Matiba) and FORD-Kenya (led by Oginga Odinga). Oginga Odinga died in 1994. Ford-Kenya later split and Odinga's son, Raila Odinga started the National Development Party of Kenya (NDP) which had considerable Luo support. This party merged with KANU in 2002, just before

2812-655: A number of popular music genres including benga and ohangla . Benga is one of Africa's most popular genres. The present day homeland of Kenyan and Tanzanian Luo lies in the eastern Lake Victoria basin - Nam Lolwe in the former Nyanza province in Western Kenya and the Mara region in northwestern Tanzania. This area falls within tropical latitudes and straddles the equator . This area also receives average rainfall levels. The average altitudes range between 3700 and 6000 feet above sea level. Luo people of Kenya and Tanzania form

2960-496: A person on Earth, the Sun appears to travel along the equator (or along the celestial equator) at these times. Locations on the equator experience the shortest sunrises and sunsets because the Sun's daily path is nearly perpendicular to the horizon for most of the year. The length of daylight (sunrise to sunset) is almost constant throughout the year; it is about 14 minutes longer than nighttime due to atmospheric refraction and

3108-505: A place called Ramogi Hill, then expanded around northern Nyanza. The people of Owiny' ( Jok'Owiny ) and the people of Omolo ( Jok'Omolo ) followed soon after (1598-1625). A miscellaneous group composed of the Suba, Sakwa, Asembo, Uyoma, and Kano then followed. The Suba originally were Bantu-speaking people who assimilated into Luo culture. They fled from the Buganda Kingdom in Uganda after

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3256-578: A population closely related to Nilotic peoples . This population later received significant gene flow from Middle Eastern and other East African populations. Nubians are considered to be descendants of the early inhabitants of the Nile valley who later formed the Kingdom of Kush which included Kerma and Meroe and the medieval christian kingdoms of Makuria , Nobatia and Alodia . These studies suggest that populations closely related to Nilotic people long inhabited

3404-485: A population closely related to Nilotic people. This population later received significant gene flow from Middle Eastern and other East African populations. Nubians are considered to be descendants of the early inhabitants of the Nile valley who later formed the Kingdom of Kush , which included Kerma and Meroe and the medieval Christian kingdoms of Makuria , Nobatia , and Alodia . These studies suggest that populations closely related to Nilotic people long inhabited

3552-553: A prominent North African influence was noted. Haplogroup A was observed amongst 62% of Dinka, 53.3% of Shilluk, 46.4% of Nuba, 33.3% of Nuer, 31.3% of Fur , and 18.8% of Masalit . Haplogroup B was found in 50% of Nuer, 26.7% of Shilluk, 23% of Dinka, 14.3% of Nuba, 3.1% of Fur, and 3.1% of Masalit. The E1b1b clade was also observed in 71.9% of the Masalit, 59.4% of the Fur, 39.3% of the Nuba , 20% of

3700-452: A proxy cold war in Kenya. Local politics became enmeshed with cold war ideological divisions. Odinga and Bildad Kaggia , a Kikuyu politician and Mau Mau leader, criticised the Kenyatta government for adopting a corrupt land redistribution policy that did not benefit the poor and landless. Pio Gama Pinto , a prominent anti-colonial activist, Odinga's chief tactician and link to the eastern bloc

3848-735: A rite of passage during puberty) , singular Jaluo , Jaonagi or Joramogi / Nyikwaramogi , meaning "Ramogi's heirs." The Luo clans of Kenya and Tanzania were called Ororo , while among the Nuer they were called Liel . In the Dinka tribe, the Luo are called the Jur-Chol . The present-day Kenya Luo traditionally consist of 27 tribes, each in turn composed of various clans and sub-clans ("Jo-" indicates "people of"). Oral history and genealogical evidence have been used to estimate timelines of Luo expansion into and within Kenya and Tanzania. Four major waves of migrations into

3996-679: A shared language. Since the late 20th century, however, social and physical scientists are making use of data from population genetics. Nilotic and Nilote are now mainly used to refer to the various disparate people who speak languages in the same Nilotic language family. Etymologically, the terms Nilotic and Nilote (singular nilot) derive from the Nile Valley ; specifically, the Upper Nile and its tributaries, where most Sudanese Nilo-Saharan-speaking people live. Linguistically, Nilotic people are divided into three subgroups: Nilotic people constitute

4144-495: A snake. Garang, another deity, is believed or assumed by some Dinka to be a god suppressed by Deng. His spirits can cause most Dinka women, and some men, to scream. The term Jok refers to a group of ancestral spirits. In the Lotuko mythology , the chief God is called Ajok . He is generally seen as kind and benevolent, but can be angered. He once reportedly answered a woman's prayer for the resurrection of her son. Her husband, however,

4292-458: A study on the genetic clusters of various populations in Africa. According to the researchers, Nilotes generally form their own African genetic cluster, although relatively most closely related to other Nilo-Saharan populations, more distantly followed by Afro-Asiatic speakers and Niger-Congo speakers . The authors also found that certain Nilotic populations in the eastern Great Lakes region, such as

4440-571: A substantional minority in the countries of Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. South Sudan is the area that is believed to be their original point of dispersal, as they constitute the second-most numerous group of peoples inhabiting the African Great Lakes region around the East African Rift . They make up a notable part of the population of North eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as well. Nilotic people are believed to numbered 50 million in

4588-530: A threat to their authority because of the Mumbo creed. Mumbo pledged to drive out the colonialists and their supporters and condemned their religion. Since violent resistance had been proven to be futile as the Africans were outmatched technologically, this movement focused on anticipating the end of colonialism, rather than actively inducing it. This movement was classified as a millennialist cult . Mumboism spread amongst

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4736-683: A three-decade war with Sennar over control of the White Nile trade routes. The Cøllø allied with the Sultanate of Darfur and the Kingdom of Takali against the Funj, but the capitulation of Takali ended the war in the Funj's favour. In the later 17th century, the Cøllø and Funj allied against the Dinka, who rose to power in the border area between the Funj and Cøllø. The Cøllø political structure gradually centralized under

4884-401: Is a standard for use in cartography, geodesy, and satellite navigation including GPS , also has an equatorial radius of 6,378.137 km (3,963.191 mi). For both GRS 80 and WGS 84, this results in a length for the Equator of 40,075.0167 km (24,901.4609 mi). The geographical mile is defined as one arc-minute of the Equator, so it has different values depending on which radius

5032-406: Is assumed. For example, by WSG-84, the distance is 1,855.3248 metres (6,087.024 ft), while by IAU-2000, it is 1,855.3257 metres (6,087.027 ft). This is a difference of less than one millimetre (0.039 in) over the total distance (approximately 1.86 kilometres or 1.16 miles). Earth is commonly modeled as a sphere flattened 0.336% along its axis. This makes the Equator 0.16% longer than

5180-412: Is in keeping with oral history, which affirms that large groups of Bantu speakers adopted Luo language, culture and customs that were dominant at the time. 66% of tested Luo men were found to have Y Haplogroup E-M2 (E1b1a) which is common among Bantu speaking peoples. Traditionally, the Luo people were a patriarchal society with a decentralized government system. The family was headed by the father or

5328-606: Is indicative of substantial historic gene flow from Cushitic-speaking males into these Nilo-Saharan-speaking populations. 67% of the Alur samples possessed the E2 haplogroup . The Y-DNA of populations in the Sudan region were studied, with various local Nilotic groups included for comparison. The signature Nilotic A and B clades were the most common paternal lineages amongst the Nilo-Saharan speakers, except those inhabiting western Sudan . There,

5476-458: Is irregular, so the actual length of the Equator is not so easy to determine. Aviation Week and Space Technology on 9 October 1961 reported that measurements using the Transit IV-A satellite had shown the equatorial diameter from longitude 11° West to 169° East to be 1,000 feet (305 m) greater than its diameter ninety degrees away. Download coordinates as: The Equator passes through

5624-557: Is perpendicular to the Earth's rotation axis , which drifts about 9 metres (30 ft) during a year. Geological samples show that the Equator significantly changed positions between 48 and 12 million years ago, as sediment deposited by ocean thermal currents at the Equator shifted. The deposits by thermal currents are determined by the axis of Earth, which determines solar coverage of Earth's surface . Changes in Earth's axis can also be observed in

5772-502: Is the God of the sky and rain, and the ruler of all the spirits. He is believed to be present in all of creation, and to control the destiny of every human, plant, and animal on Earth. Nhialic is also known as Jaak, Juong, or Dyokin by other Nilotic groups, such as the Nuer and Shilluk. Dengdit or Deng, is the sky God of rain and fertility, empowered by Nhialic. Deng's mother is Abuk , the patron goddess of gardening and all women, represented by

5920-530: Is the former Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission director also is a Luo. Lupita Nyong'o won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film 12 Years a Slave in 2014. Prominent Luo doctors and scientists include the late Prof. David Peter Simon Wasawo , the first science professor in East and Central Africa and first black East African to study and lecture science courses at Makerere university; Thomas R. Odhiambo , prominent entomologist, founder of

6068-596: Is thought to be a climatic adaptation to allow their bodies to shed heat more efficiently. Sudanese Nilotes are regarded as one of the tallest peoples in the world. Average values of 182.6 cm (5 ft 11.9 in) for height and 58.8 kg (130 lb; 9 st 4 lb) for weight were seen in a sample of Sudanese Shilluk. Another sample of Sudanese Dinka had a stature/weight ratio of 181.9 cm (5 ft 11.6 in) and 58.0 kg (127.9 lb; 9 st 1.9 lb), with an extremely ectomorphic somatotype of 1.6–3.5–6.2. In terms of facial features,

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6216-429: Is tilted towards or away from the sun, resulting in either summer or winter in both hemispheres. This also results in a corresponding movement of the equator away from the subsolar point, which is then situated over or near the relevant tropic circle . Nevertheless, temperatures are high year-round due to the Earth's axial tilt of 23.5° not being enough to create a low minimum midday declination to sufficiently weaken

6364-484: The 2007–2008 Kenyan crisis following the 2007 general elections. The campaign and election period were heavily polarised along ethnic lines. Raila Odinga led the Orange Democratic Movement against Mwai Kibaki 's Party of National Unity . A power sharing agreement mediated by Kofi Annan led to a coalition government with Raila Odinga receiving the new position of Prime Minister. The ethnic rivalry between

6512-544: The Acholi , Adhola and Alur people (From Uganda and parts of South Sudan and Eastern Congo ), especially Acholi and Padhola . It is estimated that Dholuo has 90% lexical similarity with Lep Alur ( Alur language ); 83% with Lep Achol ( Acholi language ); 93% with Dhopadhola (Padhola language), 74% with Anuak , and 69% with Jurchol ( Luwo ) and Dhi-Pari (Pari). Luo of Kenya and Tanzania are also called Joluo or Jonagi / Onagi(a person who has his six lower teeth removed as

6660-701: The African Nationalist struggle . Luo scientists, such as Thomas Risley Odhiambo Nandy (founder of the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) and winner of UNESCO's Albert Einstein Gold Medal in 1991) and Washington Yotto Ochieng (winner of the Harold Spencer-Jones Gold Medal in 2019 from The Royal Institute of Navigation (RIN)) have achieved international acclaim for their contributions. Prof. Richard S. Odingo

6808-660: The Babiito dynasty in Uganda . This group assimilated into Bantu culture. The Luo of Kenya and Tanzania are classified as Southern Luo .and are the only 'river lake Nilotes' having migrated and lived along the Nile river . They entered Kenya and Tanzania via Uganda from the Bahr el-Ghazal region in South Sudan . The Luo speakers who migrated into Kenya were chiefly from four Luo-speaking groups:

6956-559: The Bantu speaking populations that surround them. They suggest that this indicates a high degree of admixture occurred during the southward migration of Southern Luo. David Reich's laboratory also noted similar findings. They found that mutation frequencies in the Luo were much more similar to those of the surrounding Bantu speakers. They suggested that Luo speakers in East Africa may not always have been socially disadvantaged as they migrated into territories already inhabited by Bantu speakers. This

7104-528: The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) and the African Academy of Sciences , winner of the Albert Einstein Gold Medal (1991); Washington Yotto Ochieng , winner of the Harold Spencer-Jones Gold Medal 2019 from The Royal Institute of Navigation (RIN) following his outstanding contribution to navigation; Prof. Henry Odera Oruka , philosopher; Professor George Magoha ,

7252-686: The Kenya African Union . Harry Thuku , a pioneering Kikuyu politician, founded the Kenya African Study Union in 1944 which later became the Kenya African Union . This was an African nationalist organisation that demanded amongst other things, access to white owned land. It was multitribal. Jomo Kenyatta became president of KAU in 1947. In an effort to gain nationwide support of KAU, Jomo Kenyatta visited Kisumu in 1952. His effort to build up support for KAU in Nyanza inspired Oginga Odinga ,

7400-647: The Ker (chief) of the Luo Union to join KAU and delve into politics. The Luo generally were not dispossessed of their land by white settlers, avoiding the fate that befell the pastoral ethnic groups inhabiting the Kenyan " White Highlands ". Many Luo played significant roles in the struggle for Kenyan independence, but the people were relatively uninvolved in the Mau Mau Uprising (1952–60). Instead, they used their education to advance

7548-801: The Kikuyu people in Nairobi . A strike at the CMS mission school in Maseno was organised by Daudi Basudde. He raised concerns about the damaging implications on African land ownership by switching from the East African Protectorate to the Kenya Colony . A series of meetings dubbed Piny Owacho (Voice of the People) culminated in a large mass meeting held in December 1921 advocating for individual title deeds, getting rid of

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7696-666: The Kipande system and a fairer tax system. Bound by the same concerns, James Beauttah , one of the founders of the Kikuyu Central Association initiated an alliance between the Kikuyu and Luo communities. Archdeacon W. E. Owen, an Anglican missionary and prominent advocate for African affairs, formalised and canalised the Piny’ Owacho (Voice of the People) movement. Colonial authorities would come to praise him as having re-directed

7844-523: The Moi administration. Oginga Odinga was released from detention in 1971. The government continued to discourage his active participation in politics as he could not run for office in the 1974 general elections . In 1982, Odinga attempted to start a new political party - Kenya African Socialist Alliance. Section 2A of the Kenyan constitution was amended making Kenya a de jure one party state therefore preventing Odinga's efforts. A coup attempt that same year by Kenya Air Force soldiers in August, led by

7992-491: The Nilotic language family . Dholuo shares considerable similarities with languages spoken by other Luo peoples . The Luo moved into western Kenya from Uganda between the 15th and 20th centuries in four waves. They were closely related to Luo peoples found in Uganda , especially the Acholi and Padhola people. As they moved into Kenya and Tanzania, they underwent significant genetic and cultural modifications as they encountered other communities that were long established in

8140-457: The Sudd marshlands, which protected them from outside interference, and allowed them to remain secure without a large armed forces. The Shilluk, Azande, and Bari people had more regular conflicts with neighbouring states Most Nilotes continue to practice pastoralism, migrating on a seasonal basis with their herds of livestock. Some tribes are also known for a tradition of cattle raiding . Through lengthy interaction with neighbouring peoples,

8288-425: The Tropic of Capricorn ). The equator is the only line of latitude which is also a great circle —meaning, one whose plane passes through the center of the globe. The plane of Earth's equator, when projected outwards to the celestial sphere , defines the celestial equator . In the cycle of Earth's seasons , the equatorial plane runs through the Sun twice a year : on the equinoxes in March and September . To

8436-399: The United States of America through the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU). He used these connections and his international celebrity status to counter moves by the colonial government Tom Mboya started the Nairobi People's Convention Party (NPCP) , inspired by Kwame Nkurumah's People's Convention Party . It became the most organised and effective political party in

8584-435: The general elections . Raila Odinga is widely credited with enabling Mwai Kibaki to win the 2002 presidential election through the support of his Liberal Democratic Party . This relationship turned sour however and Raila Odinga led the vote against Mwai Kibaki in the 2005 Kenyan constitutional referendum which was widely perceived as a referendum against Kibaki. More than 1,000 people were killed and 600,000 displaced in

8732-439: The zenith ) every day, year-round. Consequently, the Equator has a rather stable daytime temperature throughout the year. On the equinoxes (approximately March 20 and September 23) the subsolar point crosses Earth's equator at a shallow angle, sunlight shines perpendicular to Earth's axis of rotation, and all latitudes have nearly a 12-hour day and 12-hour night. The name is derived from medieval Latin word aequator , in

8880-432: The 17th century had a population density similar to that of the Egyptian Nile lands. One theory is that pressure from the Cøllø drove the Funj people north, who would establish the Sultanate of Sennar . The Dinka remained in the Sudd area, maintaining their transhumance economy. While the Dinka were protected and isolated from their neighbours, the Cøllø were more involved in international affairs. The Cøllø controlled

9028-452: The 1930s, the Luo way of life had changed significantly and westernized. Some suggest that the efforts of Chiefs ( Ruoth ) such as Odera Akang'o played a role in this. 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 styles of "schooling, dress and hygiene". This resulted in

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9176-653: The 21st century. The Nilotic people primarily adhere to Christianity and traditional beliefs , with the majority of them being Christians . A small minority of Nilotes practice the religion of Islam . The terms "Nilotic" and "Nilote"' were previously used as racial subclassifications, based on anthropological observations of the supposed distinct body morphology of many Nilotic speakers. Twentieth-century social scientists have largely discarded such efforts to classify peoples according to physical characteristics, in favor of using linguistic studies to distinguish among peoples. They formed ethnicities and cultures based on

9324-417: The Arabs, the South Sudanese may have obtained new breeds of humpless cattle. Archaeologist Roland Oliver notes that the period also shows an Iron Age beginning among the Nilotic. These factors may explain how the Nilotic speakers expanded to dominate the region. By the 16th century, the most powerful group among the Nilotic speakers were the Cøllø, called Shilluk by Arabs and Europeans, who spread east to

9472-443: The Congo , and Tanzania . The Nilotic peoples consist of the Dinka , the Nuer , the Shilluk , the Luo peoples , the Alur , the Anuak , the Ateker peoples , the Kalenjin people and the Karamojong people also known as the Karamojong or Karimojong, Chaga people , Ngasa people , Datooga , Samburu ,and the Maa-speaking peoples . The Nilotes constitute the majority of the population in South Sudan while constituting as

9620-401: The East African Common Services Civil Servants Union) and detained without trial. The Cold War intrigues reached their peak in 1969. Since Odinga's exit from KANU, the Luo increasingly became politically marginalised. Argwings Kodhek, the pioneering Mau Mau lawyer died in a car crash under mysterious circumstances on 29 January 1969. Tom Mboya , widely touted as the heir apparent to Kenyatta,

9768-432: The Equator. However, its island of Annobón is 155 km (96 mi) south of the Equator, and the rest of the country lies to the north. France , Norway ( Bouvet Island ), and the United Kingdom are the other three Northern Hemisphere -based countries which have territories in the Southern Hemisphere . Seasons result from the tilt of Earth's axis away from a line perpendicular to the plane of its revolution around

9916-546: The IAU 2009 value). This equatorial radius is also in the 2003 and 2010 IERS Conventions. It is also the equatorial radius used for the IERS 2003 ellipsoid. If it were really circular, the length of the equator would then be exactly 2π times the radius, namely 40,075.0142 km (24,901.4594 mi). The GRS 80 (Geodetic Reference System 1980) as approved and adopted by the IUGG at its Canberra, Australia meeting of 1979 has an equatorial radius of 6,378.137 km (3,963.191 mi). The WGS 84 (World Geodetic System 1984) which

10064-469: The KANU party's administration of the nascent state, had tragic consequences for the people of Kenya. Despite the economic potential of nearby Lake Victoria , Kenya continues to struggle with poverty and HIV/AIDS . Local and international pressure in the early 1990s resulted in the Moi government repealing the amendment of section 2A of the constitution. Multi-party politics was therefore permitted in Kenya. The Forum for Restoration of Democracy (FORD),

10212-479: The Kikuyu and the Luo underscores deeply rooted historical issues that involve access to resources and power. This rivalry continues to shape Kenya's political trajectory. Despite the polarised politics that have led to economic and political marginalisation, several members of the Luo community continue to achieve prominence in Kenya. These include, James Orengo , Professor Anyang' Nyong'o , Peter Oloo-Aringo , Dalmas Otieno and Peter Ombija . Dr. PLO Lumumba who

10360-403: The Kikuyu inherited the bulk of political power in the first years following Kenya's independence in 1963. However, differences with Kenyatta caused Odinga to defect from the party and abandon the vice presidency in 1966. Cold War political intrigues were at play in local Kenyan politics. The western and eastern blocs actively sought to influence local policy making and win allies resulting in

10508-522: The Kipsigis and the Lembus Nandi moved to Rongai area. The Kipsigis and Nandi are said to have lived as a united group for a long time but eventually were forced to separate due to antagonistic environmental factors. Some of these were droughts and invasion of the Maasai from Uasin Gishu. Geographical barriers protected the southerners from Islam's advance, enabling them to retain their social and cultural heritage and their political and religious institutions. The Dinka people were especially secure in

10656-528: The Langi, Acholi, and Alur, the Luo do not practice the ritual circumcision of males as initiation . Local churches include Legio Maria , Roho , Nomiya and Fweny among others. There are Luo Muslim communities, with a notable group living in Kisumu, Kenya . Historically, couples were introduced to each other by matchmakers, but this is not common now. Like many other communities in Kenya, marriage practices among

10804-777: The Legislative Council (MLCs) was in 1957. Tom Mboya and Oginga Odinga were elected. In June 1958, Oginga Odinga called for the release of Jomo Kenyatta who had been imprisoned following the crackdown on the Mau Mau uprising. He made this call at a Legislative council debate. He endured months of persecution for taking this stand before it became the rallying call for the African nationalist movement. The Lancaster House Conferences were held in London to discuss Kenya's independence and constitutional framework. Tom Mboya and Oginga Odinga enlisted

10952-516: The Luo Thrift and Trading Corporation (LUTATCO) after noting that Luo business owners, who were the most financially independent Africans, loathed education. He also sought to uplift the economic status of the Luo community whilst proving that education was useful for business. The LUTATCO office was the first African owned building in Kisumu Town. One of the many business ventures it engaged in included

11100-531: The Luo and the Kisii people . The Colonial authorities suppressed the movement by deporting and imprisoning adherents in the 1920s and 1930s. The earliest modern African political organization in Kenya Colony sought to protest pro-settler policies, and increased taxes on Africans and the despised Kipande (Identifying metal band worn around the neck). Mass meetings were organized separately by Luo people in Kavirondo and

11248-586: The Luo have been changing and some people are moving away from the traditional way of doing things. Nilotic peoples The Nilotic people are people indigenous to the South Sudan and the East Africa who speak the Nilotic languages . They inhabit South Sudan and the Gambella Region of Ethiopia , while also being a large minority in Kenya , Uganda , the north eastern border area of Democratic Republic of

11396-599: The Luo men to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Circumcision was alien to the Luo tradition but his leadership made many hearts to accept the new changes. Ker Riaga Ogalo also served as the Vice-Chairman of the National Council of Elders. During the last years of his reign, he argued that Raila was deterring the Luo People to grow democratically and economically with his style of polictics. Ker Riaga Ogalo died in 2015 after

11544-836: The Luo people under one authority have not been easy given their history with a decentralized government structure. Traditionally, the names given to children often reflected the conditions of the mother's pregnancy or delivery (including, for example, the time or season). Further, the Luos have removed six lower teeth because of lock jaw disease that had affected Luo land A popular Luo meal includes fish (rech) especially tilapia (ngege) and omena , usually accompanied with ugali (called kuon in Dholuo) and traditional vegetables like osuga and apoth . Traditional Luo diet consisted of kuon made of sorghum or millet accompanied by fish, meat, or vegetable stews. Like many ethnic communities in Uganda, including

11692-584: The Maasai, showed some additional Afro-Asiatic affinities due to repeated assimilation of Cushitic-speaking peoples over the past 5000 or so years. Overall, Nilotic people and other Nilo-Saharan groups are closely related to Afro-Asiatic speakers of North and East Africa. Both groups are inferred to have diverged from a common ancestor around 16,000 years ago. Nilotic people and other Nilo-Saharan groups are also closely related to Niger-Congo speakers of West and Central Africa. Both groups are inferred to have diverged from

11840-546: The Nandi tribe, came from a wide array of Kalenjin-speaking areas. Apparently, spatial core areas existed to which people moved and concentrated over the centuries, and in the process evolved into the individual Kalenjin communities known today by adopting migrants and assimilating original inhabitants. For various reasons, slow and multigenerational migrations of Nilotic Luo peoples occurred from South Sudan into Uganda and western Kenya from at least 1000 AD, and continuing until

11988-562: The Nile Valley as far as southern Egypt in antiquity. Language evidence indicates an initial southward expansion out of the Nilotic nursery into far southern Sudan beginning in the second millennium BC, the Southern Nilotic communities that participated in this expansion eventually reached western Kenya between 1000 and 500 BC. Their arrival occurred shortly before the introduction of iron to East Africa. Linguistic studies indicate that

12136-473: The Nile valley as far as Southern Egypt in antiquity. For various reasons, slow and multi-generational migrations of Nilotic Luo Peoples occurred from South Sudan into Uganda and western Kenya from at least 1000 AD continuing up until the early 20th century. Some authors note that the early phases of this expansion coincide with the collapse of the Christian Nubian kingdoms of Makuria and Alodia ,

12284-456: The Nilotes are often subdivided into three general groups: A proto-Nilotic unity, separate from an earlier undifferentiated Eastern Sudanic unity, is assumed to have emerged by the third millennium BC. The development of the proto-Nilotes as a group may have been connected with their domestication of livestock . The Eastern Sudanic unity must have been considerably earlier still, perhaps around

12432-401: The Nilotes in East Africa have adopted many customs and practices from Southern Cushitic groups. The latter include the age set system of social organization, circumcision , and vocabulary terms. In terms of religious beliefs, Nilotes primarily adhere to traditional faiths, Christianity and Islam. The Dinka religion has a pantheon of deities. The Supreme, Creator God is Nhialic , who

12580-566: The Nubian Nile Valley. This interaction suggests that communities in the Lower Wadi Howar were actively engaged in trade networks, exchanging livestock and resources with these established cultures, thus integrating into the broader economic and cultural landscape of ancient Nubia. The evidence of cattle burials and the presence of pottery designs reflect a synthesis of local traditions and influences from neighboring cultures, highlighting

12728-667: The Sahara around 6,000–8,000 years ago". Similarly, Afro-Asiatic influence was seen in the Nilotic Datog of northern Tanzania, 43% of whom carried the M293 subclade of E1b1b. Unlike the paternal DNA of Nilotes, the maternal lineages of Nilotes in general show low-to-negligible amounts of Afro-Asiatic and other extraneous influences. An mtDNA study examined the maternal ancestry of various Nilotic populations in Kenya, with Turkana, Samburu, Maasai, and Luo individuals sampled. The mtDNA of almost all of

12876-520: The Shilluk, 16.7% of the Nuer, and 15% of the Dinka. The atypically high frequencies of the haplogroup in the Masalit was attributed to either a recent population bottleneck , which likely altered the community's original haplogroup diversity, or to geographical proximity to E1b1b's place of origin in North Africa. The clade "might have been brought to Sudan [...] after the progressive desertification of

13024-473: The Suba, Sakwa, Asembo, Uyoma and Kano then followed. The Suba originally were Bantu-speaking people who assimilated into Luo culture. They fled from the Buganda Kingdom in Uganda after the civil strife that followed the murder of the 24th Kabaka of Buganda in the mid 18th century and settled in South Nyanza , especially at Rusinga and Mfangano islands. Luo speakers crossed Winam Gulf of Lake Victoria from Northern Nyanza into South Nyanza starting in

13172-513: The Sun's rays even during the solstices. High year-round temperatures extend to about 25° north or south of the equator, although the moderate seasonal temperature difference is defined by the opposing solstices (as it is at higher latitudes) near the poleward limits of this range. Near the equator, there is little temperature change throughout the year, though there may be dramatic differences in rainfall and humidity. The terms summer, autumn, winter and spring do not generally apply. Lowlands around

13320-540: The Sun. Throughout the year, the Northern and Southern hemispheres are alternately turned either toward or away from the Sun, depending on Earth's position in its orbit. The hemisphere turned toward the Sun receives more sunlight and is in summer, while the other hemisphere receives less sun and is in winter (see solstice ). At the equinoxes , Earth's axis is perpendicular to the Sun rather than tilted toward or away, meaning that day and night are both about 12 hours long across

13468-460: The Tugen first settled in small clan groups, fleeing from war, famine, and disease, and that they arrived from western, eastern, and northern sections. Even a section among the Tugen claims to have come from Mount Kenya. The Nandi account on the settlement of Nandi displays a similar manner of occupation of the Nandi territory. The Kalenjin clans who moved into and occupied the Nandi area, thus becoming

13616-477: The a king or reth . The most important is Rädh Tugø (son of Rädh Dhøköödhø) who ruled from circa 1690 to 1710 and established the Cøllø capital of Fashoda . The same period had the gradual collapse of the Funj sultanate, leaving the Cøllø in complete control of the White Nile and its trade routes. The Cøllø military power was based on control of the river. Starting in the mid-19th century, European anthropologists and later Kenyan historians have been interested in

13764-473: The afternoon and 23 °C (73 °F) around sunrise. Rainfall is very high away from cold ocean current upwelling zones, from 2,500 to 3,500 mm (100 to 140 in) per year. There are about 200 rainy days per year and average annual sunshine hours are around 2,000. Despite high year-round sea level temperatures, some higher altitudes such as the Andes and Mount Kilimanjaro have glaciers. The highest point on

13912-595: The ancestors of the Nilotic peoples resided further north than their present locations. Archaeological evidence from sites in the Lower Wadi Howar reveals the presence of groups that are likely ancestral to both modern Nilotic speakers and Eastern Sudanic speakers as a whole. Scholars argue that these ancestors inhabited the Lower Wadi Howar region. The archaeological findings in the Lower Wadi Howar reveal significant evidence of cultural continuity and interaction with ancient Nubian cultures, particularly through

14060-430: The appointment of another Ker while Opiyo Otondi argued that he was the duly elected Ker of the Luo people. Ker Riaga Ogalo represented Raila in numerous political forums and helped build Raila Odinga's political career contrary to the requirements of the council during the days they were in good talking terms. Ker Riaga Ogalo is credited for having progressive ideas of all modern Luo Kers by championing for circumcision of

14208-589: The arrival of Luo speakers. This assertion is poorly supported archaeologically, however, because most of the stone walled structures are dated to within the period of Luo expansion. Nevertheless, Luo speakers maintained Thimlich Ohinga and continued the tradition of building stone walled fortresses ( Ohingni ) as well as defensive earthworks ( Gunda Bur ) in both Northern and Southern Nyanza. These defensive earth works would curve around living areas surrounding them. Some of these defensive structures enclosed several hundred houses. Archaeological and ethnographic analyses of

14356-472: The assistance of Thurgood Marshall , an American Lawyer and civil rights activist to draft the first constitution. After Kenya became independent on 12 December 1963, Oginga Odinga declined the presidency of Kenya and agreed to assume the vice presidency with Jomo Kenyatta as the head of government. Their administration represented the Kenya African National Union (KANU) party. The Luo and

14504-499: The assistance of elders who were traditionally men of status gained through commerce, wealth, war, or eloquence. Many villages came together to form a sub-tribe - Piny which losely translates to Tribal state. Piny was headed by a merit based hereditary chieftaincy by the eldest son WoR uoth (prince/son of the Ruoth) . The Ruoth was crowned by a diviner - Jabilo who was also his spiritual and military advisor. The Luo government structure

14652-462: The association with the herringbone culture. As aridity increased during the fourth millennium BCE, the importance of cattle in the economic and social life of the region grew, leading to the emergence of distinct cultural practices, including the adoption of pottery styles characterized by incised herringbone patterns. These patterns indicate strong contact with the A-Group and pre-Kerma cultures along

14800-448: The banks of the white Nile under the legendary leadership of Nyikang, who is said to have ruled Läg Cøllø c from around 1490 to 1517. The Cøllø gained control of the west bank of the river as far north as Kosti in Sudan. There they established an economy based on cattle raising, cereal farming, and fishing, with small villages located along the length of the river. The Cøllø developed an intensive system of agriculture. The Cøllø lands in

14948-770: The bulk of the population of South Sudan. The largest of the Sudanese Nilotic peoples are the Dinka , who have as many as 25 ethnic subdivisions. The next-largest groups are the Nuer , followed by the Shilluk . Nilotic people in Uganda includes the Luo peoples ( Acholi , Alur , Adhola ), the Ateker peoples ( Iteso , Kumam , Karamojong , Lango people who despite speaking a mixture of Luo words, have Atekere origins, Sebei , and Kakwa ). In East Africa,

15096-446: The cause of independence peacefully. An intense propaganda campaign by the colonial government effectively discouraged other Kenyan communities, settlers and the international community from sympathising with the movement by emphasising on real and perceived acts of barbarism perpetrated by the Mau Mau. Although a much smaller number of Europeans lost their lives compared to Africans during the uprising, each individual European loss of life

15244-501: The civil strife that followed the murder of the 24th Kabaka of Buganda in the mid-18th century and settled in South Nyanza , especially at Rusinga and Mfangano islands. Luo speakers crossed Winam Gulf of Lake Victoria from northern Nyanza into South Nyanza starting in the early 17th century. Several historical narratives from the various Kalenjin subtribes point to Tulwetab/Tulwop Kony ( Mount Elgon ) as their original point of settlement in Kenya. This point of origin appears as

15392-706: The country. It later merged with the Kenya Independence Movement and KAU to form the Kenya African National Union (KANU) , which would go on to rule the country until 2002. Tom Mboya also started the Kennedy Airlift scholarship program in order to address the issue of a lack of African skilled labour. Over 800 Kenyans and East Africans benefited from this program including environmentalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai , former vice president George Saitoti and Barack Obama 's father, Barack Obama Sr . The first election for African Members of

15540-523: The culture of the communities with which they interacted. Conflict and raids in this diverse area led to the development of defensive savanna architecture, typified by the stone walled ruins, Thimlich Ohinga in South Nyanza. Neville Chittick , the director of the British Institute of History and Archaeology in East Africa was the first to assert that the site was likely to have been constructed before

15688-466: The dynamic relationships that existed during this period of transformation and trade. The Nilotic expansion from Central regions of the Sudan like the Gezira into the rest of South Sudan seems to have begun between the 5th-11th centuries. Some of these kater migratiobs coincided with the collapse of the Christian Nubian kingdoms of Makuria and Alodia and the penetration of Arab traders into central Sudan. From

15836-679: The earliest archaeological findings on record, which describe a similar culture to this from the same region, are found at Kadero , 48 kilometres (30 miles) north of Khartoum in Sudan , and date to 3000 BC. Kadero contains the remains of a cattle pastoralist culture as well as a cemetery with skeletal remains featuring Sub-Saharan African phenotypes. It also contains evidence of other animal domestication, artistry, long-distance trade, seed cultivation and fish consumption. Genetic and linguistic studies have demonstrated that Nubian people in Northern Sudan and Southern Egypt are an admixed group that started off as

15984-467: The early 17th century. As Luo speakers migrated deeper into western Kenya, they encountered the descendants of various people who had long occupied the region. The great lakes region has been inhabited since the early Stone Age. The Kanysore culture, located at Gogo falls in Migori county , are thought to be the first hunter gatherers in East Africa to produce ceramics. Twa people are thought to have created

16132-447: The early 20th century. Oral history and genealogical evidence have been used to estimate timelines of Luo expansion into and within Kenya and Tanzania. Four major waves of migrations into the former Nyanza province in Kenya are discernible starting with the people of Jok ( Joka Jok ), which is estimated to have begun around 1490–1517. Joka Jok were the first and largest wave of migrants into northern Nyanza. These migrants settled at

16280-621: The equator generally have a tropical rainforest climate , also known as an equatorial climate, though cold ocean currents cause some regions to have tropical monsoon climates with a dry season in the middle of the year, and the Somali Current generated by the Asian monsoon due to continental heating via the high Tibetan Plateau causes Greater Somalia to have an arid climate despite its equatorial location. Average annual temperatures in equatorial lowlands are around 31 °C (88 °F) during

16428-468: The equator is at the elevation of 4,690 metres (15,387 ft), at 0°0′0″N 77°59′31″W  /  0.00000°N 77.99194°W  / 0.00000; -77.99194  ( highest point on the equator ) , found on the southern slopes of Volcán Cayambe [summit 5,790 metres (18,996 ft)] in Ecuador . This is slightly above the snow line and is the only place on the equator where snow lies on

16576-559: The fact that sunrise begins (or sunset ends) as the upper limb, not the center, of the Sun's disk contacts the horizon. Earth bulges slightly at the Equator; its average diameter is 12,742 km (7,918 mi), but the diameter at the equator is about 43 km (27 mi) greater than at the poles. Sites near the Equator, such as the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou , French Guiana , are good locations for spaceports as they have

16724-465: The fastest rotational speed of any latitude, 460 m (1,509 ft)/sec. The added velocity reduces the fuel needed to launch spacecraft eastward (in the direction of Earth's rotation) to orbit, while simultaneously avoiding costly maneuvers to flatten inclination during missions such as the Apollo Moon landings . The precise location of the Equator is not truly fixed; the true equatorial plane

16872-478: The fifth millennium BC. The proposed Nilo-Saharan unity would date to the Upper Paleolithic about 15 thousand years ago. The original locus of the early Nilotic speakers was presumably east of the Nile in what is now South Sudan. The Proto-Nilotes of the third millennium BC were pastoralists , while their neighbors, the proto- Central Sudanic peoples, were mostly agriculturalists. Nilotic people practised

17020-411: The first wife mikayi or son in the absence of the father. Many families came together through a traced relations by blood to form a clan, anyuola , which mostly brought together the heads of different families together as people of the same descent, jokang'ato . Many clans came together to form a village called gweng which was headed by a village elder titled dodo or jaduong' gweng' who ruled with

17168-515: The former Nyanza province in Kenya are discernible, starting with the People of Jok ( Joka Jok ), which is estimated to have begun around 1490–1517. Joka Jok were the first and largest wave of migrants into northern Nyanza . These migrants settled at a place called Ramogi Hill, then expanded around Northern Nyanza . The People of Owiny' ( Jok’Owiny ) and the People of Omolo ( Jok’Omolo ) followed soon after (1598–1625). A miscellaneous group composed of

17316-615: The gap, achieving prominence on the political scene. Tom Mboya stepped into the limelight and became one of the major figures in the struggle for Kenya's independence. His intelligence, discipline, oratory and organisational skills set him apart. Tom Mboya started the Kenya Federation of Labour (KFL), which quickly became the most active political body in Kenya, representing all the trade unions. Mboya's successes in trade unionism earned him respect and admiration. Mboya established international connections, particularly with labour leaders in

17464-679: The geographical layout of volcanic island chains, which are created by shifting hot spots under Earth's crust as the axis and crust move. This is consistent with the Indian tectonic plate colliding with the Eurasian tectonic plate , which is causing the Himalayan uplift. The International Association of Geodesy (IAG) and the International Astronomical Union (IAU) use an equatorial radius of 6,378.1366 km (3,963.1903 mi) (codified as

17612-527: The government to carry out detention without trial ostensibly to maintain law and order in situations where the current order was threatened. This Act was immediately used against KPU members. In August 1966, government police arrested prominent Luo KPU members including Ochola Mak'Anyengo (the secretary general of the Kenya Petroleum Oil Workers Union), Oluande Koduol (Oginga Odinga's private secretary) and Peter Ooko (the general secretary of

17760-611: The land of eleven sovereign states . Indonesia is the country straddling the greatest length of the equatorial line across both land and sea. Starting at the Prime Meridian and heading eastwards, the Equator passes through: The Equator also passes through the territorial seas of three countries: Maldives (south of Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll ), Kiribati (south of Buariki Island ), and the United States (south of Baker Island ). Despite its name, no part of Equatorial Guinea lies on

17908-399: The majority of Nilotic peoples . During the British colonial period, they were known as Nilotic Kavirondo . The exact location of origin of the Nilotic peoples is controversial but most ethnolinguists and historians place their origins between Bahr-el-Ghazal and Eastern Equatoria in South Sudan . They practiced a mixed economy of cattle pastoralism, fishing and seed cultivation. Some of

18056-666: The mid 20th century, they were all abandoned. 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 alliances. In 1896, a punitive expedition was mounted in support of the Wanga ruler Mumia in Ugenya against the Kager clan led by Ochieng Ger III , otherwise known as Gero. Over 200 were quickly killed by

18204-426: The nasal profile most common amongst Nilotic populations is broad, with characteristically high index values ranging from 86.9 to 92.0. Lower nasal indices are often found amongst Nilotes who inhabit the more southerly Great Lakes region, such as the Maasai, which is attributed to genetic differences. Equator In spatial (3D) geometry , as applied in astronomy , the equator of a rotating spheroid (such as

18352-581: The northern side of Mount Elgon and later spread to areas north of Lake Baringo. At Lake Baringo , the Tugen separated from the Nandi and the Kipsigis. This was during a famine known as Kemeutab Reresik, which means, famine of the bats. It is said that during this famine a bat brought blades of green grass which was taken as a sign of good omen signifying that famine could be averted through movement to greener pastures. The Tugen moved and settled around Tugen Hills while

18500-444: The origins of human migration from various parts of Africa into East Africa. One of the more notable broad-based theories emanating from these studies includes the Bantu expansion . The main tools of study have been linguistics, archaeology and oral traditions. The significance of tracing individual clan histories in order to get an idea of Kalenjin groups formation has been shown by scholars such as B.E. Kipkorir (1978). He argued that

18648-575: The penetration of Arabs into central Sudan as well as Nilotic adoption of Iron Age technology . The northern most group of Luo peoples - the Shilluk - advanced north along the White Nile in the 16th century, conquering territory as far as modern day Khartoum. They established the Shilluk Kingdom . In the 15th century, Luo peoples moved into the Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom and established

18796-659: The phrase circulus aequator diei et noctis , meaning 'circle equalizing day and night', from the Latin word aequare 'make equal'. The latitude of the Earth's equator is, by definition, 0° (zero degrees ) of arc. The equator is one of the five notable circles of latitude on Earth; the other four are the two polar circles (the Arctic Circle and the Antarctic Circle ) and the two tropical circles (the Tropic of Cancer and

18944-488: The political movement, which was thought of as premature. However, locals perceived him as their advocate. He started the Kavirondo Taxpayers Welfare Association and became its president, offering Africans an avenue through which they could address their grievances. However, he concentrated primarily on welfare issues and avoided politics that would upset colonial authorities. Oginga Odinga started

19092-432: The publication of African Nationalist newspapers including Achieng Oneko 's vernacular newspaper Ramogi and Paul Ngei 's radical newspaper Uhuru Wa Africa . For his efforts he was appointed as ‘Ker’ or Chief of the Luo Union , an organisation that represented the interests of the greater Luo Peoples in East Africa. Oginga Odinga would become a Key political figure in Kenya. He first ventured into politics when he joined

19240-621: The rapid education of the Luo in the English language and English ways. European education carried out by the Christian missionaries also played a role in the westernization of the Luo. The apparent acquiescence to British colonial rule was shattered by a movement known as Mumboism that took root in South Nyanza. In 1913, Onyango Dunde of central Kavirondo proclaimed to have been sent by the serpent goddes of Lake Victoria , Mumbo to spread his teachings. The colonial government recognized this movement as

19388-530: The region. Traditionally, Luo people practiced a mixed economy of cattle pastoralism , seed farming and fishing supplemented by hunting. Today, the Luo comprise a significant fraction of East Africa 's intellectual and skilled labour force in various professions. They also engage in various trades, such as tenant fishing, small-scale farming, and urban work. Luo people and people of Luo descent have made significant contributions to modern culture and civilization. Tom Mboya and Nigel N. Mwangi were key figures in

19536-407: The rock art present on Mfangano Island . Bantu speakers , early migrants from West Africa , are thought to have reached western Kenya by 1000 BC. They brought with them iron-forging technology and novel farming techniques, turning the great lakes region into one of Africa's main population centres and earliest iron smelting regions. The Urewe culture was dominant from 650 BC to 550 BC. This culture

19684-556: The sites have shown that the spatial organisation of these structures most closely resembles the layout of traditional Luo homesteads. Ceramic analysis also confirms continuity between the earliest inhabitants of these sites and Luo speakers. With the arrival of the Europeans, these sites were slowly vacated as colonial administration established peace in the region. The families living in the enclosures moved out into individual homesteads using euphorbia instead of stone as fencing material. By

19832-493: The tested Nilotes belonged to various sub-Saharan macro-haplogroup L subclades, including L0 , L2 , L3 , L4 , and L5 . Low levels of maternal gene flow from North Africa and the Horn of Africa were observed in a few groups, mainly by the presence of mtDNA haplogroup M and haplogroup I lineages in about 12.5% of the Maasai and 7% of the Samburu samples, respectively. The autosomal DNA of Nilotic peoples has been examined in

19980-442: The west bank of the White Nile, but the other side was controlled by the Funj sultanate, with regular conflict between the two. The Cøllø had the ability to quickly raid outside areas by war canoe , and had control of the waters of the Nile. The Funj had a standing army of armoured cavalry, and this force allowed them to dominate the plains of the sahel . Cøllø traditions tell of Rädh Odak Ocollo who ruled around 1630 and led them in

20128-445: The whole of Earth. Near the equator, this means the variation in the strength of solar radiation is different relative to the time of year than it is at higher latitudes: maximum solar radiation is received during the equinoxes, when a place at the equator is under the subsolar point at high noon, and the intermediate seasons of spring and autumn occur at higher latitudes; and the minimum occurs during both solstices, when either pole

20276-439: Was ad-hoc as there was no single ruler of the Luo people. Sub-tribes came together during calamities, war, and natural disasters like drought, famines, and floods to help each other. Sumo , the act of sharing produce with people who were struck by famine was a common tradition with Kisumo being one of the renowned marketplaces where those who were struck by famine never missed the generosity of their Luo counterparts. The concept of

20424-569: Was angry and killed the child. According to the Lotuko religion, Ajok was annoyed by the man's actions and swore never to resurrect any Lotuko again. As a result, death was said to have become permanent. A Y-chromosome study by Wood et al. (2005) tested various populations in Africa for paternal lineages, including 26 Maasai and 9 Luo from Kenya, and 9 Alur from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The signature Nilotic paternal marker Haplogroup A3b2

20572-490: Was assassinated 6 months after on 5 July 1969. The political tension led to the Kisumu massacre when Kenyatta's presidential guard and police forces shot and killed several civilians in Kisumu Town, the capital of Nyanza Province . Following this massacre, KPU was banned, turning Kenya into a de facto one party state. All KPU members were arrested and detained without trial, including Oginga Odinga . The political marginalisation of Nyanza province worsened and continued under

20720-598: Was assassinated on 25 February 1965 in what is recognised as Kenya's first political assassination. Odinga became increasingly sidelined in government and was eventually compelled to resign and start his own political party – the Kenya People's Union (KPU) . The Kenya People's Union (KPU) had strong support amongst the Luo. The Kenyatta government persecuted this party. A security Act was passed in Parliament in July 1966 that permitted

20868-485: Was estimated at 1.1 million in 2001 and 3.4 million in 2020. They are part of a larger group of related Luo peoples who inhabit an area ranging from South Sudan , southwestern Ethiopia , northern and eastern Uganda , southwestern Kenya , and northern Tanzania , making them the largest ethnic group in East Africa. They speak the Luo language , also known as Dholuo , which belongs to the Western Nilotic branch of

21016-566: Was found in northern Nyanza. Bantu speaking groups found in the Lake Victoria basin today include the Luhya , Suba , Kunta , Kuria and Kisii . Southern Nilotic speakers, the Nandi , Kipsigis and Maasai also were found in this area. Luo expansion into these already inhabited areas led to trade, conflict, conquest, inter-marriage and cultural assimilation. The previous inhabitants were pushed by Luo speakers to their present day boundaries. Luo customs and habits also changed as they adopted

21164-486: Was involved in the African nationalist movement. He was imprisoned and tortured by the colonial authorities on suspicions that he was involved in the Mau Mau rebellion. Luo lawyer Argwings Kodhek , the first East African to obtain a law degree, became known as the Mau Mau lawyer as he would successfully defend Africans accused of Mau Mau crimes pro bono. Following the suppression of the Mau Mau uprising and containment of Kikuyu politicians, Luo anticolonial activists filled

21312-522: Was observed in 27% of the Maasai, 22% of the Alur , and 11% of the Luo. Haplogroup B is another characteristically Nilotic paternal marker. It was found in 22% of Luo samples, 8% of Maasai, and 50% of Nuer peoples. The E1b1b haplogroup has been observed at overall frequencies around 11% among Nilo-Saharan-speaking groups in the Great Lakes area, with this influence concentrated among the Maasai (50%). This

21460-527: Was publicised in disturbing detail, emphasising elements of betrayal and bestiality. As a result, the protest was mainly supported by the Kikuyu who began the uprising. Luo supporters of Mau Mau and those deemed by the colonial government to support it were imprisoned as well. Most notably, Ramogi Achieng Oneko , a KAU leader and one of the Kapenguria six . Barack Obama 's grandfather, Hussein Onyango Obama ,

21608-536: Was stronger at the state level under Ruoth who had a council of elders, galamoro mar jodongo or jodong gweng' , from all the villages in their territory. The Luos organized their defense and security at the sub-tribe level which was headed by a commander, Osumba Mrwayi , who was part of the council of elders. The council also had a spokesperson who talked on behalf of the council in official matters in village market meetings, religious, and cultural ceremonies that Ruoth presided over. Sub-tribe relations with each other

21756-497: Was the first to reduce Dholuo to writing. He produced a textbook of grammar and started translating the bible into Dholuo. Catholic missionaries and Anglican missionaries through the Church Mission Society (CMS) were also active throughout Nyanza, but mainly focused on Northern Nyanza. It remains unclear whether Luo people westernised due to colonial pressure or they readily accepted aspects of western culture. However, by

21904-530: Was the vice chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change when it received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 with Al Gore . Barack Obama , the first black President of the United States of America and a Nobel Peace Prize winner, was born to a Kenyan Luo father, Barack Obama Sr. Lupita Nyong'o became the first black African to win an Academy Award in 2014. The Luo are the originators of

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