For other uses, see Luo people of Kenya and Tanzania.

A map of some of the Luo peoples

The Luo (also spelled Lwo) are several ethnically and linguistically related Nilotic ethnic groups
in Africa that inhabit an area ranging from South Sudan and Ethiopia, through northern Uganda
and eastern Congo (DRC), into western Kenya, and the Mara Region of Tanzania. Their Luo
languages belong to the Nilotic group and as such form part of the larger Eastern Sudanic family.
Within the Nilotic languages, the Luo together with the DinkaNuer form the Western Nilotic
branch. Groups within the Luo nation include the Shilluk, Anuak, Acholi, Alur, Padhola, Joluo
(Kenyan and Tanzanian Luo), Bor, Luwo
The Joluo and their language Dholuo are also known as the "Luo proper", being eponymous of
the larger group. The level of historical separation between these groups is estimated at about
eight centuries. Dispersion from the Nilotic homeland in South Sudan was presumably triggered
by the turmoils of the Muslim conquest of Sudan. The individual groups over the last few
centuries can to some extent be traced in the respective group's oral history.

The Luo are part of the Nilotic group of people. The Nilote had separated from the other
members of the East Sudanic family by about the 3rd millennium BC.[1] Within Nilotic, Luo
forms part of the Western group. The Luo languages forms one branch of this Western Nilotic
group, the other being Dinka-Nuer (named for the Dinka people and the Nuer people). The
separation of the Luo group from Dinka-Nuer presumably took place in South Sudan at some
point in the first millennium AD.[2]
Within Luo, a Northern and a Southern group is distinguished. "Luo proper" or Dholuo is part of
the Southern Luo group. Northern Luo is mostly spoken in South Sudan, while Southern Luo
groups migrated south from the Bahr el Ghazal area in the early centuries of the second
millennium AD (about eight hundred years ago). This migration was presumably triggered by the
medieval Muslim conquest of Sudan.
A further division within the Northern Luo is recorded in a "widespread tradition" in Luo oral
history:[3] the foundational figure of the Shilluk (or Chollo) nation was a chief named Nyikango,
dated to about the mid-15th century. After a quarrel with his brother, he moved northward along
the Nile and established a feudal society. The Pari people descend from the group that rejected
Nyikango.[4]
References
John Desmond Clark, From Hunters to Farmers: The Causes and Consequences of
Food Production in Africa, University of California Press, 1984, p. 31
Bethwell Ogot, History of the Southern Luo: Volume 1 Migration and Settlement.

Conradin Perner, Living on Earth in the Sky, vol. 2 (1994), p. 135.

Simon Simonse, Kings of Disaster: Dualism, Centralism, and the Scapegoat King in
Southeastern Sudan, BRILL (1992), p. 5

Ethiopia
Anuak girls in Dimma, Ethiopia
The Anuak are a Luo people whose villages are scattered along the banks and rivers of the
southwestern area of Ethiopia, with others living directly across the border in southern Sudan.
The name of this people is also spelled Anyuak, Agnwak, and Anywaa. The Anuak of Sudan live
in a grassy region that is flat and virtually treeless. During the rainy season, this area floods, so
that much of it becomes swampland with various channels of deep water running through it.
The Anuak who live in the lowlands of Gambela are distinguished by the color of their skin and
are considered to be black Africans. The Ethiopian peoples of the highlands are of different
ethnicities, and identify by lighter skin color. The Anuak have alleged that the current Ethiopian
government and dominant highlands people have discriminated against them. This has affected
the Anuak access to education, health care and other basic services, as well as limiting
opportunities for development of the area.
The Acholi, another Luo people in South Sudan, occupy what is now called Magwi County in
Eastern Equatorial State. They border the Uganda Acholi of Northern Uganda. The South Sudan
Acholi numbered about 10,000 on the 2008 population Census.

Uganda
Acholiland in Uganda
Acholi man in South Sudan
Around 1500, a small group of Luo known as the Biito-Luo, led by Chief Labongo (his full title
became Isingoma Labongo Rukidi, also known as Mpuga Rukidi), encountered Bantu-speaking
peoples living in the area of Bunyoro. These Luo settled with the Bantu and established the
Babiito dynasty, replacing the Bachwezi dynasty of the Empire of Kitara. According to Bunyoro
legend, Labongo, the first in the line of the Babiito kings of Bunyoro-Kitara, was the twin
brother of Kato Kimera, the first king of Buganda. These Luo were assimilated by the Bantu, and
they lost their language and culture.
Later in the 16th century, other Luo-speaking people moved to the area that encompasses present
day Southern Sudan, Northern Uganda and North-Eastern Congo (DRC) forming the Alur,
Jonam and Acholi. Conflicts developed when they encountered the Lango, who had been living
in the area north of Lake Kyoga. The Lango also speak a Luo language. According to Driberg

(1923), the Lango reached the eastern province of Uganda (Otuke Hills), having traveled
southeasterly from the Shilluk area. The Lango language is similar to the Shilluk language. There
is not consensus as to whether the Lango share ancestry with the Luo (with whom they share a
common language), or if they have closer ethnic kinship with their easterly Ateker neighbours,
with whom they share many cultural traits.
Between the middle of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century, some Luo groups
proceeded eastwards. One group called Padhola (or Jopadhola - people of Adhola), led by a
chief called Adhola, settled in Budama in Eastern Uganda. They settled in a thickly forested area
as a defence against attacks from Bantu neighbours who had already settled there. This selfimposed isolation helped them maintain their language and culture amidst Bantu and Ateker
communities.
Those who went further a field were the Joka jok and Joka owiny. The Jok Luo moved deeper
into the Kaviirondo Gulf; their descendants are the present-day Jo Kisumo and Jo Rachuonyo
amongst others. Jo owiny occupied an area near got ramogi or ramogi hill in alego of siaya
district. The Owiny's ruins are still identifiable to this day at Bungu Owiny near Lake Kanyaboli.
The other notable Luo group is the Omolo Luo who inhabited Ugenya and gem areas of Siaya
district. The last immigrants were the Jo Kager, who are related to the Omollo Luo. Their leader
Ochieng Waljak Ger used his advanced military skill to drive away the Omiya or Bantu groups,
who were then living in present-day Ugenya around 1750AD.

Kenya and Tanzania

Main article: Luo people (Kenya and Tanzania)
Luo dancers in Eldoret, Kenya
Between about 1500 and 1800, other Luo groups crossed into present-day Kenya and eventually
into present-day Tanzania. They inhabited the area on the banks of Lake Victoria. According to
the Joluo, a warrior chief named Ramogi Ajwang led them into present-day Kenya about 500
years ago.
As in Uganda, some non-Luo people in Kenya have adopted Luo languages. A majority of the
Bantu Suba people in Kenya speak Dholuo as a first language and have largely been assimilated.
The Luo in Kenya, who call themselves Joluo (aka Jaluo, "people of Luo"), are the fourth largest
community in Kenya after the Kikuyu, Kalenjin and Luhya. In 2010 their population was
estimated to be 4.1million. In Tanzania they numbered (in 2001) an estimated 980,000 [1]. The
Luo in Kenya and Tanzania call their language Dholuo, which is mutually intelligible (to varying
degrees) with the languages of the Lango, Kumam and Padhola of Uganda, Acholi of Uganda
and Sudan and Alur of Uganda and Congo.
The Luo (or Joluo) are traditional fishermen and practice fishing as their main economic activity.
Other cultural activities included wrestling (yii or dhao) kwath for the young boys aged 1318 in
their age sets. Their main rivals in the 18th century were the Lango, the Highland Nilotes, who

were traditionally engaged them in fierce bloody battles, most of which emanated from the
stealing of their livestock.

The Luo Migration in East Africa

By Wamanga Moses Wamboga (+256772580086)

The Luo belong to the river Lake Nilotes classified for linguistic reasons. They are referred to as the river lake
Nilotes because during their course of migration, they moved along the rivers and settled around the Great Lakes
region in East Africa. Another feature is the survival and persistence of the Luo languages that were often
adopted and accepted by the people of different ethnic origin.

Their ancestors of the Luo were mainly pastoralists and that is why they lived in areas of good green pasture and
adequate amount of rainfall.

The ancestors of the Luo are believed to have originated along the Nile in southern Sudan particularly Bahr-elGhazel province. By 1000 AD, the Luo were a distinct group in this region before travelling up the Nile to settle
in Uganda and western Kenya. What is certain is that by AD 1000, the Luo were already a distinct group in the
Eastern Equatorial region and the Eastern part of the Bahr-el-Ghazel. They were close relatives of the Nuer
Dinka and Shelluk.

At first they tended to live or settle around rivers and for this reason they were referred to as the Jonam
Originally they were pastoralists, enthusiastic hunters and fishermen who lived along the Nile Valley. Later when
they settled in East Africa, they practised agriculture. They moved southwards up the Nile into East Africa
during the 15 and 16 centuries absorbing and incorporating various groups of people into their culture. At times
the Luo were absorbed into Bantu culture for example in Bunyoro - Kitara.
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They believed in a higher being referred to as the JOK who served as their god. They are also said to have been
great rainmakers. They are the fore fathers or ancestors of the present day Alur, Acholi, Jopadhola and Jaluo of
Kenya.

Reasons for the Luo migration

Between 1000 and 1500 AD the Luo migrated from their homeland to different parts of East Africa. It is no
clear as to why the Luo left their cradle land to settle in Uganda and part of Kenya. However, the following
factors could have prompted them to migrate

Pastures and water: The search for green pastures and water might have forced the Luo to migrate southwards
The ancestors were pastoralists hence migration in search of better grazing grounds. It is possible that the
original area could have been over stocked.

Internal conflicts: It is believed that within different Luo families and clans exhibited internal conflicts. This
might have forced dissatisfied groups to migrate in search of peaceful places of settlement.

External pressure: This mainly came from the hostile neighbouring tribes hence forced the ancestors of the Luo
to migrate southwards in search of peaceful areas of settlement. Its believed that the Galla nomads frequently
attacked the Luo and harassed the ancestors.

Natural disasters: The Luo might have found life uncomfortable because of famine, long periods of drought