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The Iteso (or people of Teso) are a
Nilotic The Nilotic peoples are peoples Indigenous people of Africa, indigenous to South Sudan and the Nile Valley who speak Nilotic languages. They inhabit South Sudan and the Gambela Region of Ethiopia, while also being a large minority in Kenya, Uga ...
ethnic group in
eastern Uganda The Eastern region is one of four regions in Uganda. As of Uganda's 2014 census, the region's population was . Districts , the Eastern Region contained 32 districts A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries ...
and
western Kenya Western Province () was one of Kenya's seven administrative provinces outside Nairobi. It is inhabited mainly by the Luhya people. Quakerism is widely practised here. Kenya's second highest mountain, Mount Elgon is located in Bungoma Distr ...
. Teso refers to the traditional homeland of the Iteso, and '' Ateso'' is their language.


History


Migration

It's believed there were two waves of migration. The first migration brought them to present day northeastern Uganda and western Kenya and was largely gradual and peaceful. The legendary hero Oduk and his wife Among'in supposedly helped the Iteso in this second migration to modern day Busia County circa 1500 AD, and by the 19th century, they controlled a vast swathe of territory. Their aggressive expansion drew them into conflicts with other already present ethnic groups. Oduk is credited with militarily organizing the Iteso and helping them defeat their rivals. However, their gains were reversed as neighboring ethnic groups allied with the British defeated them. Much of traditional Iteso culture and organization was lost when they were conquered by the
Ganda Ganda may refer to: Places * Ganda, Angola * Ganda, Tibet, China * Ganda, the ancient Latin name of Ghent, a city in Belgium * Ganda, a settlement in Kilifi County, Kenya Other uses * Baganda or Ganda, a people of Uganda ** Luganda or Ganda lang ...
people in the 19th century; the language of the northern Ateso is markedly influenced by
Luganda Ganda or Luganda ( ; ) is a Bantu language spoken in the African Great Lakes region. It is one of the major languages in Uganda and is spoken by more than 5.56 million Ganda people, Baganda and other people principally in central Uganda, includ ...
due to this conquest. In contrast, southern Ateso has been influenced by the
Turkana language Turkana Laurie Bauer, 2007, ''The Linguistics Student’s Handbook'', Edinburgh is the language of the Turkana people of Kenya and Ethiopia. It is spoken in northwestern Kenya, primarily in Turkana County, which lies west of Lake Turkana. It is ...
.


British colonialism and independence

During the 20th century, the Iteso people underwent drastic changes in their lifestyles, transitioning from a pastoral lifestyle to prolific farmers. Many Iteso men travelled abroad to work in overseas British territories, such as Burma. In 1902, part of eastern Uganda was transferred to western Kenya, splitting the Iteso; despite this division, there's little cultural difference between the two. However, the two's economic and social paths have diverged greatly. At independence, Ugandan Iteso were wealthier, as they did not suffer from the economic marginalization Kenyan Africans did due to white settlers. However, the Kenyan Iteso did not suffer the same degree of political instability their Ugandan cousins have, and Kenya's more developed economic infrastructure allowed for Kenyan Iteso to overtake Ugandan Iteso in wealth. During
Milton Obote Apollo Milton Obote (28 December 1925 – 10 October 2005) was a Ugandan politician who served as the second prime minister of Uganda from 1962 to 1966 and the second president of Uganda from 1966 to 1971 and later from 1980 to 1985. A Lango, ...
's first period of rule, many Iteso received army and administration posts, allowing them to gain relative prosperity, which they invested back into cattle herds. After
Idi Amin Idi Amin Dada Oumee (, ; 30 May 192816 August 2003) was a Ugandan military officer and politician who served as the third president of Uganda from 1971 until Uganda–Tanzania War, his overthrow in 1979. He ruled as a Military dictatorship, ...
was overthrown in 1979, the Karamojong acquired large amounts of arms, which they used to raid cattle from largely unarmed Iteso civilians; Iteso cattle herds were decimated, and many fell into poverty. During Obote's second period of rule, the Ugandan army was composed largely of the Iteso and
Acholi Acholi may refer to: * Acholi people, a Luo nation of Uganda, in the Northern part of the country. * Acholi language, a Nilotic language * Acholi Inn, a building in Gulu, Uganda * Acholi nationalism, a political ideology of Acholi people {{dab ...
. When
Yoweri Museveni Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Tibuhaburwa (born 15 September 1944) is a Ugandan politician and Officer (armed forces), military officer who is the ninth and current president of Uganda since 1986. As of 2025, he is the third-List of current state lead ...
came to power, he disbanded a military unit meant to stop the Karamojong's cattle rustling and dismissed many Iteso, Acholi, and Kumam soldiers from the army for their previous service under Obote. These disgruntled soldiers, upon returning to their economically deprived homelands due to violent cattle raids, took up arms against the Museveni regime. The Teso insurgency lasted into the late 1980s, keeping the region undeveloped. In 1992, the conflict was brought to an end through the combined effort of the local initiatives, indigenous mediators, churches, and the Presidential Commission for Teso (PCT). This led to the creation of a war memorial near the Iteso capital
Soroti Soroti is a city in Eastern Region, Uganda, Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main city, commercial, and administrative center in Soroti District, one of the nine administrative districts in the Teso sub-region. Soroti city was immediately app ...
, and the installation of an Iteso king, Emorimor Papa Paphrus Imodot Edimu. While successful in ending the violence and mollifying Teso opposition to Museveni, the Teso sub-region remains one of the poorest regions in Uganda, and the Iteso feel politically and economically neglected, widely distrusting the Museveni administration.


Distribution


Uganda

In Uganda, the Iteso live mainly in
Teso sub-region Teso sub-region (previously known as Teso District) is a sub-region in Eastern Region, Uganda that consists of: * Amuria District * Bukedea District * Kaberamaido District * Kapelebyong District * Katakwi District * Kumi District * Ngora D ...
, i.e., the districts of
Amuria Amuria is a town in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the chief municipal, administrative, and commercial center of Amuria District, in the Teso sub-region. Location Amuria is located , by road, north of Soroti, the largest city in the Tes ...
,
Bukedea Bukedea is a town in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the chief municipal, administrative, and commercial center of Bukedea District, and the district headquarters are located there. Location Bukedea is situated on the main highway (A-109) bet ...
, Butebo,
Kaberamaido Kaberamaido is a town in Eastern Uganda, serving as the main municipal, administrative and commercial center of Kaberamaido District. It is also home to the district headquarters. Location Kaberamaido is located approximately by road, northwest ...
, Kapelebyong,
Katakwi Katakwi is a town in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial center of Katakwi District and the site of the district headquarters. Location Katakwi is approximately , by road, northeast of Soroti, ...
, Kumi,
Ngora Ngora is a town in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main political, administrative, and commercial centre of Ngora District. Location Ngora is approximately , by road, southeast of Soroti, the largest city in the Teso sub-region. It is ap ...
,
Serere Serere is a town in Eastern Uganda. It is the chief political, administrative and commercial town in Serere District, and the district headquarters are located there. The district is named after the town. Location Serere lies in Serere Distri ...
and
Soroti Soroti is a city in Eastern Region, Uganda, Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main city, commercial, and administrative center in Soroti District, one of the nine administrative districts in the Teso sub-region. Soroti city was immediately app ...
, but are also found in
Bugiri Bugiri is a town in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the chief town of Bugiri District, and the district headquarters are located there. The town was elevated to Municipal Council status in 2019. Location Bugiri is located approximately , b ...
and Pallisa, as well as in the
Tororo Tororo is a town in the Eastern Region, Uganda, Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial center of Tororo District. History Tororo was garrisoned by the Uganda Army (1971–1980), Uganda Army's Air an ...
and Busia districts. According to the 2014 Ugandan Bureau of Statistics report, the Iteso number about 2.36 million (7.0% of Uganda's population). Until 1980, they were the second largest ethnic group in Uganda; this share of the population likely decreased due to Teso fleeing from political instability and violence. Some Iteso contend that they are still the second largest ethnic group in Uganda, and this figure has supposedly been deflated to restrict the political power of the Iteso, as the national budget is distributed based on population.


Kenya

There are around 578,000 Iteso in Kenya, living mainly in Busia County, south of Mt. Elgon. They primarily inhabit two sub-counties, Teso North and Teso South, but can be found in Bugoma and
Trans Nzoia County Trans-Nzoia County is a county in the former Rift Valley Province, Kenya, located between the Nzoia River and Mount Elgon, 380 km northwest of Nairobi. At its centre is the town of Kitale which is the county capital and largest town. It i ...
.


Economic activities


Farming

The Iteso are noted for their quick adoption of the ox plow in the early 1900s. Women farmed and foraged while men herded their cattle. Cotton is the primary cash crop among the Iteso. It's grown by both men and women in separate plots during the short rains. Another cash crop grown is tobacco. In the 1980s, Kenyan government-sponsored cooperative-ran cotton ginneries failed to pay for the cotton delivered by the Iteso and others. The Iteso then began experimenting with other cash crops like tobacco with the aid of loans from large agricultural companies. However, since the 1990s, the cotton industry has been partially revived.


Herding

Herding used to be the primary economic activity among the Iteso, particularly men. Cattle play a large social role among the Iteso, as they play a key role in negotiating
bride-price Bride price, bride-dowry, bride-wealth, bride service or bride token, is money, property, or other form of wealth paid by a groom or his family to the woman or the family of the woman he will be married to or is just about to marry. Bride dowry ...
and other important social events. When a father gives a son his own cattle, it signals the maturation of the son, able to manage his own estate and start his own family.


Culture


Cuisine

The staple food for the Iteso is finger millet ('''akima''') and sorghum (imomwa'''). During colonization, cassava was introduced by colonial authorities as a dietary supplement. They also consume pumpkins, wild berries, peas, groundnuts, and beans. Domestic and wild animal meat was consumed, alongside milk, butter, and fish. The cultural drink of the Iteso people is ajon''', a fermented brew made from dried finger millet (usually the ''emiroiti'' variety) that is commonly consumed in local ceremonies, social gatherings and important events. It can be consumed in a calabash, or a communal pot where participants sip the drink from long tubes. It is custom to keep a mother whose recently given birth confined to the home for three days, and afterwards, ''ajon'' is placed in the mouth of the infant. Some Christian Iteso criticize the customs surrounding ''ajon''. In the modern age, the production of ''ajon'' has become commercialized, and its production and sale are an important source of income for the families that specialize in making it. Traditionally, Teso people loved singing and dancing educative folksongs in different occasions. These songs include Ataikatiaka Kitiso, about the unity of the Teso people, Akidai Imojong, a song to respect and care for elders, and Iyalama Imojong to appreciate elders among others. iteso people also have their cultural event mainly at kakapel mountain on 26th December every year this is where the cultural practises are done


Afterlife

According to oral tradition, the legendary Oduk was responsible for the Iteso practice of exhuming bodies from bushes after a number of years. The Iteso traditional religion holds that upon death, the body is separated from its spirit (eparait'''), which leaves to live in the bush. Ideally, the spirit will move further and further into the bush, but discontent spirits may return to bother the living, demanding offerings of food and drink. Exhuming the bodies after a few years is meant to 'cool' them, and make them more amenable to the living. Many Iteso are reluctant or even afraid to be buried in coffins, believing they cannot be 'cooled', and thereby suffocating the dead. Due to missionary influence, spirits of the dead have come to be associated with ''ajokin'', small creatures of the bush, and both have come to be associated with the devil.


Religion

Prior to European missionary efforts, the Iteso believed in an omnipotent god called Akuj, and a God of calamity called Edeke. The itesots followed the scripts and religious scribes that were gifted to Queen of Sheebah in Ethiopia by king Solomon.


Notable people

*
Jessica Alupo Jessica Rose Epel Alupo, commonly known as Jessica Alupo, is a Ugandan politician who is the ninth and current vice president of Uganda since 2021. She is also an educator, and former military officer. She previously served in the cabinet of U ...
, Current Vice President of the Republic of Uganda * Anita Annet Among, Current Speaker of Parliament of Uganda *
Jeje Odongo General Haji Abubaker Jeje Odongo (born July 9, 1951) is a Ugandan senior military officer and politician. In June 2021, he was appointed Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Uganda), Uganda's cabinet minister for Foreign Affairs. He has previously ser ...
, Current Minister of Foreign Affairs * Christine Apolot, Ugandan politician * Sospeter Ojaamong, Kenyan politician *
John Bosco Ikojo John Bosco Ikojo (born 21 July 1974) is a Ugandan accountant, Finance expert and politician. He is the elected Member of Parliament for Bukedea County, Bukedea District, and a representative for NRM, the ruling political party in Uganda. He is ...
, Ugandan politician * Kevin Ojinga Kaala, Ugandan politician * Mike Mukula, Ugandan politician * Musa Francis Ecweru, State Minister for Works and transport in the Ugandan Cabinet * Enoch Olinga, Prominent member of the Baha'i Faith, Knight of Baháʼu'lláh and was appointed as the youngest
Hand of the Cause Hand of the Cause was a title given to prominent early members of the Baháʼí Faith, appointed for life by the religion's founders. Of the fifty individuals given the title, the last living was ʻAlí-Muhammad Varqá, who died in 2007. Hands of ...
* Olubayi Olubayi, Professor and visionary *
Patricia Apolot Patricia Apolot is a female Ugandan professional martial artist. She is the reigning Ugandan female kickboxing champion and also holds the Super Lightweight World Kickboxing Federation International title, obtained in June 2015, by defeating Iva ...
, Ugandan female professional martial artist * Proscovia Alengot Oromait, Ugandan politician. At age 19, she was the youngest Member of Parliament in Uganda and in Africa. * Silas Aogon, Ugandan politician *
Shaban Opolot Shaban Opolot (1924 – 6 March 2005) was a Ugandan military officer. He served as Uganda Army Commander from 1964 to 1966. Early life Shaban Opolot was born in 1924 in Namusi Nakaloke, Uganda. He could speak multiple languages, including Lug ...
, Ugandan military officer * Ferdinand Omurwa, Kenyan sprinter * Peter Elwelu (Major General), Current Ugandan Deputy Chief of Defence Forces.


References

{{Authority control Ethnic groups in Uganda Ethnic groups in Kenya Nilotic peoples *