Author Topic: Joluo And Jonam Comparison  (Read 1201 times)

Offline Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants

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Joluo And Jonam Comparison
« on: November 14, 2022, 05:32:14 PM »
Jonam a language spoken in the West Nile in Uganda, is apparently Kenyan Luo's closest linguistic relative.  KPtravels has also done Luo/Acholi, Luo/Padhola(also very close), Luo/Alur and Luo/Langi.  It seems to me, that Uganda has the most Luo tribes.

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Harriet Tubman

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Re: Joluo And Jonam Comparison
« Reply #1 on: November 14, 2022, 05:53:49 PM »
Yes been watching his video. There are very similar. Even Kunama.

This because all the Luos are recent immigrant to East Africa from Southern Sudan - who followed the river nile to Lake victoria.

Kenya Luos been here for only 5 centuries. They certainly broke off from Uganda Luos. And from Shilluk in North of Southern Sudan.

I wonder how close is Luo to Dinka/Nuer?

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Re: Joluo And Jonam Comparison
« Reply #2 on: November 14, 2022, 06:08:12 PM »
Yes been watching his video. There are very similar. Even Kunama.

This because all the Luos are recent immigrant to East Africa from Southern Sudan - who followed the river nile to Lake victoria.

Kenya Luos been here for only 5 centuries. They certainly broke off from Uganda Luos. And from Shilluk in North of Southern Sudan.

I wonder how close is Luo to Dinka/Nuer?


I think there is a bigger gulf between Luos and Dinka/Nuer.  Two branches of Western Nilotics, so the similarities are at a more higher level.  Shilluk is Luo.  He probably can't do Shilluk because of the unstable environment in South Sudan.
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Re: Joluo And Jonam Comparison
« Reply #3 on: November 14, 2022, 07:22:42 PM »
Yes Shilluk are Luos - but they up there in Malakal - that is very north - almost near Khartoum. I think Kalenjin lived there. Nilotes original home was up near Abai river - north of Shiluk.
I think there is a bigger gulf between Luos and Dinka/Nuer.  Two branches of Western Nilotics, so the similarities are at a more higher level.  Shilluk is Luo.  He probably can't do Shilluk because of the unstable environment in South Sudan.

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Re: Joluo And Jonam Comparison
« Reply #4 on: November 15, 2022, 03:56:34 PM »
Yes Shilluk are Luos - but they up there in Malakal - that is very north - almost near Khartoum. I think Kalenjin lived there. Nilotes original home was up near Abai river - north of Shiluk.
I think there is a bigger gulf between Luos and Dinka/Nuer.  Two branches of Western Nilotics, so the similarities are at a more higher level.  Shilluk is Luo.  He probably can't do Shilluk because of the unstable environment in South Sudan.

It's amazing how scattered they are.  These folks are essentially the same tribe, but find themselves all over the place.  It's like finding Kikuyus in Ruwenzori and their closest cousins somewhere in Baringo.  I wonder why they ended up scattered like that.  Is it documented anywhere?  I have heard of Muslim raids in Sudan, but what about Uganda?
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Re: Joluo And Jonam Comparison
« Reply #5 on: November 15, 2022, 04:12:53 PM »
The Luos generally seem to live along the river nile - and it's major tributeries - they definitely learnt to eat fish - in addition to main activity that most sudane/nilotes did - mostly agro-pastoralism. I think most nilotes wont touch fish considering same class with snakes. I think Dinka-Luo  branch initially speared fish before they started to build canoes & learnt to catch smaller fish etc.

What seperate the shilluk Luos with Uganda-Kenya-sudan  Acholo-Luos is the large SUDD swamp that was lybranith that made it almost impossible to cross except on few times - like heavy flooding - that washed away the overgrowth making it passable.

The Sudd also prevented the Arabs from coming down - it's huge swamp - about 200Km wide & long - and impossible to navigate without getting lost forever. I think it was only the British later with more navigational device that evenutally conquered it and help Sudan colonize South Sudan.

It's amazing how scattered they are.  These folks are essentially the same tribe, but find themselves all over the place.  It's like finding Kikuyus in Ruwenzori and their closest cousins somewhere in Baringo.  I wonder why they ended up scattered like that.  Is it documented anywhere?  I have heard of Muslim raids in Sudan, but what about Uganda?

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Re: Joluo And Jonam Comparison
« Reply #6 on: November 15, 2022, 04:20:30 PM »
Actually it crazy bigger than I thought

Al-Sudd, swampy lowland region of central South Sudan, 200 miles (320 km) wide by 250 miles (400 km) long. It is drained by headstreams of the White Nile,