The Luo People

Learning about a culture is very important when conducting a short-term mission trip and for just making friends. One reason we travel because we love to learn about other cultures –right?! We want to bring the experience of the Luo to you to provide you with a deeper, meaningful experience.

Pronunciation: luh-WO
Location: Kenya; Tanzania
Population: Over 3 million
Languages: Dholuo (also Luo); English (official); Kiswahili
Religions: Christianity combined with indigenous practices (Anglican church [CPK], Roman Catholicism, and independent Christian churches)

Introduction
Over the past 500 years, the Luo migrated from the Sudan into Western Kenya, initially settling around the eastern shore of Lake Victoria. In the 19th century, they left the lower savanna grasslands for the higher and cooler regions of Western Kenya primarily for the reliable rainfall. As a result of the migration, these nomadic pastoralists supplemented their cattle herding with farming which has led to an increase in importance of cash crops in their economy. The lowlands around the lake are dry but lush hills are to the east. The provincial capital is Kisumu. It is the third largest city in Kenya and is a major cultural center for the Luo. The area to which the Luo live in is often called Luoland.

Currently the Luo number over 3 million people, or about 13% of Kenya's total population. Along with the Luhya, the Luo are the second largest ethnic group in the country, behind the Kikuyu. Most Luo live in western Kenya in the Western province or in the adjacent Nyanza province. Some Luo live to the south of Kenya in Tanzania and many Luo live in Nairobi. Although located throughout Kenya, most Luo maintain strong economic, cultural, and social links to western Kenya, which they consider home.

Language
People in Kenya speak English, Kiswahili and one or more of many tribal languages. In Kenya, Kiswahili is the national language, but official correspondence is still conducted in English. Both English and Kiswahili are taught in primary and secondary schools. As with our language, word sharing is very common. Below are a few important words in Kiswahili and Dholuo (or Luo).

Kiswahili (the name for Swahili in the language itself) is spoken mainly by the people of eastern and central Africa (Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, eastern Zaire, northern Zaire, northern Malawi, northern Mozambique, northern Zambia and Somali Republic). Swahili is basically of Bantu (African) origin however it borrows words from other languages such as Arabic and Persian.

Kiswahili is widely used in radio (BBC, Radio Cairo, the Voice of America, Radio Moscow International, and Radio Japan International) as well as in songs, theater, movies and TV programs. For example, the well-celebrated Disney movie, "The Lion King" features several Swahili words, for example simba (lion), and rafiki (friend), as the names of the characters and hakuna matata (No troubles or no problems). Kiswahili is also promoted and incorporated into the curriculum for higher education institutions and is being taught in many parts of the world.

Here are a few common phrases to get you started. Look for other language entries as we continue our journey!





Languages in Kenya are often divided into Bantu, Nilotic, and Cushitic; Luo is in the Nilo-Saharan language family. Because Luo speakers are centered in southwest Kenya, there are significant populations of Luo speakers across the borders in both Tanzania and Uganda. Luo occasionally borrows from Kiswahili, as Kiswahili has a larger vocabulary, and is one of the official national languages of Kenya.

The indigenous language of the Luo, referred to as Dholuo, is for most people the language of preference in the home and in daily conversation. Dholuo is taught in primary schools throughout Luoland and is taught in the home by the parents. Most Luo young people are fluent in English, Kiswahili, and Dholuo. This is particularly impressive because these languages are from three very distinct language families with drastically different grammatical principles and vocabulary.

Children enjoy playing language games in Dholuo. Among these is a tongue-twister game. For example, children try to say without difficulty, Atud tond atonga, tond atonga chodi, which means, “I tie the rope of the basket, the rope of the basket breaks”. Or Acham tap chotna malando chotna cham tapa malando means, “I eat from the red dish of my lover and my lover eats from my red dish”.





Customs
Social relations among the Luo are governed by rules of kinship, gender, and age. Descent is patrilineal (traced through the male line) to determine kinship. Kin align themselves for purposes of exchanging goods, marriage, and political alliance. Names are received through the male line, and after marriage women reside in the homesteads of their husbands. A married woman builds up alliances for her husband's family by maintaining strong relationships with her brothers and sisters who live at her birthplace or elsewhere. It is expected that after marriage a woman will bear children for her husband's lineage. Bride wealth, given by her husband and his family, contributes to the woman's ability to maintain ties with her own family throughout her life.

By having children, a woman greatly enhances her power and influence within her husband’s family. As the children grow older they provide help for the family and take care of their ageing mother. Perhaps as many as 30% of Luo homesteads are polygynous (more than one wife). But often times men only have one wife because that is all they can afford to take care of. People are discouraged from commenting when a woman is pregnant for fear that problems might result from jealous ancestors or neighbors and it is seen almost as “counting your chickens before they hatch”. Although healthcare is getting better in the rural areas of Kenya, complicated births often do not result in viable babies. Older women and midwives assist the woman throughout her pregnancy and in childbirth.

Visiting and being visited is a major source of pleasure for the Luo. The social principles regarding age, kinship, and gender impose a heavy schedule of ritual obligations on Luo, regardless of their place of residence. Attendance at funerals is a significant obligation for all Luo. At funerals, Luo consume large amounts of meat, beer, and soft drinks and socialize with friends and relatives. Funerals last for four days for a male and three days for a female. After the burial and expression of grief through speeches and viewing of the body, there is a period of feasting and celebration. After the funeral of a man, a rooster (which symbolizes masculinity to the Luo) is taken from his house and eaten by his relatives. This signifies the end of his homestead. (When a new homestead is founded, a man is given a rooster from his father's home.)

Visitors for funerals gather from far and wide and are housed around the compound of the dead person, which is where he or she will be buried. This location and the duration of the ritual is an excellent opportunity for young people to meet and observe members of the opposite sex, or for elders to discuss marriage alliances that they might wish to promote. Dating may well follow initial meetings or deliberations at a funeral.

There are no formal initiation ceremonies in the earlier stages of the life cycle for Luo girls and boys. The Luo did not adopt circumcision for men as is practiced in many parts of Kenya. Adolescence is viewed as a time of preparation for marriage and family life. Traditionally, girls received tattoos on their backs and had their ears pierced. Girls spent time in peer groups where conversation centered on boys and their personal attributes. Sex education was taught by older women who gave advice in a communal sleeping hut used by teenage girls. Lovers sometimes made secret arrangements to meet near these huts, although premarital pregnancy was strictly forbidden. Nowadays neighborhood and boarding schools have replaced communal sleeping huts, where sex education is not taught. Unfortunately this has lead to an increase in teenage pregnancy which results in the girl dropping out of school and never returning.

Folklore
Stories, legends, riddles, and proverbs are an important part of Luo culture. They are traditionally recited in the siwindhe, which is the home of a (widowed) grandmother. Luo boys and girls gather there in the evenings to be taught the traditions of their culture. In the evenings, after people have returned from their gardens, they gather to tell and listen to stories. In the siwindhe, however, grandmothers preside over storytelling and verbal games. Riddles take the form of competitive exchanges where winners are rewarded by "marrying" girls in a kind of mock (pretend) marriage situation. Friendly arguments often erupt over interpretations of riddles. Proverbs are another part of the siwindhe discussions and are common in everyday use as well. In addition morality tales teach all listeners the proper way to cope with life’s circumstances. Such questions as, Why do people die?, What is the value of a deformed child?, What qualities make an appropriate spouse?, What is friendship?, Who is responsible for a bad child?, Why do some people suffer?, and many others are the subject of folklore.

Keep an eye out in the upcoming blogs for some exciting riddles, proverbs and morality tales!


Music
Music is very important in Luo culture. Their music reflects everyday life and serves a functional purpose. For example music is made while working, for funerals, and to keep people awake. Many instruments are used ranging from: percussion (drums, clappers, metal rings, ongeng'o or gara, shakers), strings (e.g., nyatiti, a type of lyre; orutu, a type of fiddle), wind (tung' a horn,Asili, a flute, Abu-!, a trumpet).

Currently the Luo are associated with the benga style of music. It is a lively style in which songs in Dholuo, Swahili, or 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.

The first sound clip is of a Luo singer and nyatiti player, Ayub Ogada, who received widespread exposure in 2005 when two of his songs were featured in the movie The Constant Gardener. The song you are listening to is Africa Calling.

The second sound clip is of a more modern benga style band Ogwela Collela. They use the electric guitar instead of the traditional nyatiti. The song title is Okoyo Makambo.

Enjoy!







Clothing
Traditionally, the Luo wore minimal clothing. Animal hides were used to cover private parts, but there was no shame associated with nudity. Nowadays, clothing styles are largely Western in origin. They vary according to a person's social class and lifestyle preferences. It is not uncommon to see people in remote rural areas fashionably dressed according to some of the latest tastes. Luo living in Nairobi tend to wear clothing that is cosmopolitan by rural standards.

In rural areas, most people dress according to their work routines. For example, women wear loose-fitting dresses made of solid or printed cotton fabric while farming or attending market. Wearing sandals or going barefoot are typical while working. Men wear jeans as work pants while farming. During the rainy season, the roads can become very muddy; consequently, boots and umbrellas are especially prized by both men and women. These days, there is a strong market in second-hand clothing, making slacks, dresses, coats, undergarments, sweaters, shoes, handbags, belts, and other items available to even poorer families. Luo enjoy dressing up for funerals and weddings.

Food
The staple food eaten several times a day is ugali. This is made from maize meal stirred in boiling water until it becomes a thick and smooth porridge. Ugali is always eaten with an accompaniment such as meat or stew. Greens (sukumawiki) are also frequently eaten with ugali. Maize, popular throughout Kenya, is frequently sold for money. This has led many families to sell their maize when financially pressed for money. For this reason, there is a periodic famine throughout Luoland that occurs every year during the long, dry season prior to harvest. Fish from Lake Victoria and its streams are important, especially talapia. Many foods are purchased, including sugar, bread, and butter, which are consumed with tea on a daily basis.

Look for an ugali recipe in the coming weeks!

Sports/Recreation
The Luo participate in all of the major national sports currently played in Kenya. Soccer is a particularly popular sport. Secondary schools provide an assortment of sports for young people, giving them an opportunity to engage in competitive games such as track and field and soccer. Children enjoy games in the village, such as racing, wrestling, and soccer. Some boys enjoy swimming.

Childhood play activities for girls include grinding soil on a flattened stone in imitation of adults who grind grains, playing with dolls made from clay or maize (corn) cobs or playing a gamed called kora using broken pottery or stones. In this game, stones are collected and then thrown into the air. The main purpose is to catch more than one stone on the back of the hand. Both boys and girls play hide-and-seek and pretend house. Boys and girls between the ages of six and ten do not play with the other sex. Girls spend more time at home caring for younger siblings and helping with household duties and gardening. Boys have more freedom and combine play activities with herding and care of animals.

Children and adults both play a game called bao, a board game played widely throughout Africa. This game of strategy involves trying to place stones on the opponent's side of the board and capture their stones.

Have you seen or maybe you have played this game before (Mancala)?




Virtually all homes have radios, which are a significant source of both entertainment and education. Books and printed media have now largely replaced public speaking as a form of entertainment. Nevertheless, visiting family and friends continues to be a valued aspect of Luo culture. Visits are typically very lively with lots of animated discussion. The verbally skillful person is still widely admired.

Religion
Christianity has had a major impact on Luo religious beliefs and practices. Today, religious communities draw on beliefs from both indigenous practices and from Christianity. Mainstream churches draw on a rich Luo musical and dance tradition. For many Christians, ancestors continue to play a significant role in their lives. In traditional belief, the ancestors reside in the sky or underground, from where they may be reincarnated in human or animal form. Ceremonies are sometimes performed when naming a baby to determine if a particular spirit has been reincarnated. The spirits of ancestors are believed to communicate with the living in their dreams.

In the Luo religion, troublesome spirits may cause misfortunes if they are not remembered or respected. Luo refer to spirits by the term juok, or "shadow." The Luo refer to God by many names that indicate his power. For example, Were means "one certain to grant requests"; Nyasaye, "he who is begged"; Ruoth, "the king"; Jachwech, "the molder"; Wuon koth, "the rain-giver"; and Nyakalaga, "the one who flows everywhere." Prayers and requests are addressed to God by those in need of his assistance.

Education
Kenya uses the “8-4-4 system,” modeled after the American educations system where children attend primary school for eight years, secondary school for four years, and college for four years.

After completing high school, Luo attend technical, secretarial, nursing, computer, teacher training, and business schools as alternatives to the university. Education is highly valued among the Luo, and they are well represented in the professions. Nevertheless, there still remains a high level of illiteracy, especially among females. More and more Luo are recognizing the importance of sending girls to school.

The Luo success in academic pursuits may well be related to the value given to "wisdom" in their culture. Modern philosophers have applied the term "sage philosophy" to describe individuals among the Luo who, in the past and present, excel in teachings and reflections on the human condition. Luo society is an open one. All individuals are encouraged to express themselves publicly. Truth (adier) is expressed through songs and folklore by respected elder men and women who are acknowledged as wise. Most respected, however, is the japaro, a term that translates into English as “thinker,” who is consulted on all matters of interest to community welfare. The most famous sage until his death in the mid-1990s was Oginga Odinga, a widely respected elder and former vice-president of Kenya. He spoke out publicly during colonialism and in post-colonial politics against what he considered to be injustices. In his writings, he emphasized communal welfare and concern for preservation of traditional values.

Economy
The most notable fact about the Luo economy is that women hold the primary role in farming. Before the introduction of the modern money economy, the garden was the centerpiece of the women’s world of work. Industrious women could earn considerable wealth by exchanging their garden produce for animals, handicrafts, pots, and baskets.
A young girl is expected to help her mother and her mother’s co-wives in farming land owned by her father, brothers, and paternal uncles. Even though a girl may go to school and rise to a prominent position in society, there is often still a strong association with the land and digging.

Men are preoccupied with livestock and spend a great deal of time in “social labor” concerned with placing their cattle in good contexts, such as bride wealth exchanges, trading partnerships, and commercial sales. In the modern economy, cattle and goats have a monetary value as well and men have control over animals and cash crops.

Living Conditions
There are several types of rural houses. A common house is made of mud and wattle (woven twigs) walls with a thatched roof. Another style includes mud and wattle walls, with a roof made of corrugated metal. A more elaborate, permanent house has brick walls and a roof covered with iron sheets or tiles. Bricks, iron sheets, and tiles are all items of prestige, and their ownership symbolizes success in farming, animal husbandry, or some modern occupation such as teaching, the ministry, or shop keeping. Homes vary in shape as well as size. Some homes of the old variety made of wattle and mud are circular. Those with more permanent materials tend to be rectangular. A prosperous man who is the head of a large extended family may have several wives whose homes are situated by their rank within a large circular homestead.



Malaria is a major killer in Luoland. Children's diseases, such as kwashiorkor (a form of protein malnutrition), are a threat in those families without access to a balanced diet or knowledge about nutrition and health standards. In villages, there is an emphasis on preventive medicine; most rural communities have clinics with medical workers who emphasize sanitation, prenatal care, nutrition, and other practices known to reduce the risk of disease.


Social Problems
During the colonial era and since independence, the Luo have been isolated from national leadership even though they are the second-largest ethnic group in the country. Specific social problems follow from this isolation. Economic development in western Kenya is poor, Luo roads are badly in need of repair, rates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are comparatively high, food shortages are frequent, and infant mortality is among the highest in the country. The municipal water supply is so badly treated that residents suffer from water-borne diseases such as typhoid fever, amoebic dysentery, common dysentery, and diarrhea.